For more than six decades, David Austin Roses of Shropshire, England has been dedicated to breeding roses of exceptional beauty, character and fragrance. Founded in 1961on David Austin’s vision of combining the romance and perfume of old roses with the repeat flowering and broader color palette of modern varieties, the company pioneered what are now known as English Roses. Today, that same philosophy guides the breeding of our cut rose collection—roses created not only to captivate visually, but to perform beautifully for florists and their clients around the world.
At the heart of every David Austin rose is one essential quality: beauty. A rose may possess excellent productivity or vase life, but without charm, character and emotional appeal, it would never be considered for release. Each variety must evoke something memorable—whether through its shape, color or fragrance.
Breeding roses for floristry, however, is a delicate balance between artistry and performance. Alongside beauty, a cut rose must offer reliable vase life, strong productivity, transport resilience and consistency. Fragrance remains especially important to us, yet it is also one of the greatest challenges in rose breeding. Often, the qualities of long vase life and strong fragrance do not naturally sit together, so the breeder’s task is to carefully combine these traits without compromising the overall beauty of the bloom.
The journey of creating a new variety is long and meticulous. The first cross-pollination to commercial introduction can take 10 years or more. Thousands of seedlings are evaluated throughout the process, with only a small number progressing through each stage of selection. Patience is essential. Our newest varieties, Ottilie™ and Ariadne™, began their journey more than a decade ago, spending years under observation and trial before being deemed ready for release.
Breeding is both a science and an intuition-led craft. Careful planning goes into selecting parent roses, with breeders drawing on years of knowledge and observation to understand which characteristics may be passed on to future generations. Yet even with experience, roses continue to surprise us. Each seedling reveals new possibilities; the breeder must remain observant, adapting and refining their direction along the way.
What continues to inspire us is the belief that there is always another rose waiting to be discovered. David Austin often said, “There is no such thing as a perfect rose,” and that philosophy still shapes our work today. The pursuit itself is what drives us forward—continually exploring new colors, forms, fragrances and possibilities.
It is also a privilege to be part of the wider flower industry: a global community of growers, wholesalers and floral designers united by a shared appreciation for beauty and creativity. At David Austin Roses, knowing our blooms become part of life’s most meaningful moments is what makes the journey so rewarding.
