Carol...Why did you get rid of her?

@ann beck 8a ruralish WA

Ann, I moved and had to leave her behind. ☹️ Carol

So sorry....at least I know she was good enough for me to keep trying to get her.

nice blog post! I enjoy looking at Austins but the only ones that did well for me were Charlotte and Sophie's Rose. You have grown so many-- I am looking forward to your pictures!

Evelyn is one of the "Jolly green giant" Austins -- an a mild climate like SoCal. It might work to espalier it, so that the canes are horizontal. But we didn't know that when we planted it.

It grew 14-ft. tall, and only bloomed at the top.

We found that Emanuel was a similar bloom, but on an arching 3-ft. plant that bloomed a LOT.

Jolly Green Giant: Ha, ha! Sooo many early Austins shockingly outgrew their English size charts. How about Othello the death thorn octopus that sprouted long arms like it had been blasted with a 1960s sci fi gamma ray gun? Thank goodness for the publication of C Martin’s 100 English Roses for the American Garden! Carol

Jeri is absolutely correct about EVELYN. I don't recommend this rose unless you get some kind of winter. The same goes for THE PILGRIM. Another key to success is growing it own root, which holds the vigor down. Even then, once established you are going to have to keep after it with the pruners. Either that or train it horizontally like she suggested. My favorite way is simply to give her lots of room so the canes can naturally bend over and arch. Things I really like about EVELYN are the perfect flower form, luminous pastel color, strong fruity fragrance (think peaches), straight stems, and vase life. So many English Roses nod their blooms on weak necks and blow too quickly to make good vase flowers, not to mention the obnoxious myrrh fragrance. EVELYN doesn't have these problems.

The David Austin folks have phased EVELYN out and are actively trying to discourage people from growing the rose because it is no longer under patent; a business practice I despise and has soured me to the company. They are pushing BATHSHEBA as an improvement. Maybe so, but it is ANOTHER myrrh scented rose. I've had it with them.

Treasure your EVELYN because in a few years she might be extinct outside of home gardens. No online rose vendor is selling her anymore. She is a real collectors item.