Rosa 'SPIRIT OF FREEDOM' shrub rose (David Austin)

THIS VARIETY HAS BEEN RETIRED BY DAVID AUSTIN, NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION.

The flowers of Spirit of Freedom rose commence as small, rounded buds which gradually open to form a cupped flower that is well filled with numerous petals - these are slightly ‘dished’ towards the centre. The colour is a soft glowing pink, which gradually turns to lilac-pink as the flower ages. As a shrub rose it will grow some 5 ft. tall and 4 ft. wide, whereas climber reach about 8 ft. It is highly disease-resistant. There is a pleasing fragrance with a hint of myrrh. A rose of typical Old Rose beauty.

Planting instructions: Prepare a hole of size 30x30 cm. Put your rose in the way that the grafting point is 3 cm deep in the soil. Water well and cover new shoots with soil or bark mulch about 15 cm high. Roses tolerate wide range of soils but thrive in deep, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun.

Pruning: English roses don’t need hard pruning like tea hybrids. Just cut last year’s growth by one third to maximum one half in the spring (after frosts) to achieve desired shape, and strong and reliable framework. Cutting it back to 3-5 live buds is possible for re-juvenating. To support extra flowering during the season remove twigs past blossom: cut them off the first leaf with 5 leaflets. Mulch well before winter, preferably with leaf-mould.

Last update: 11-02-2015