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The roses of the English breeder David Austin are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful. They outwardly resemble old varieties, but for the most part they bloom repeatedly or continuously, they are more resistant to diseases, and the aromas are so strong and varied that they alone can be collected. English roses do not compete with hybrid tea, since they almost never have cone-shaped flowers – D. Austin simply rejects such plants and does not release them on the market.
Today we will get acquainted with the rose “Pat Austin” – the pearl of the collection and the variety, which has collected a lot of rave reviews and criticism in its address.
Variety description
Rose “Pat Austin” was created at the end of the last century, presented to the public in 1995 and named after D. Austin’s beloved wife Pat. It originates from two of the most famous varieties – the pink-apricot “Abraham Darby” and the bright yellow “Graham Thomas”.
- Abraham Derby
- Graham Thomas
Rose “Pat Austin” has changed the idea of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe standards of beauty of ostines – it was previously believed that all of them must certainly have soft pastel shades, distinguished by purity and tenderness. The color of this rose is difficult to describe, and it is impossible to call it soft and tender, rather, it is bright, catchy, even defiant. Bright yellow, with a copper tint, the inner side of the petals is in harmony with the pale yellow color of the back. As the rose ages, the copper color fades to pink or coral, and the yellow fades to cream.
Since the semi-double or double flowers of the Pat Austin variety are often short-lived, such a mixture of colors can be observed on a huge glass at the same time that it is even difficult to name them all. Most of the rose petals are bent inward so that the stamens cannot be seen, the outer ones are wide open. Unfortunately, at high temperatures, the flower ages so quickly that it does not have time to fully bloom.
The bush of this rose is sprawling, it usually grows one meter in height, while reaching 1,2 meters in width. Dark green large leaves perfectly set off flowers, the size of which can reach 10-12 cm. Roses are sometimes single, but more often they are collected in brushes of 3-5 pieces, rarely 7. Unfortunately, the shoots of the Pet Austin variety cannot be called powerful and under the weight of cup-shaped glasses they tend to the ground, and in rainy weather they can even lie down.
The flowers have a strong tea rose scent that some consider overbearing. They open earlier than most other varieties and abundantly cover the bush from mid-June to autumn. David Austin recommends growing this variety in the sixth climatic zone, but he is a well-known reinsurer in everything that concerns frost resistance, with sufficient shelter, the rose winters superbly in the fifth zone. Her disease resistance is average, but her bud soaking resistance is low. This means that prolonged rainy weather will not allow the flower to open, besides, the petals deteriorate and rot from excessive moisture.
Lack of variety
Often you can find discrepancies in the description of the variety: different heights of the bush can be indicated, the size of the flower varies from 8-10 to 10-12 cm (for roses this is a significant difference), and the number of buds is from 1-3 to 5-7. Many complain that the petals quickly fly around and live less than a day, while according to other gardeners, they last almost a week.
What everyone, without exception, agrees on is that the shoots of the Pat Austin rose are too weak for such large flowers and you need to raise your glass to see it well. And in rainy weather, the rose behaves very badly – the buds do not open, and the petals rot.
Sometimes it seems that we are talking about two different varieties. Unfortunately, not only those who speak of the “Pat Austin” rose in superlatives are right. What is it connected with? Are the peculiarities of our climate to blame or ourselves? It is interesting that no one complains about the winter hardiness of a rose even in the fifth zone – if it was covered, then the flower will overwinter at least satisfactorily.
What can you say? For all its attractiveness, the rose really has a very low resistance to rain, which is honestly stated in the description of the variety. She really does not like the heat – the flowers quickly grow old, become smaller by almost 2 times and crumble before they fully open. But other contradictory characteristics require closer consideration.
Features of placement and care
We are used to the fact that roses are rather unpretentious plants and after rooting we take little care of them. This is not the sort of “Pat Austin”.
It can constantly get sick and give small buds just because you planted a bush in the sun. This is good for other roses, but “Pat Austin” is a real resident of foggy Albion. She will feel good in the Moscow region, but the inhabitants of Ukraine and Stavropol will have to tinker with her.
- In hot climates, it is better not to plant it, and if you are a fan of this particular variety of roses, place it in a shady place where the sun shines for only a few hours a day, preferably before lunch.
- If you feed other varieties somehow and with whatever comes to hand, then you can’t do this with the Pat Austin variety – it must receive the right amount of nutrients throughout the season. Look at the photo, what a beauty a rose can be with good care.
- In order for the shoots to become more durable, pay special attention to autumn feeding with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, you can even spend them not 2, but 3 with an interval of 2-3 weeks if the weather is warm.
- You can not neglect the foliar dressing of the rose “Pat Austin”, and it is highly desirable to add a chelate complex, epin, zircon and humates to the fertilizer bottle. They need to be done every two weeks.
- To prevent powdery mildew and black spot, add systemic fungicides to the “cocktail”, alternating them with each spray.
- In order to grow a shrab (a sprawling bush with thick drooping branches), roses are pruned quite a bit in spring, removing the frozen and thinnest shoots, and to get a compact bush with many flowers – by 2/3.
“Pat Austin” in landscape design
Saturated rare color causes the frequent use of roses of this variety in garden design, and shade tolerance allows them to be planted in places where other flowers will simply wither. The rose will look great both in low hedges and as a tapeworm – against the background of green spaces, the color of the buds will stand out especially favorably.
Even the fact that the branches droop under the weight of huge flowers can be beaten – this feature of them is just right for a garden or a corner in a romantic style. Companions to the rose can be planted with sage, lupins, delphiniums, chamomiles or other flowers of blue, white or red. Neighborhood with Queen Victoria’s favorite plant, the cuff, will give the garden a special atmosphere. The abundance of sculptures, bridges, benches and secluded arbors, due to the peculiarities of the style, will only benefit from the neighborhood with such an impressive rose.
Conclusion
Of course, the Pat Austin rose is not easy to care for and, if treated carelessly or improperly placed, will not show itself from the best side. But this does not stop lovers of English roses from acquiring this variety. And whether you are ready to pay a lot of attention to a capricious beauty or plant a more unpretentious flower – it’s up to you.