Beautiful photos. I can't wait till mine blooms. I have lots of unopened buds.

Marlorena, my Darcey Bussell has a similar flowershape, though a little brighter colour and a bit smaller than MW. The intensity of the colour of both roses keeps on amazing me every day. They're both among my favourites.

Gorgeous pictures! I have a William Shakespeare which I liked the dark colors of its blooms but it is not that vigorous. Seeing your pictures, I may have to try munstead wood. I ove when roses have that velvety look.

I can't wait for mine to bloom. Last year it was a bare root, and didn't do much. Yours are really lovely!! My favs are 5, 6, and 9.

Hans - your rose is much lighter/purpler and I really like that look!

Carol

I love 3 and 8.

Mine never gets that dark. Lovely pictures!

Mine gets darker in the cool months. Right now she is magenta. Probably will be until fall just like last year.

I'm a big fan of #2 and #7. I like the deep plum colors. I've found to get this color in my area after it starts to get hot outside, I cut the flower as a fairly tight flower (just starting to open) and bring it inside to finish opening. This is the effect I get when I do it this way.

I got mine in early April and it finally has a bud... can't wait! Of your photos, I prefer #5 and #9 but they are all lovely.

Wow! Your's is really dark. I love 7, 9, 10 and flower mix is really beautiful!

This is mine last year, this year's buds have not opened yet, planted last year:

That's lovely!!! I love how light green the leaves are compared to the darkness of the bloom!!

Carol

I have never seen MW that dark so thank you for sharing your pics, Marlorena. My favorites are 7 & 8. I probably will have to do what Ken suggested to get that dark bloom color. Mine looks more red than dark black red.

Looking at Karen's picture, I have my doubts that this is MW, unless her camera missed capturing the right color. A common problem picturing reds. Even my MW is considered to be very bright.

If my rose blooms like your color, Hans, I would be thrilled. I think my camera may affect its red color representation. Though it is still a brighter red in real life than your rose's red. I ordered mine directly from David Austin in Tyler TX. I wonder if they sent me something else.

I read the "terms" in the fine print and they say something about substitutions without notification, I read it really fast. It was in the checkout and pay process that you had to "agree to terms". I don't know if they meant they could sub a bare own root for a pot or sub a variety!!!???

what incredible coloring mine are never that dark but mine are very new.

Looks like my Munstead Wood is darker this year than in the past. Though it is still not as dark as Hans or Ken's pics. But I am very thrilled with this year blooms.

Karen, if you've had really hot temps like we get, your plant still is certainly Munstead Wood, which often goes magenta in 95 or above. We've had temps already in that range up to 98F, and my Munstead is much lighter this year. Cori Ann has had similar results in her high temps. Diane

Would have to agree about the temps.

Here is Munstead in November

Here is Munstead in June

One more for good measure. Munstead in October

That is exactly what I've been seeing, mustb. Diane

Love the dark reds. Does MW bloom OK in partial shade? I would not mind if it stayed small with less sun, but I like the darker red color. Maybe the only way to guarantee that is to cut the buds and bring them inside as Ken does.

Marlorena and others... your MWs are a beautiful, deep garnet color and they're lovely. Mine looked that way in March... but then in April as the temps got hotter, as Diane said, the heat in my yard turned them an awful fluorescent red. The blooms also turned small and had fewer petals. The only photo I still have of MW when it was pretty is this one. MW on the bottom left, scattered on the right, and a mini bouquet of them in the back.

I'm sorry to be such a negative nelly, but it only looked like that for a couple weeks here, then completely changed in color, size and form. It started out just crisping.

But then as temps got higher and it kept blooming it really changed. I completely disliked it in my yard after that.

I had a wonderful place for 2 of my MWs next to Souvenir de Docteur Jamain and the fluorescent red color just completely ruined the whole look. That's coming from me... red is my favorite color! SdDJ is on the right. That awful fluorescent red rose on the left was one of my MWs.

Munstead Wood just was not impressive in my yard. I just couldn't stand them. The thorns made it a pain to cut and bring indoors too. I traded my three to Romogen and I'm sure they're going to have a very happy home in his yard, returning to their lovely, rich, deep and dark splendor.

I bought Kordes Dark Desire instead.

As lovely as Munstead Wood is, it certainly has some shortcomings such as its thorniness and inconsistent coloring. I can certainly see why you trade the 3 MW away.

A bit OT, Cori Ann, but how deep is that border? DD is a very large and tall HT in my garden with what I now know to be typical HT shape. I love the rose, but wish it had a shrubbier shape that fit in better with the background of low climbers.

I'll add pics of my MW in a bit. They are changeable, but fortunately whatever colour they are goes nicely with New Dawn, so it's all good. I had wanted the very dark colour so the fuschia shade was a shock at first, but the sheer volume of blooms made up for it. Having only had ND prior, I was used to thorns.

Just one girl's opinion but I love the hot fuchia phase the best. To me the dark is pretty but this hot color is my fav

It's only about 2 feet deep there Vaporvac... actually a little less. I'm sure the way I planted things there is not recommended for most yards. I'm not much for following rules though. In my yard planting right next to a fence seems to work well. There's soil underneath the gravel walkways so plants actually can spread their roots as far as they want. And it's so dry here that a lot of circulation problems from planting things right near a fence isn't too much of an issue. I set up espalier wires across the fence to tie in the roses how I want (actually thank you to Marlorena for sharing her technique for that) and I put tall roses across the fence along with climbers. So I think DD will work great there. Seems to be a better rose for my yard so far, but too soon to say for sure.

Kristine I like hot fuchsia too. But MW was more of a fluorescent, neon red in my yard, not fuchsia. I'm sure the color changing ability is a plus for many who want that and the photos of MW look great in other yards.

For where I had it placed, and with my finicky, particular style of color coordinating my garden, it just didn't work. I can't wait to see photos of them in Romogen's yard. Seeing them flourish in his yard will make me happy.

My Munstead is never that dark. It's often about the same color as Dr. Huey, rather variable as mentioned above, sometimes more purple and sometimes fluorescent pink, and of course it blooms much more and a very different looking plant than Dr. Huey. I didn't like the bright form, but then I realized that it is a color that works against the browns of the house, and the color works with the light intensity here.

Oh, I think that is so pretty

I find that any DA rose takes three to five years to truly show its stuff. Mine are only three years old and I love them at any color. It goes so well with my lighter pink roses. Neighbors come over to state that they love the color, no matter what it is. I find the color to be more consistent the older the rose gets.

Marl, how does this DA rose compare to Thomas a Becket? I have the DA rose calendar and Thomas was one of the roses featured during one of the months. There is so little about this rose in this forum and on-line. I am thinking of getting this rose and growing it on its own root. I have NO space for this rose, but find the form and color intriguing. I know you have this rose. I think the color is similar to Munstead.

mustbnuts.... I've no idea about an own root 'TaB'... ours are all grafted, but I don't see it as anything like 'MW' really, which has a stiffer habit, which I don't find very graceful if I'm honest... the one drawback with 'TaB', is that the stems can be a bit on the weak side, so some of the blooms can turn downward, but grown as a climber mine is at eye level, so that's just fine... I also have it as a shrub, and it has a graceful habit, mixed in with perennials, I find the curving stems here actually rather appealing... most times it has a medium citrusy/old rose scent which I prefer to 'MW'... whose blooms I think are sometimes too big for the bush...

'TaB', is the more carefree rose, sun, shade, dry, hot, cool...wet, shrub or climber, it's of no concern and just carries on churning out those blooms regardless... non stop... it's an unfussy, prolific blooming rose and that's why I love it I think...

Thanks for the glowing review. Tab is one that I haven't read much about it's good to hear a review from someone who grows it thank you so much

Thanks Marl for the review. I won't be able to get this rose until next year as it is way too late to ship in my area. If I get it, it will be in a pot for a couple of years until I can take cuttings from it and grow it on its own root. Are the colors of TaB similar to MW or is it more fire engine red? I prefer my red roses to be on the blue spectrum rather than the orange side. The pictures you have shown of this rose are just beautiful!

Mustbnuts when I was last at Regan's they had several TaBs still available that were very mature. Not sure if they're still there, but If you got one of those you could probably take cuttings sooner. If you come down this way to purchase in person it might be an option. Of course the mature DAs there are quite expensive... I think somewhere around $65 when not on sale? Maybe $75? They seem to be about 3 years old though. If you purchased over the phone they would probably even hold it for you for quite some time until you could come down.

:-)

mustbnuts.... I regard 'TaB' as a deep cerise pink, although it opens dark red and stays that way for a short while, before getting larger and changing colour, but it usually finishes up that frilly deep pink, or even lighter pink in hot weather.. this is why I don't compare it to 'Munstead Wood's' dark colours, which I usually get here..

I'm not sure how it would turn out in your climate though... maybe you won't get the dark red colours that you seem to want.. I don't regard it as a 'red' rose personally.. as it doesn't stay red for long.. but you get mixed colours on the bush, like a lot of Austins... red/crimson/cerise pink.... all the same time..

Let's see if I can find some photos... these are taken late May/early June..

..taken a few minutes ago... I'm having to train it across rope now..

..in my landscape..these roses just want to climb, so hence the rope..

'TaB' on the right... 'Royal Jubilee'/'Scepter'd Isle'..centre left..

I might have a photo of the shrub version, but it's smothered in geranium at the moment... let's see... oh yeah... it's a first season rose but it'll soon rise up above

that geranium, so I'm not worried about that... it's a very vigorous rose..

Malorena - how long ago did you plant your TaB? I just planted mine a few months ago and it's just about to bloom for the first time. It's thin, wiry character suggests that it might be similar to your climbing rose.

I'll post a photo to show the color of mine in a 9b climate, but first blooms aren't always very representative of the eventual color and form.

Ann

Ann, that's a nice young specimen, can't wait to see the colour.. I do wonder if it might be lighter in a warmer climate than mine...

Your rose will be the same, there is no separate climbing form, it's one of those roses you can use it either way... train it on support and up it goes... of course again in your climate, it may get much bigger, I wouldn't know about that.. the shrub you see in my last photo with the blue geranium is fairly new and was planted late last summer from a container... this is its first full season... the one climbing an obelisk with the rope is about 4 years old..

''wiry character'' that's a good description...

Thank you Marl for the lovely pictures and info. Ann, I can't wait to see your when it gets older. Where did you get yours? Thanks Cori for the tip.

Marl, I love the color and form on yours. It is truly a beautiful rose. I think it will become a "house eater" in my warm weather. Thank you again for taking the pictures. I never get tired of looking at your garden. It is outstanding!

I'm in a much warmer climate so MW is never very dark, but I like all shades of MW and it flowers a lot so I don't mind.

ps thanks Marlorena I had a ball visiting all the gardens and parks around London. I especially liked the RHS garden in Wisley. They have an amazing collection of plants. I had to take an über there from Wimbledon but it was worth the trouble. Of course Kew was great too as well as all the royal parks. I even visited quite a few nurseries in London and picked up quite a few vases! The tube was great and got me to all these places except Wisley.

Mustb - I got my TaB from David Austin, I think it's the only source for the rose at this time.

Ann

fragrancenutter.... so glad you had a lovely time,... I saw your wonderful photos of Chelsea and Wisley on the other thread... I know it's difficult to get to there, but so much to see... hope you manage to come back here again some time...

Just want to update on the color of my MW. In the first year it was planted, my MW had mostly red or hot pink
blooms. The color has significantly improved in its 3rd growing
season. It is blooming much darker blooms now even in hot weather.

Marlorena -that first picture is amazing!!!! Oh my!!

Carol

thanks Carol, not my best pictures of this rose, it was a very windswept day and everything was blown to pieces, hardly enabling for Mustbenuts..

Here's a couple I took today, as I'm still in love with Thomas despite a few others coming along that I might love even more...

..looking more pink as it's warmed up here...

Let's continue the 'Munstead Wood' ''love-in''.... these are from the end of May when they are at the most darkest for me, and also the largest... these were huge actually, almost too big..

..this from today... a bit lighter in mid 70'sF..

I like it dark, with bits of red in the middle, as in photo no 3 there...

Count me in on the love in. I love Munstead in all its colors but that dark color is really special.

And thanks for the pictures of TaB. Anothet stunner

MW has great fragrance, color, and form; but the thorns make me only like rather than love this rose.

Ann

Oh Ann!!!! That is an amazing color and shape!!! Love, love it!! The petal formation is incredible!

Marolena - I think this rose should be called origami. The folds and colors are amazing!!! Your flowers are almost burgundy. MW has a wide range of colors! Your Thomas Beckett roses are amazing too!!! That's a lot of ruffly, pretty blooms!! Mmmmmm :)

Carol

Cultivation of the 'Muntead Wood' Rose. This will be his third season in my garden. Both have significantly improved color. This spring the roses are much darker. However, the flowers that are opening now, already with very high temperatures (about 95 / 96,8 degrees) again are less dark.

Last year they gave darker roses in autumn than in spring. So that the roses that produce this fall again will be more dark than those of now.

I am very happy with my two RMW. This season has not even had any mildew. The previous two years it was desperate to see the white dust on its leaves as soon as the buds began to open.

My climate is very very hot in summer. Surely even in spring here in Central Spain there are higher temperatures than many of its gardens. But the worst thing about growing roses is how dry the air is. There is no atmospheric humidity. And that's terrible for roses !!

I show you some pictures of my Munstead Wood.

Maria.

Rosa 'Munstead Wood' · More Info

Rosa 'Munstead Wood' · More Info

Oh my goodness Maria, your Munstead wood is gorgeous

That's incredible, Maria!! I love your bush shots, especially the one next to the white rose bush!

Carol