What a stunning color

There was a time I would have sought it out simply for whom it is named. The actress is a favorite.

Wow, scary thorns! Thanks for sharing Marlorena. Helen

..tea scented, sometimes rather tar like..

Interestingly Malorena, when I read your post and looked at your images, the first thing that popped out at me was the phrase above. It has long been one of my pet peeves with David Austin Roses Ltd, that they no longer publish the breeding of their roses. Dame Judi... is only the second rose whose fragrance I have heard described as tea scented and tar like. The other is the early English Rose Jayne Austin. A decade or more ago, I wrote the quote below on this forum in answer to a question about J. A.:

Jayne, has a potent blend of Tea rose and phenol, yes phenol. But to my snout Jayne's fragrance is the greatest rose scent there is. Major personal preference here; but Jayne's scent is TO DIE FOR!!!!!

With respect to the reference to Phenol, it is an aromatic organic compound first extracted from coal tar. Your images and your description Dame Judi's... fragrance, all instantly made me think that this rose quite possibly has Jayne Austin in her breeding. Just a side bar and a guess, mostly because I am enamored with rose genetics and rose breeding and this fragrance is quite rare.

Dame Judi... looks to be a lovely rose named after a great actress. I am ever so curious about her fragrance now!! I wish I had the room to give her a go.

Cheers, Rick

Rick that's fascinating, how coincidental... I don't know the Jayne Austin rose at all, and I had no other reference to the 'tar' scent other than my own nose...

It’s so beautiful! I’d love to watch it bloom. It’s putting on a show!!

Jayne is a vigorous beauty. I'm growing up a cutting and am surprised how easily she struck and how quickly she's grown. There are some fabulous pics of her on HMF, some of which may be Rick's. I can't wait to smell her. I'm now also wanting Dame Judi! Your pictures are beautiful. I love roses that exhibit many colours at the same time; it's like growing multiple different ones!

Wow—what a beauty, and very interesting notes about the fragrance. Lovely form, too—like a perfect Pom-pOm. :-)

Beautiful and I am not a fan of bright orange roses! Really pretty! Oh, those thorns! Major owies!

I love the colour , Marlorena. I was wondering which rose you picked since there were two new ones . Dame Judi is totally unique like Vap put it so nicely. It exhibit many colours as if you are growing different ones. I totally like that Vap and you are right !

jin

Beautiful rose!

Stephanie, that rose is beautiful and how big are the blooms ? I read on HMF and it just says large flowers :)

jin

Plumeria, Compassion’s blooms in our cool spring were 4in, it’s second flush mid summer, 90 degrees, were about 3inch. It’s setting a 3rd flush now.

EGADS!!! Those are some crazy thorns! She looks worth it though. The real life Dame Judy Dench is also sharp as a tack, so not inappropriate. She is one of my favorite actresses.

The buds look like Tea Rose... a beautiful blend of colors, Marlorena. I've noticed with the Tea scented Austins a mix of sweet and non-sweet scents, a complex type of fragrance.