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dirtdiggerz5bme

Austins chopping block

7 months ago

Tess of the d'urbervilles and charlotte are being retired from David Austin's this year. I'm not sure which others might be on the list.
I haven't really grown charlotte but I have one coming this year, however Tess is one of my best Austin's. I like her enough that I ordered two more for spring and also have two that I started from clippings that are overwintering and hopefully survive.

Comments (25)

  • 7 months ago

    I really enjoyed charlotte while i grew it. it wanted to get so big ! i prefer vanessa belle so when i cut things back from my potted garden i got rid of her . i did really like her though !


  • 7 months ago

    I had an Evelyn from David Austin US that didn't thrive or leaf out and they offered replacement when I communicated this. However, they said that Evelyn wasn't offered this year and wasn't expected to be in their upcoming seasons of offerings, which makes it sound like it's on the chopping block. Instead I looked to see which of their offerings were the oldest and most likely to be discontinued, and selected Charlotte (plus Charles Rennie MacIntosh for the Grace that didn't survive the summer Black Finger of Death).

    Hopefully one of the vendors of out of patent Austins will pick up Evelyn. Sigh. Austins tend to do better grafted for me, such as my surviving but knee high Abraham Darby. Diane has mentioned her "Twig Darby" that hasn't thrived over 6-8 years so I don't have high hopes that mine will do better.

    Cynthia

  • 7 months ago

    Your evelyn purchased last season?they did offer her then, I was able to purchase two, they grew great through the season now I am hoping that they make it through winter.

    They hadn't offered her for years so who knows maybe they will offer her again.

  • 7 months ago

    I did order Evelyn last year and received her but she died of Black Finger of Death (my term - rapid cane death). I just talked to David Austin roses about a different replacement and the representative said that yes, she's not being offered for 2026 but Evelyn has come back into their offerings after being pulled and it might happen again. I'm not holding my breath but hoping.

    Cynthia

  • 7 months ago

    Cythnthia the same happened to me! they called to ask me to choose 2 replacements for my replacements from mine that didnt break dormancy . well they tried too and then puttered out .

    And honestly im so bummed , i wish tney had Evelyn !

    i was able to order an own root from mountain home roses . ive ordered from her before and was happy to recieve nice one gal plants . Little pricey but worth it to get what i wanted !

    im still not sure who my replacements will be . maybe ill try the genrous gardener and lady gardener

  • 7 months ago

    I planted the Generous gardener last year. It put on some new growth but hasn't done much yet as far as blooming. I always have to remember patience

  • 7 months ago

    DA must have shared the Evelyn bounty because Edwards in Boise was selling her with DA tags as a 5 gallon plant. Interesting. Diane

  • 7 months ago

    All the lawsuits and trouble grace has been through how is that company still standing ?

  • 7 months ago

    GRF still exists??

  • 7 months ago

    How weird. I ordered 3 Evelyns last year and 1 did not ever break dormancy and died. They were all planted the same way etc. I still need to figure out what to get as a replacement. I was thinking of Charlotte but then read somewhere that it black spots badly. I dont know what to get lol.

  • 7 months ago

    Yes, Paul, GRF does still exist. As I understand it, Alexandra Farms in Columbia bought the “company” but it’s still operating under the Grace Rose Farms name and she is still the figurehead.

  • 7 months ago

    Almost ordered from GRF this year, they're having a great sale. I was reluctant because I was afraid of shipment delays and availability. I think im happy that I didn't. Hind sight

  • 7 months ago

    Diane, yes, DA sent Evelyn to many of its vendors, in addition to offering it for sale themselves. They must have confiscated a huge number of plants. I presume that they confiscated them from her grower, since she doesn't grow anything she sells.

  • 7 months ago

    Just saw your post, Susan. I was thinking that Evelyn seemed to be all over the place last year. Now I can't remember who else was selling her. I wonder if she'll be sold again next year, and my money is on-- Yes, she'll be sold again. Austin needs the money. Diane

  • 7 months ago

    I think folks have said recently that Austin isn't carrying Evelyn this year and doesn't plan to in the future. You'd certainly think that they would have gotten the message about how popular Evelyn and many of the other discontinued ones are, but I'm not holding my breath.

  • 7 months ago

    Yeah, and they need to sell Munstead Wood in UK again, too. Is she discontinued in the US? Another dumb move. Diane

  • 7 months ago

    I read that Munstead wood was being discontinued in the US last year. I had three and got three more, now I see it's offered this year 😆

  • 7 months ago

    Although last year it was offered own root, this year it is grafted.

  • 7 months ago


    This is the closest to purple Munstead has ever been for me

  • 7 months ago

    Most of time they are the typical dark red once and a while they are very fuchsia.

  • 6 months ago

    I was just out checking on my Evelyns and her canes are looking very dark, I'm not sure they will make it through winter

  • 6 months ago

    Dirt, I don't think of Munstead Wood as actually purple, certainly not like Ebb Tide, Midnight Blue, The Prince, Twilight Zone, or Plum Perfect. It's more that weird DA morphing mix of red/purple-ish/fuchsia that WS2000 goes through, depending on the weather. Plus, the color is hard to capture in a pic. This is maybe my best representation of my MW:


    Dirt Digger Z6NH thanked susan9santabarbara
  • 6 months ago

    Ah that makes sense that Evelyn was confiscated from GRF and that these were among the ones that died of Black Finger of Death. Half of the bare roots from GRF last year died of this, and I attribute it to the storage and care rather than the growers themselves. Shame that Evelyn is no longer an option with DA roses, but I'll keep my eyes out.

    I hope Grace isn't in the same category - I had her ordered from DA roses this year but they indicated their stock wasn't thriving and had me pick a replacement. I'm sorry to have to do so, but glad they monitor and communicate about this in the present time rather than selling to rose and having it fail on me.

    Lovely photos of Munstead Wood! I have two and hope they rise to this level of glory.

    Cynthia

  • 6 months ago
    last modified: 6 months ago

    I planted two 5-gallon Evelyns last summer and she's done very well in my warm 10b climate. Throwing out huge octopus canes that I keep pruning down to keep them manageable in their large pots! She and Jubilee Celebration, also planted last summer, are my favorites of all my David Austin roses. I believe Evelyn is out of patent and is now sold under its cultivar name "AuSaucer" - check K&M roses. They recently posted on their social media that they had this rose available for shipping :)