Emily, close-up of the flower
Photo: Rosa Staropramen, CC BY-SA 3.0
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English rose (shrub)David Austin, 1992Pink

Emily

A delicate blush-pink quartered rosette; strong scent of an old garden rose; low-growing and fussy.

English Rose Collection

Variety profileGardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat, in waves

Winter hardiness

−20 °C

USDA zone 6b+. South and centre; north and east — with protection.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

76–120 × 60 cm
person 170 cm76–120 cm
Habit
Low, bushy and spreading
Dimensions
76–120 cm high × 60 cm wide
Support
Does not need support
Shoots
Arching
Branching
Moderate

Flower

7–8 cm
Bud shape
Greyish pink-lilac
Open flower
Deep cup, opening into a quartered, reflexed rosette; diameter ~7–8 cm
Fullness
Very dense, ~130–150 petals
Flower carriage
In small clusters

Fragrance

Moderately strong, sweet

Moderately strong — the sweet scent of an old garden rose.

Disease resistance

3 out of 5

Moderate (≈3/5) — honestly: the variety is considered not very hardy and fussy to grow well; withdrawn from the David Austin range.

Sun

Sun / partial shade

Full sun is better; in sun it quickly fades almost to white.

Thorns

Moderate
thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Moderate number (few exact data).

Foliage

Matt, medium green.

All characteristics in a table
Group
English rose (shrub)
Breeder
David Austin, United Kingdom, 1992
Bud shape
Greyish pink-lilac
Open flower
Deep cup, opening into a quartered, reflexed rosette; diameter ~7–8 cm
Colour
Delicate blush pink — slightly richer in the centre (warm peach), fading almost to white toward the edges and with age
Fullness
Very dense, ~130–150 petals
Flower carriage
In small clusters
Flowering
Repeat, in waves
Fragrance
Moderately strong — the sweet scent of an old garden rose
Hips
No data
Habit
Low, bushy and spreading
Branching
Moderate
Shoots
Arching
Thorns
Moderate number (few exact data).
Dimensions
76–120 cm high × 60 cm wide
Support
Does not need support
Foliage
Matt, medium green
Resistance
Moderate (≈3/5) — honestly: the variety is considered not very hardy and fussy to grow well; withdrawn from the David Austin range
Variations of the variety
Code AUSburton; parents — The Prioress × Mary Rose; do NOT confuse with 'Emily Brontë' (2018)

Colour scheme

Delicate blush pink — slightly richer in the centre (warm peach), fading almost to white toward the edges and with age

Rose neighbours

Souvenir de la Malmaisonpearl-pinkGreat Maiden's Blushtender blushBlush Noisettelight pinkMinervaviolet-lilac · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Astrantia 'Roma'pink-whiteHosta 'Patriot'green foliageVeronicastrum 'Album'blue-violetHeuchera 'Silver Scrolls'purple foliage

Rose neighbours

Other white and cream varieties with a soft pink blush:

Souvenir de la MalmaisonGreat Maiden's BlushBlush NoisetteMinerva

Companion perennials

Small white, green and silver flowers and foliage — a classic companion palette for white bouquets and 'moonlight' gardens:

astrantia 'Roma'hosta 'Patriot'Veronicastrum 'Album'heuchera 'Silver Scrolls'

Honest notes on the variety

Worth knowing before planting:

Tender blush-pinkStrong fragranceDemanding — needs attentive care

More about the variety

Hips
No data
Variations of the variety
Code AUSburton; parents — The Prioress × Mary Rose; do NOT confuse with 'Emily Brontë' (2018)

How to grow

Where to plant. The front of a border, containers, small romantic flower gardens — a spot that gets good care.

Climate. USDA 6b and warmer; south and centre of Ukraine — good; north and east — with winter protection. In sun it quickly fades almost to white.

Care. Needs more careful attention than most Austin roses: fertile soil, regular feeding and watering, disease prevention; spring pruning.

About the name

Name. 'Emily' — an English rose by David Austin with the female name Emily; there is no separately documented history of the name.

Breeding. Bred by David Austin (UK) in 1992; parents — The Prioress × Mary Rose. Do NOT confuse it with the later 'Emily Brontë' (2018).

Significance. A delicate, very fragrant Austin rose of old-fashioned form; it has beauty to spare, but because of its fussiness and weaker hardiness it was withdrawn from production — which makes it more valuable in a collection.

Frequently asked questions about Emily

Does Emily need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −20 °C (USDA zone 6b+). Overwintering depends on the conditions. South and centre; north and east — with protection.

How many times a season does Emily flower?

Repeat, in waves.

How big does Emily grow?

76–120 cm tall, about 60 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Emily?

Overall resistance: 3 out of 5. Moderate; honestly — the variety is fussy, and David Austin has discontinued it.

How much sun does Emily need?

Sun / partial shade; full sun is better; in sun it quickly fades almost to white.

What does Emily smell like?

Moderately strong — the sweet scent of an old garden rose.

Gardeners' photos and reviews

My climate

Choose a reference temperature to compare with the cultivar’s data. This is not an overwintering forecast or advice on winter protection; consider wind, moisture and the duration of frost.

Regional data are generalised. USDA describes average annual extreme minima, not a forecast; the values in the list are rounded. Check the conditions at your site. More information: Roses in Ukraine's climate.