David Austin's 'Janet'

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

A few years ago I saw a picture posted by bethnorcal9 (I miss her and her extensive rose collection! I am so sad that she lost her garden in the wildfires) of an Austin rose I'd never seen before called 'Janet'. It was one of those pictures that was so beautiful, I just couldn't forget it. I decided to order it just so I could see the bloom in person.

I have had 'Janet' in the ground for two years...this summer will be its third season. I have been absolutely blown away by the size, beauty, fragrance, and floriferousness of this rose. The only reason I can see that it's not a popular one is the bush is the epitome of an octopus: it puts out large canes that immediately bend over with the weight of the huge flowers.

For me, it's worth some creative tying and training to have these flowers. I think they may be the most beautiful ones in my entire garden. It puts out flush after flush of these beauties!

I WISH I had taken a full bush shot, but I didn't last summer. It kind of reminds me of 'Evelyn' in its growth habit. I decided to place a small teepee over it so I could tie the canes around it or to it as the season progresses. I still haven't figured the training and pruning part out yet. I will post more pictures this summer with bush shots.

Has anyone else grown this rose? I would love to hear about it if you have!

Featured Answer

ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9

6 years ago

If I'm not mistaken, that's one of the roses that's to be discontinued. I had Janet years ago, in a bad spot, and rather than moving it stupidly got rid of it. I wish I still had it.

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Comments (12)

Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
6 years ago
What a beauty, Rosylady! I hope more people have her. She would surely fit in here.
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
Dillybeansown (6b in the Ozarks)
6 years ago
That is beautiful! I love the ruffly petals.
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked Dillybeansown (6b in the Ozarks)
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sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
6 years ago
I love this so much!!🥰
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
kathyc_z10_socal
6 years ago
beautiful! I have never heard of this one!
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked kathyc_z10_socal
Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
6 years ago
Another one of those beautiful ball gown roses! Beautiful! Is it fragrance?
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked Vaporvac Z6-OhioRiverValley
sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
It comes up on the US DA site but of course, it is out of stock lol.
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
monarda_gw
6 years ago
It's beautiful.
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked monarda_gw
Rosylady (PNW zone 8)
Original Author
6 years ago
Ingrid, your Janet is beautiful! How did you prune it? How old was the bush in those pictures? I pruned mine hard this spring hoping to get it to bush out....I hope it works.
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
6 years ago
Thank you kindly, comtesse. I've also had the feeling that this is more like CFS, and from everything I've read there is little to be done. I'm keeping up my spirits and trying to get back to a normal place as much as possible.
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
6 years ago
Rosylady, I'm so sorry that your question didn't register in my sometimes foggy brain. I didn't have Janet long enough to prune it or even to realize that it had that spreading habit. However, Bishop's Castle is rather similar in that way, and rather than letting it spread I've kept it fairly tidy by keeping the branches short. I would cut flowers for inside by cutting down fairly deeply into the bush, and the same after the flowers were spent that stayed on the bush. It doesn't seem to hurt the plant and I don't like the bush to spread down near the ground since the rats and bunnies will eat that part.
Rosylady (PNW zone 8) thanked ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9