A word in David Austin's ear. Never, ever name a rose after one of the most tragic figures in English literature. You are simply asking for trouble. 'Jude the Obscure' arrived in my garden in January 2012 and was duly heeled in, then planted out in our Long Border before it really existed. Following my practice in previous gardens, he was received into a metre-wide hole - in a good position, but in a border that was yet to be dug.His unhappy life in the course of the season that followed has now become a family joke. He was eaten (both by voles and chafers) and he was strimmed (by my husband, unaware that roses lurked in the long grass). All the misfortune that rained down on his head could have been avoided if I'd properly read the label and focused on his potential for disaster. But he was on 'special offer', so I didn't take much care.
The hours that I spent pleading with the little sad stick that remained after he had (nearly) died are without count. In the end even I had to admit it was over. Cautiously, I ordered a replacement plant since he seemed such a favorite with the Antique Roses Forum.
I'm not disappointed. The border is now dug and the picture really is of my very own Jude - heh there Jude! One of the best in the garden ...
But I can't seem to stop. I have now planted 35 roses in our 3-year-old garden. As of today that's 38. Following the sad demise of 'Rosa Mundi' and 'Cardinal de Richelieu' (both Gallicas), I was tempted into buying more. This time I bought from a French nursery, Histoire de Roses. We are in a horticultural desert here and I have to buy everything online. Always a good excuse to buy three, rather than two (cheaper to ship).I opted for two Bourbon roses, 'Boule de Neige' (right) and 'Louise Odier'. The first Bourbon roses (it's believed) arose from natural hybridisation between China roses and autumn-flowering Damasks planted as hedges around plantations on the Ile de Bourbon. The hybrids were brought back to France and 'worked on', including Gallica and yet more Damask blood in the mix. They seem to do very well in this garden and (after hours pondering) I wonder if their repeat-flowering habit and love of heat could make them a perfect match for our conditions.
The third? I took a gamble on another Austin rose, although some of my first Austin plantings are not doing too well in the silty clay and heat of the Rose Walk. 'William Shakespeare' looks like he might be a near match for the top-performer there, 'Munstead Wood'. But it will be fun to observe the differences.
All three of the new containerised roses went into the ground today - we've had wonderful rain over the last 8 days or so, and I'm hopeful that containerised really will be easier to establish.
Do take a look at the Antique Rose Forum if, like me, you are addicted to old roses and enjoy luxuriating/agonising in your next choices.
David Austin's 'William Shakespeare' 
Bourbon rose 'Louise Odier'
