ALNWICK ROSE| DAVID AUSTIN SHRUB ROSE
The Alnwick Rose is a famous English shrub rose created by the renowned English rose breeder David Austin. Its registered cultivar name is ‘Ausgrab’.
About the Alnwick Rose
- Type: English Shrub Rose
- Color: Soft pastel pink
- Flower form: Deeply cupped, many-petalled blooms resembling old garden roses
- Fragrance: Rich Old Rose fragrance with raspberry notes
- Blooming: Repeat flowering from early summer until frost
- Growth habit: Rounded, bushy shrub with glossy green foliage
- Size: About 4 ft tall × 3 ft wide (1.25 m × 0.9 m)
It is especially admired because the blooms change beautifully as they open — beginning as rich pink cups and softening to delicate pale pink rosettes. Many gardeners say it looks almost like a peony. Reddit rose growers frequently praise its fragrance and classic English rose form.
The Breeder: David Austin
David Austin (1926–2018) was one of the most influential rose breeders in modern horticulture. He founded David Austin Roses in Shropshire, England, and became famous for creating “English Roses,” combining:
- the fragrance and charm of old roses,
- with the repeat flowering and vigor of modern roses.
The Alnwick Rose was introduced in 2001 and named after Alnwick Garden, one of the UK’s most celebrated public gardens. It was specially created for the garden and unveiled at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2001.
Why gardeners love it
Growers often appreciate The Alnwick Rose for:
- strong old-rose fragrance,
- romantic peony-like blooms,
- repeat flowering,
- elegant shrub shape,
- suitability for borders and containers.
