Daniel Hanna wrote:

[about Radio Times]
I'm so glad you got this one, Shiva. My favourite Austin, better than
even Abraham Darby.

Wow, that's saying something! Radio Times is more of a straight pink
without peachy tones, though, isn't it?


Both the blooms and the fragrance are stunning.
Mildew is the only drawback but the bush is so strong that you could
almost ignore it (well, not quite!).

I've only had one plant that mildewed a lot and that
was the otherwise fabulous Europeana. Since I have not
sprayed since May 10, it will be interesting to see what
mildews this fall, if anything. [Europeana got eaten by
voles, damn it.] I'll start my spray program again in the
spring, I just got discouraged and decided it was every]
rose for itself this summer. I needed a break.




I've never seen
A Shropshire Lad, is it one of the pale ones?

Yes, and I thoroughly recommend against growing it. The blooms are
great but there are so few of them. I suppose you could grow it for the
disease-free foliage :-)

Good to know, thanks ...


As for The Squire--if it resembles Tradecant in
color but holds up a bit longer, I will just have
to have it.

Try it Shiva! I think it's better than Tradescant. It's a truer red
with tighter, more cupped formal blooms. A lovely old rose fragrance
too. Austin himself rubbishes this early variety as a disease magnet,
although he admits that it does OK outside the UK. It behaves well for
me - no more mildew than the other reds I grow.

Austin also admits (in his book) that "No other red rose that I know
produces flowers of such superb old rose quality as The Squire... truly
outstanding beauty". That is saying something because Austin has done
plenty of reds.

One for the connoisseurs.


Whoa, wonderful. I can get it potted in the spring.
I find Austin's comments pretty amusing. I have never
seen the catalogs he has put out for the US market, just
the ones for the UK. I am curious to know how they differ.