David Austin Roses' Literary Collection of English Roses
Our English rose varieties inspired by literary classics
Featured rose Eustacia Vye
Creating a rose is not dissimilar to writing a literary classic; both take patience, dedication and an innate understanding of the subject. A keen writer and poet, David Austin Snr. was a lover of literature spending many an hour among his beautiful roses with a good book. It is therefore not surprising that many of those beloved characters, tales and poems feature in our rose collection.
The Emily Brontë Rose, introduced in 2018 to honour Emily Brontë's 200th birthday, is a tribute to the themes of enduring love and passion that define her work. This exquisite rose features soft pink, flat blooms that gradually fade to cream with touches of apricot, capturing the delicate yet enduring nature of romantic love. The deep-set golden stamens add a timeless elegance to the blooms.
Its strong Tea fragrance evolves into an Old Rose scent, with notes of lemon and grapefruit, mirroring the depth and complexity of Brontë's characters. Forming a bushy and resilient shrub, the Emily Brontë Rose is perfect for mixed borders, pots, and hedges.
Featured rose Emily Bronte
Introduced in 2009 to mark Alfred Lord Tennyson's 200th birthday, Lady of Shalott beautifully embodies the enchanting essence of Tennyson's famous poem. This vigorous and versatile shrub produces rich orange-red buds that unfurl into a beautiful blend of salmon-pink and golden-yellow petals, reminiscent of the fiery auburn hair depicted in John William Waterhouse's iconic painting.
The rose's medium Tea fragrance, with hints of spiced apples and cloves, adds an aromatic layer to its charm. Known for its exceptional health and disease resistance, The Lady of Shalott blooms repeatedly throughout the season, creating a captivating display of colour and scent from early summer to the first frosts.
Featured rose Lady of Shalott
"Gabriel was almost blinded, and he could feel Bathsheba's warm arm tremble in his hand - a sensation new and thrilling."
Thomas Hardy
Far From the Madding Crowd
Bathsheba (Auschimbley)Bathsheba is a vigorous climbing rose with apricot-yellow blooms that open to shallowly cupped, many-petalled rosettes. Its medium-strong fragrance combines floral myrrh, honey, and tea hints. This rose is ideal for creating a stunning display on 6ft walls, doorways, obelisks, or standard arches. It thrives in full sunlight and is suitable for all soil types. Bathsheba was named after Bathsheba Everdene, the heroine of Thomas Hardy's novel Far from the Madding Crowd. Bathsheba is a complex character known for her beauty, independence, and challenges in love and life. The rose's warm apricot tones and vigorous nature reflect her vibrant personality and resilience, making it a fitting tribute to one of Hardy's most memorable characters.SHOP NOW
Gabriel Oak (Auscrowd)We couldn't mention Bathsheba without Gabriel Oak. Gabriel Oak was introduced in 2019 and is named after the steadfast and honourable shepherd from Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd. This rose mirrors Gabriel Oak's qualities with its large, deep pink blooms that are both robust and striking. The flowers are packed with petals and release a wonderfully strong, fruity fragrance that fills the air, embodying its namesake's resilience and quiet strength. Gabriel Oak, with its lush, bushy growth and beautiful blooms is ideal for cutting to bring a stem or two inside, borders, and containers and when planted with Bathsheba, this rose creates a lively yet complementary pairing.SHOP NOW
Why not create a border next to a bench or seating area planted with roses named after your favourite characters and pieces of literature.
Here we have Roald Dahl™(Ausowlish) which was named to mark the centenary of Roald Dahl's birth. The colour of this stunning rose is reminiscent of the eponymous peach in James and the Giant Peach.
Featured rose Roald Dahl™
The Penelope Lively™ Rose, introduced in 2023, captures the essence of the celebrated author's storytelling through its elegant blooms. With berry-red buds that transition into mid-pink, cupped flowers, the rose mirrors the rich, evolving narratives Lively is known for. As the flowers mature, they shift to a soothing lavender hue, reflecting the depth and subtlety in her writing.
The medium-strong fragrance combines classic rose notes with hints of raspberry, lemon, and a touch of myrrh, evoking the nuanced layers of Lively's prose. This rose, thriving in all soil types and full sunlight, is perfect for mixed borders, rose borders, and shady areas.
Featured rose Penelope Lively™
An exceedingly pretty rose of soft, glowing apricot-pink, each bloom is packed with numerous delicately ruffled petals.
This rose is named after the flawed heroine of Thomas Hardy’s, The Return of the Native.
Creating a rose is not dissimilar to writing a literary classic; both take patience, dedication and an innate understanding of the subject. A keen writer and poet, David Austin Snr. was a lover of literature spending many an hour among his beautiful roses with a good book. It is therefore not surprising that many of those beloved characters, tales and poems feature in our rose collection.
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Gentle Hermione™ (Ausrumba)Hermione is the faithful wife in Leontes, the King of Sicily in The Winter's Tale.SHOP NOW
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