Growing ‘Lady of Shalott’ David Austin Rose
In this brief time I’ve been blogging about roses, I’ve made two general observations: One, people lose their minds over David Austin roses (with good reason!) and Two, especially if it’s Abraham Darby.
You know I love Abe as much as the next gal, and I’ve been heartbroken over the fact I simply could not get it to bloom like it once did since my rose midge nightmare began. But another thing about Darby that stopped it from being a personal favorite anymore is it’s susceptibility to disease in our climate, in particular, blackspot.
Since so many of the roses in our garden are in shades of pink, and my husband and daughter are fond of the warm tones, I’ve been searching for another Austin rose in apricot hues to replace the Abraham Darby shaped hole in our garden. That’s why I was so thrilled with ‘Lady of Shalott’, a rose that bloomed prolifically all summer with hardly a speck of disease. Granted, her flowers range from apricot to salmon with yellow undertones, without any of the pink found in Abe Darby, but when you see this rose in full bloom you’ll love it, I promise. The petals positively GLOW.
Lady of Shalott, named for Lord Tennyson and his famous poem, was pretty much in constant bloom for us last summer. There were just one or two cycles that matched up with the rose midge adult emergence and, disappointingly, we lost a wave of buds but she bounced right back again with another round. Considering I have quite a few roses that have barely bloomed, if at all, due to the midge, this was cause for a lot of happy dancing!
David Austin’s site claims that “This rose promises to be one of the most robust and hardy roses in our collection. It is also highly resistant to disease and it will bloom with unusual continuity throughout the season.” I can’t speak for winter hardiness since it’s brand new to me, but the claim about disease resistance and continual bloom was right on the money. I also appreciated how the stems held up relatively well on the shrub and as a cut flower.
Get the deets on ‘Lady of Shalott’ here on HMF. Wait until you see the photos! I plan on adding several of these to my dream-garden. 🙂
Thank you for this post! I love pink-peach roses and had been considering Darby for a while, but now I’ll think about this one because of your mention of disease-resistance. We’re plagued with black spot here, and because of the interminable humidity of the summers there’s just no way to get rid of it (that I’ve found yet). Have you ever grown ‘Carding Mill’ ? The color draws me like a magnet, but I’ve not tried it yet.
So glad this post helps!
Nope, I’ve never grown Carding Mill…but I know what you mean, the color is very beautiful.
I can’t remember, do you have Munstead Wood and/or Princess Alexandra of Kent? I’ve found that those 2 Austins are very disease resistant in our garden (in particular, Munstead Wood). 🙂
This is on the list for next year! I’m thinking about placing it in a larger container. Thanks for all the photos – it’s great to get a sense of the colors.
You’re very welcome! 🙂
So beautiful! How would you rank her fragrance?
For me, it smelled light and sweet. HMF says it has a strong, clove-like fragrance. I would agree with the clove scent, but it didn’t smell strong to me…not like, say, Munstead or Heritage. Of course others may disagree!
What lovely photography.
I ordered AbeDarby for this spring, had not considered Lady of Shallot.After looking up the Waterhouse paintings this is certainly a rose that has a romantic air about it.
I read Cambridge University uses a 1to 9 ratio of milk to larger percent water that when misted on blackspot kills it. Oddly it works.
Hi Linda, welcome!
I do love that painting…and I agree, it does lend a sort of additional romance to this already lovely rose. Must try that milk/water blackspot treatment, thank you!
Hello! I’m just wondering if you ever tried this milk and water trick for blackspot? I am so curious.
Even worse for me most years is mildew on my Variegata di Bologna, although this year, so far so good. Fingers crossed!
Hi Sarah! No I haven’t…I have heard some gardeners use that trick but I just can’t be bothered, hahaha. 😉 I hope your VdB does well for you and doesn’t give you anymore mildew. That’s such a beautiful rose that’s been on my wishlist for years!
I found this site while looking up Lady of Shalott while trying to decide between her and Teasing Georgia. While I prefer T. Georgia’s blossom’s circle and center, I chose Lady Shalott for its repeating potential. I’ve had Abraham Darby before and am looking for warmer tones. Can you recommend something closer to Sceptor D’Isle in fragrance but in apricot pink and yellow colors?
I too will try the milk and water as Tokyo has high humidity as well. Thank you.
Hello! Don’t you just love Lady of Shalott? Such a great rose. While I’ve never had personal experience growing ‘Scepter’d Isle’, I’m thinking you might like to give ‘Tamora’ a try. Has the coloring and fragrance you like. 🙂
Hello there! My Lady of Shallot just got out of the David Austin green plastic pot and into a big terra cotta planter and so I am looking forward to the blooms this fall. I clipped a dead dried woody branch in the crown but when it was removed there is unfortunately a big cavity. I hope it heals itself and not start to rot.
Having read your comments on black spot, I decided to welcome Munstead Wood to my garden even though I already had Tradescant in red. Look forward to reading more posts.
Thank you.
Hello, hello!! Thank you for your comment and I’m pretty sure you will just love Munstead Wood. Let me know what you think! 🙂
Hi! Is this rose thornless? I have kids so trying to find roses that look like this with no or little to none thorns 🙂
Hi Anna! Sadly, this rose is prickly. You can read more about it (and see extra photos) HERE. If you like David Austin roses, you can find a page HERE where they list the ones they have that have fewer thorns. 🙂
Wow, Abraham Darby just sat here in Northern CA.
For two years. I am very experienced with roses.
I gave it away.
Help!
Will Lady of Shallot look more orange than pink? I have an orange garden and the buds and blooms look more pink than orange?
Thanks, Diane
Hi Diane, I think LofS is more of a creamy orange (if that makes sense) but often the blossoms have pink undertones. If you’re looking for a David Austin rose with a truer shade of orange you might prefer Lady Emma Hamilton, instead.
What absolutely stunning photos and stunning roses!! oh my goodness I’m in love. 🙂 I was never attracted to the Lady of Shallot on David Austin’s website because on there it looks VERY orange and bright but your photos looks very creamy and a more demure peach and salmon, which I LOVE. Do you think they definitely look more like the colors here or on DA’s website? I’d really love to get this color, but don’t need another brighter apricot because I’m going with Carding Mill for that. 🙂
Hi Sunni! In my garden, LofS varies in tones of deep apricot, peach and salmon as you mentioned. Sometimes, if the weather is cooler, she has pink undertones, as well. I would definitely say this rose is in the warm colors category, so if you’re not looking for another apricot rose, then don’t get this one. 😉 But as a comparison, she’s not as true of an orange color as, say, Lady Emma Hamilton.
Hello rose lovers, I am one of you!! I have bought Lady Marmalade from Dutch bulbs for a very reasonable price, I must say it reminds me of Lady of Shalott, I find them similar in tones and shapes, I intend to buy the latter when I can afford it. Like this one, Lady Marmalade has displayed good resistance, and has bloomed all summer and all of Autumn now, I would be interested -if anyone has the two- in comparing the same points and the bloom quality. I would also be interested to hear if anyone has had any success in propagating pencil cuttings from these. I have a good size garden and I would like to do similar. Thank you
Hi l brought home cuttings of Lady of Shalott from Adelaide SA. They are shooting already. By the way Ab Darby is my all time favorite rose n does beautifully in Kingaroy QLD AUSTRALIA. I have approx 50 rose bushes, drought is our greatest problem!
My Lady of Shallot rose is seven years young this summer. Neighbors who pass by the rose, which is in my front garden often comment on how the Lady is such a beauty ! Even though we live in Marblehead Mass , which can have winters with harsh cold and wind, the Lady has bloomed profusely every June, While the first bloom is always the most abundant, she continues to bloom all summer into the early fall with a minimum of care. I do fertilize with Rose Tone every month from spring thru August, spray for aphids maybe once or twice, and prune as needed.
That sounds so wonderful, Cynthia! Thank you so much for being here and sharing your experiences. 🙂
Hello! Lovely post, your roses look gorgeous! I have the Claire Austin climber and I can’t wait for it’s first bloom.
I am garden planning and I’m interested in doing the Lady of Shalott on an obelisk to create a sort of privacy wall. I wasn’t able to find width information online and was wondering how wide your Lady Shallot has gotten? Thanks!
Hi Jacqueline! Thanks so much for your question. I have grown LoS two different ways–own root and grafted–and I found that when she is grown own-root, she forms a bushier, wider shrub. (Lots of dense canes but slightly smaller flowers.) For my own garden, I prefer LoS grafted because I think she looks fantastic in a container with the big blooms and a smaller stature. However, when grown in the ground as an own-root, she should fill your obelisk nicely. I want to say she gets about 4 feet across and 5 feet tall (at least that’s how big mine was before we moved) but it takes a few years to get to that point. And of course it depends on the garden…someone else might have different results. Hope this helps! 🙂