If you ask the 25k members of the David Austin Roses Facebook group what happiness means, it's probably bringing home a new David Austin rose shrub. The often fragrant, classic English David Austin rose shrubs are wildly popular among gardeners around the world and today we're going to dive nose-first into your fellow rose lovers' favorites.
These Are the David Austin Rose Shrubs You Need According to Facebook
The late David CH Austin was a rose breeder, specialist grower, and author. His first rose, the fragrant Constance Spry, was released in 1961. Since then he has released nearly two hundred English Roses. A few years ago David Austin started the 'Cut Rose collection', with a dozen varieties of special breeds with thicker stems and better vase life for the cut flower industry. Few new flowers have caused such a stir in the horticultural world. David Austin Roses was established in 1969 and remains a family business. David JC Austin has worked alongside his father for over fifteen years. Today the English Roses are grown in every rose-loving nation in the world, winning awards in many different countries. The company has won fourteen gold medals for rose displays created for the Chelsea Flower Show.
Join the Golden Celebration (Ausgold)
One of the largest-flowered English roses, bearing rich yellow blooms in the form of giant cups. Golden Celebration has a strong tea fragrance, developing wonderfully combined notes of Sauternes wine and strawberry. It forms a rounded shrub, with ample foliage – the flowers held beautifully poised on long, arching branches.
Image courtesy of Boscobel (Auscousin)
The red buds of Boscobel open to beautifully formed, upward-facing, coral-pink rosettes. Small petals of varying shades mingle to provide a most pleasing effect. The myrrh fragrance has delicious hints of hawthorn, elderflower, pear, and almond. It forms an upright shrub. Boscobel was named after Charles II, who hid in an oak tree at Boscobel House during the English Civil War. 
Foster on Facebook: "I have both Abraham Darby and Boscobel. Boscobel has all the flower attributes of Abraham Darby but none of the drawbacks. Boscobel is much more disease resistant, which is why it has superseded AD in the UK. Both are extremely fragrant, bearing huge deep blooms that often reach 5” in diameter."
Queen of Sweden (Austiger)
Exquisite little buds open to half-enclosed cups, eventually becoming wide, shallow, upward-facing cups of pleasing formality. The color of the Queen of Sweden rose shrub begins as soft-apricot pink, gradually changing to pure soft pink over time. There is a lovely myrrh fragrance. It forms a bushy, yet upright shrub. Named to commemorate the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce between Sweden and Great Britain.
Image courtesy of Abraham Darby (Auscot)
Another David Austin rose shrubs favorite is Abraham Darby. A well-rounded, vigorous shrub bearing very large, cup-shaped flowers in shades of apricot and yellow, becoming coral-pink as they age. David Austin rose shrub Abraham Darby has a rich, fruity fragrance with a refreshing sharpness. 
Munstead Wood (Ausbernard)
Munstead Wood bears very deep, velvety crimson blooms, with lighter colored outer petals. They are large cups at first, becoming shallowly cupped with time. There is a strong Old Rose fragrance with fruity notes of blackberry, blueberry, and damson notes. The bushy, spreading growth forms a broad shrub; the young red-bronze leaves later turn mid-green. 
Toni on Facebook: "Munstead Wood because the fragrance is intoxicating, the color is stunning, and it just exudes romance."
Princess Alexandra of Kent (Ausmerchant)
Princess Alexandra of Kent is a magnificent shrub rose with unusually large, bright pink flowers. In spite of their size, the full-petalled and deeply cupped blooms are never clumsy as she holds them perfectly poised. She is generous with her strong and delicious fresh tea fragrance, which changes to lemon and eventually inherits hints of blackcurrants.
Image courtesy of Lady of Shallot (Ausnyson)
Rich orange-red buds open to chalice-shaped blooms, filled with loosely arranged, orange petals. The surrounding outer petals of Lady of Shallot are salmon-pink with beautifully contrasting golden-yellow undersides. There is a pleasant, warm tea fragrance, with hints of spiced apple and cloves. It quickly forms a bushy shrub with slightly arching stems and mid-green leaves, which have attractive, slightly bronzed tones when young. The name of this variety is taken from one of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s poems to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his birth. 
Lyn on Facebook: "Lady of Shallot has gorgeous color and scent, really floriferous all summer up until December."
Desdemona (Auskindling)
Peachy pink buds open to beautiful, white, chalice-shaped blooms, with a pinkish hue. The incurved petals create an arresting interplay of light and shadow. The strong old rose fragrance has hints of almond blossom, cucumber, and lemon zest. It forms a most attractive neat, rounded, bushy shrub. Desdemona was named after the tragic heroine of Shakespeare’s Othello. It is no wonder this variety made the list of the best David Austin rose shrubs. 
Olivia Rose Austin (Ausmixture)
Pretty buds of Olivia Rose Austin open to beautiful, cupped rosettes of an even, mid pink coloring. They have a light to medium fruity fragrance. It commences flowering exceptionally early in the season and flowers in flushes until well into the autumn. It forms a very healthy, well-balanced shrub with dark green foliage, which shows off the flowers to the very best effect. Named after the daughter of David Austin Junior and granddaughter of David Austin Senior. 
Gertrude Jekyll (Ausbord)
The absolute winner of your favorite David Austin rose shrubs is Gertrude Jekyll. Always one of the first English Roses to start flowering, Gertrude Jekyll's perfect scrolled buds open to large, rosette-shaped flowers of bright glowing pink. The strong, perfectly balanced Old Rose scent is often described as being the quintessential Old Rose fragrance. A vigorous rose; it will form a medium-sized, upright shrub. Named for the famous garden designer and author Gertrude Jekyll. 
Simona on Facebook: "Gertrude Jekyll is the most perfect example of a delicate, beautiful, and yet strong rose. Every time I look at her I am drawn to her, and when I get closer the scent is so overwhelming I just have to take a moment, close my eyes and take it in. Makes me forget any problems or worries for those few seconds. She is magnificent!"
