This is not one of the really popular Austins and is rarely mentioned on this forum--perhaps you have identified some of the reasons why.

On the other hand, Austins (and many other types of roses also) often take about 3 years to really settle in and get a well-developed root system so that they can bloom decently. You know the old rule: year one they sleep, year two they creep, year three they leap.

Which is why I always give Austins 3 years (sometimes 4 years) to show me what they can do.

On the other hand, our gardens are supposed to pleasure us, so if it really is that displeasing, get rid of it and buy something you can enjoy.

Or, while you are waiting for Juliet to grow up and flaunt her stuff, buy an Austin Munstead Wood and enjoy it. Mine was a light bloomer its first year but the blooms were gorgeous and I totally love that Austin! Can't wait to see how it will do its second year coming up here.

All of this is to say that some plants mature faster than others.

Hope that helps.

Kate

You know a rose that's only a year old and that hasn't yet matured can be something very different from what it will be later. That said the bloom color that you don't like probably won't change. I know this rose is rather stingy on rebloom. I just have to say that I love mine. It's eight feet tall, healthy, gracefully arching, and impressive in full bloom.

Like Mendocino, I also have really enjoyed my Sweet Juliets. At around age 3, she begins to fully mature. Juliet does require a little patience, especially when grown as an own-root rose, but her coloring is soft and lovely in my climate, the shape of her blooms is romantic, she's relatively healthy here in blackspotty PDX, and she's narrow and manageable in a mixed bed. If yours is planted in full sun in a hot climate, you might try morning sun only for richer, longer-lasting color. If you can tolerate the waiting period, I believe she's worth it. Oh, did I mention that her fragrance is delicious? Carol

I love mine. The soft color is nice to me, but the fragrance knocks your socks off! Mine grows about 7' high strong and self-supporting. The rebloom is good now that it has been established. It is also healthier and more resistant to BS than many Austins in this climate, a big plus.

I have a sweet juliet and i ddnt like it at first year it ddnt really appeal to me but the second year it took off and blooms alot the third year it changes its color to a more appealing apricot and i love it now!just give it a chance,mine is about 7 feet tall blooms alot in spring and repeat well and more resistant to blackspot.

Does anyone know an online source for this rose other than the David Austin site? It's pretty pricey there.

I believe Heirloom Roses sells her. Carol

Sweet Juliet was one of my favorite austins at Heirloom Roses display gardens last summer. She had a really good flush going in August when I was there. The colors, scent and bloom form were wonderful. I know how hard it is to wait for a rose to show it's worth though. I have a few here that I'm wavering on keeping. They're such young plants though that I feel it's not quite fair to decide at this point.

Just an update. I'm keeping Sweet Juliet because I love the scent. The smell reminds me like the breakfast cereal, 'fruit loops' - so sweet and citrus-y. I don't think I've ever come a cross a rose that smells as good as her. The cons about this rose: her colors get washed out too quickly and she gets blackspot.

Does anybody know if this is still available commercially? Seems like it's gone just like Happy Child and Pretty Jessica?

I got Pretty Jessica from Hortico this spring. They might offer her again this year, worth checking I think.

best

claire

I got Sweet Juliette at the CCRS auction in 2014 and kept her potted for 18 months. She's in the garden now for another 18 months. Only about 4 ft tall and no buds as yet. This one takes some time to establish herself.

Beautiful! I’m so glad you shared this photo. I have a young Sweet Juliet and I’m just waiting to see how she does. Do you give her some shade? I think mine is going to need some afternoon shade in my climate. Lisa

Vuthanhthuy - "Juliet" and "Sweet Juliet" are 2 different roses. One is DA florist rose often coined the million dollar rose that is not readily available to all growers except in the florist industry. "Sweet Juliet" on the other hand is a garden rose also bred by DA.

Thanks for bumping up this thread. My SJ rose died from canker and I did not replace it. The scent is superb but I just dont like the way it grow. It doesn't branch well compare to other Austins.

On hmf SJ gets a lot of excellent ratings. There are some pretty pictures. I bought one from DA Roses which will arrive soon. Will hope for the best.

Please note: 'Sweet Juliet' (AUSleap) is not the same Austin variety as 'Juliet' (AUSjameson)!

I grew 'Sweet Juliet' many years ago and found it stingy with rebloom, the flowers were always under 3" diameter, and rarely resembled the double, cupped beauty shown by Austin in literature. It was discarded after three years and I never missed it.

Oh! Not such good news! One of the main reasons I bought her was because one of my friends is a wedding florist. She occasionally raids my garden when a supplier doesn’t come through at the last minute. I think she’s always referred to one of her most popular bridal roses as “SWEET Juliet”. I wonder why she was calling it that instead of “Juliet”. It wasn’t even on my radar, until she began raving about it. I figured it HAD to be a good cut flower. Shucks! Thanks for the heads up. No prominent spot for this one! Lisa

I’m back. She’s confirmed my fears. She does indeed use “Juliet”, not “Sweet Juliet”. I need to learn not to to trust my declining memory for anything, anymore! Lisa:)

Yes, 'Juliet' was first released as a cut flower rose. I cannot imagine cutting blooms of 'Sweet Juliet' and having them last more than 24 hours! Blooms were shockingly short-lived.

Well, it’s not the first time I’ve made I’ve made a mistake, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I’m glad to realize this before planting it, rather than after. I assume it’s too big for potted culture and not suitable for shade? What to do, what to do? Lisa

@Lisa: I kept mine in a very large (think half-barrel) for its first three years and in year three it sulked badly, no doubt because it had exhausted its root space. Austins in general are not great container roses because most have too much vigor or are too big.

Is Sweet Juliet available anywhere? Heirloom Roses no longer grows it and it is out of stock at David Austin Roses in Texas. It has an incredible fragrance!

Mine recently begun blooming .. it’s so pretty! It does turn to a parchment color after a few days but I really enjoy the cupped bloom . Mj , I hope you can find one . I got mine from heirloom but it must have been their last batch .

Beautiful! Wish I lived closer so I could get a slip from yours! 😊

About 15 years ago we saw this rose in Oregon at the Heirloom gardens and fell in love with it. It took several years to obtain a band. That band has grown into a 6x4 plant. In it’s 10+ years we’ve seen one bloom.

That dosnt seem right Nancy .. one time I had a rose from them that never bloomed as well and I was advised it was a bad cutting. I guess it happens every so often .