This year I grew four David Austin roses in containers. My top hopes were, they would do well, little disease, bloom nicely, and especially be fragrant. I also have one David Austin rose in a container from last year. I was pretty happy with them, but a bit disappointed the fragrance wasn't as strong as I hoped. Here are my thoughts. All photos from my garden. Darcy Bussell. Nice bloomer. Compact enough for 20 gal container. Fragrance was noticeable but not really that strong. Boscobel. A bit more vigorous bush, but first year was still fine in container. Also a pretty good bloomer. Coral pink . Fragrance was myrrh, what I most wanted. Call me Sunshine. Also a bit more vigorous, and also did fine in a container. Bloomed a bit less but still fine. Fragrance was noticeable but not super strong. Yellow with pale edges. Silas Mariner. Not a fair test. This was in a shady spot in my garden. It did OK, fragrance noticeable. But I need to move it next Spring. Sorry, no photo. The flowers are a lovely true light pink, old rose shape. Vanessa Bell. This was in my vegetable garden, shaded, also not ideal place and not ideal watering. 25 gal container. It's about two years old, does well. Pale yellow, almost white flower. Nice fruity tea fragrance. I was happy at how they did on my patio. If all I wanted was bloom, the Darcy Bussell was probably the best. I was disappointed about the fragrances which ranged from faint to mild. I decided to make some changes for next year. I still want these on the patio. The roller trays help a lot with moving them. Even though it's a good bush with nice flowers, I think I'll move Darcy Bussell to the veggie garden. I'll buy a replacement variety, "Munstead Wood". Deeper red, and described as "highly fragrant". I don't want too many to water, but I think I'll install drip lines and add two more container bushes. First, I'll dig up "Vanessa Bell" from the veggie garden, and plant in 20 gallon container to go onto patio. I think with pruning and good care, it will be similar in growth pattern to the others, and bloom better. I also ordered another one described as "highly fragrant', 'Desdemona". This one is almost white, with pink tinge. I will have fewer big plants on the patio next year - no big dahlias, no brugmansia, no giant annuals. So despite adding two net roses, care will be less and easier. I also want to repot and move the Silas Marner, but still in the veggie garden. The two that I grew from cuttings might stay there or be in the deck. They are smaller. I don't know if there are culture techniques to enhance fragrance, such as fertilizing, watering more or less. I assume full sun is the best for fragrance, but I don't know.
Daniel, those are lovely roses! You certainly have a green thumb, even if it gets pricked once in a while! I have found Brother Cadfael to be fragrant, as is Abram Darby. Dark Lady is a lovely rose, but with little fragrance. Let us know how the two shaded roses do after being moved.
Daniel— I am so out of my depth here with roses, but oh boy, do I ever like looking at them and sniffing them. My rose had thorns and has become an enemy to my Bride. She cheerfully asks every spring if it had died over the winter. Haha. It just keeps hanging on. I do prune it with a bit of rigor. It is now holding up a failing arch, so I am loath to remove it. Never mind all that though, you have some very nice choices there. I recognise some of the names. That Bro. Cadfael was a character on the telly a number of years ago, wasn’t he. David Austin has a good name in the world of roses. My Bride and I went to visit their place some years ago now. It was in the summer and was wonderful to walk around and look at all the beauties…and sniff them. Thanks for this posting, sir. Marlin knows a thing er two about roses as well.
