LOL! Oh so true, at least for the "princess" - - Look! I've only seen photos of the rest, but muffin surely fits on this one.
Lynn T

Munstead Wood, my favorite, reduced to the Big Purple does little to inspire my imagination.

How about Pink Shells for Scepter'd Isle. That is certainly what the blooms look like--but the down-to-earth name is hardly as evocative as the original name--and denuded of all the traditional Shakespearian associations.

And think of the aristocratic aura we would lose if Queen of Sweden were renamed Olga's Pink or Princess Alexandra of Kent named Alec's Rose or Lady Salisbury were named Sally's Dream. How plebian can you get!

And how wimpy could a rose get deprived of a heroic fighting spirit--Fighting Tremaire renamed Chess Game and Molineux (soccer team) named Yellow Mustard.

Shakespeare was of another opinion however. "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

But might not sell so well on the public market?

Kate

WS2000--Quarter Pounder.

Duck, thanks for a witty post. Above all, Austin's names are supposed to sound English and evoke English writers and artists, English places, and even the Industrial Revolution (Abe Darby and Carding Mill).

Harkness names often evoke ethical and religious concepts.

"Big Bang Bang" - My favorite.

Here are my contributions:

Boscobel- Pink Petals
Wollerton Old Hall-Magic Perfume Daydream
Windermere-Soft Pillow
Lady Emma Hamilton- Orange Glow
Young Lycidas- Laven-Dare-You
Sharifa Asma- Kim Kardashian
The Crocus Rose- Cream Showstopper

I like Austin's names. At least they are not offensive, or insufferably cute. Or provocative. Do you really want to tell the neighbor with the wandering eye that the rose you just bought is named 'Crush on You'?

Why the hell would I name anything Kim Kardashian? I do love the Austin roses, and I like the british names.

I think the original poster's point was that the Austin names make them more attractive. Giving them more Americanized names that are less romantic makes it easier to resists purchasing impulses. It's a funny tongue in cheek thing. I don't anyone really wants to change their names :)

Sharifa Asma is named after an Omani princess at the request of her family. Kim Kardashian would be the funny American equivalent.

Thanks, Amberoses. Yes, my post was in jest as I am a big fan of Austin roses. In my garden setting, those I have grown for the most part are perfect as I want old garden rose look and repeat. Officially, I ran out of room for roses as of last summer, but still managed to added 4 Austins this spring along with a few Kordes roses. I actually am tempted by Sharifa Asma. Now, I will make a mental note that SA is really Kim Kardashian. If I want to get "the Princess", I will tell myself it is Kayne West. That ought to help somewhat.

Thanks for chiming in, everyone. It is a blast to read all your posts. Names like "Quarter Pounder" , "Soft Pillow" and "Crush on You" crack me up. I might actually be ingtruged and just buy a rose that is named "Quarter Pounder." It takes a lot of confidence for a name like that, so it must be a really good rose. If there is such a rose someday, I will plant it near my WS 2000 (just to show Will not to get too snotty).

Joking aside, the Austin people do know how to package and promote their merchandise. With a name like "Lark Ascending", I would be tempted if the rose were a complete dog. Hello, "Poet's Wife"? It is vauge, evocative, and has a sense of mystery to it, and, best of all, left so much unsaid that it could means anything. Is it tempramental as the poet (i.e., disease prone and week grower)? Or wait, no, it cannot be cause she has to be vigorous and strong to be married to a poet? Or wait, wait, even if she is Knockout strong, she has to have some thing extra, after all, she is the POET's wife and the poet is very artistic and romantic... I wonder whether the Austin people came up with this name on their own, or whether it is an idea from their ad firms. If there were an Oscar for best rose names, I bet the Austins will win a lot.

Well, I'm a big fan of David Austin roses too, Farmerduck. In fact, I'm still having a hard time believing they're as beautiful and floriferous as they really are. But I do think some name editing is in order. Several friends and clients have purchased Golden Celebration at my recommendation, and I love the rose, but think Sponge Bob would be a much better name -- don't you?

I would rename Teasing Georgia The Untamed Shrew.

LoL, Sponge Bob and the Untamed Shrew!!! These two names came too late for me as a potted Sponge Bob snared me two weeks ago at a local nursery and two shrews have taken up residence in my garden. Also, maybe the Cantaloupe Rose is another good name for Golden Celebration.

Okay, I'll play. Queen of Sweden = Cherry Cupcake
Alnwick Rose = Big Pink Mother
Falstaff = Charlie Sheen.
I still like the old names. Great thread!
Sylvia

Abe Darby=Sir RustiMildew

I sometimes am reminded of various foods (mostly desserts) when I look at roses, Austins in particular, I think because hey are so lush and sweetly fragrant.

Here is what comes to mind with some of mine:
Munstead wood: Red Velvet Cake
Golden Celebration: Lemon Tart
Lady of Shalott: Orange Creamsicle
Darcey Bussell: Strawberry Shortcake
Lady Emma Hamilton: Turkish Delight
Abe Darby: Strawberry Milkshake
Jude the Obscure: Toasted Marshmallow

Kind of funny to think of them this way, but somehow makes sense to me. Yum.

This post was edited by Dinglehopp3r on Thu, Jun 12, 14 at 0:35

SFV4life, thanks for your post. you made me laugh out loud (a great day to start the day!)

Wollerton Old Hall is a richly scented, elegantly beautiful, blooming machine of nuanced color. The lovely blooms are strong too, even holding up through strong winds. The better name is Wooly Bully, and I'll be putting in my suggestion for this change to the big cheese Dave, his head honcho Mike, and the rest of the gang at Austin soon.

jannike

Oh, and Big Pink Muther (formerly Alnwick) might be changed again, to the softer and more romantic "Grasshopper's Friend". Imagine pairing the rose below with another similarly named red Austin rose, "Fish Hooks".

jannike

Thanks, all. Laughter is the best rose food.