AUSSAUCER – peach-coloured English rose – Austin
Step outside to the soft patter of Irish rain and meet ‘Evelyn’ – a peachy English shrub rose that brings romance and ease to small city plots and cottage borders. Large, rosette blooms open in waves from early summer, their warm pastel petals glowing in sunlight and softening gently as the season unfolds. The very strong, fruity fragrance drifts across your path, transforming even a short walk to the gate into a moment of quietly cheerful contentment. Bred to form a naturally bushy, upright shrub with dense, dark green foliage, it keeps its shape without fussy clipping, settling in reliably even where Irish rainfall meets heavier soils that need a little drainage care. As an own-root rose it builds strength year by year – roots in the first, generous new shoots in the second, and full ornamental value by the third – giving you long-lived beauty with reassuring stability for a family garden.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front-garden statement shrub by the path or gate |
‘Evelyn’ forms a tall, bushy shrub with large, romantic rosette blooms that flower repeatedly, giving a welcoming focal point right where visitors arrive, ideal for homeowners who want high impact from low effort, especially beginners. |
| Cottage-style mixed border with perennials |
The warm peach-pink flowers blend beautifully with airy partners like columbines, coneflowers and feverfew, creating a soft, “girly” cottage look while the shrub’s steady structure anchors looser planting, suiting nature-loving gardeners. |
| Small urban garden or Dublin terrace front bed |
Its upright, moderately spreading habit fits narrow beds without taking over the pavement, and repeat flushes of scented blooms keep even short front gardens interesting for months, perfect for space-conscious city residents. |
| Feature rose in a large container (40–60 litres) |
Grown on its own roots, this variety establishes safely in a roomy pot, building a long-lived framework of stems that can recover if winter or wind cause damage, a reassuring choice for balcony and patio pot-plant owners. |
| Cut-flower and scent corner near the house |
The very full, large blooms with a rich, fruity perfume are excellent for cutting, so one shrub can perfume indoors and outdoors alike, pleasing those who enjoy bringing garden fragrance into their homes. |
| Flower bed centrepiece in a family back garden |
A medium maintenance level, good black-spot resistance and reliable repeat flowering make this rose easy to live with in busy family spaces, rewarding modest care with long seasons of colour for time-pressed families. |
| Classic scented rose border in full sun |
This rose thrives in a sunny position with regular watering in dry spells, and its strong perfume and generous second flush give that traditional, indulgent rose-border feel, well suited to fragrance-focused enthusiasts. |
| Shrub rose for heavier Irish soils with improved drainage |
Once planted with some grit or organic matter to help winter wet drain away, the dense foliage and sturdy framework offer long-term structure, even where Irish weather brings frequent wet spells, ideal for realistically minded gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Glow – Plant ‘Evelyn’ with common columbine and feverfew for a soft, fluttery, pastel border that feels effortless – for lovers of romantic cottage gardens.
- Peach-Path – Flank a narrow front path with a pair of shrubs underplanted with low lavender for fragrance at ankle and nose height – for Dublin terrace and townhouse owners.
- Patio-Vase – Grow one plant in a 50-litre terracotta pot with trailing thyme to soften the rim, keeping colour and scent right by your seating – for balcony and small-patio users.
- Scent-Nook – Place the rose near a bench with simple companions like purple coneflower, so every sit-down is wrapped in rich fruity perfume – for evening relaxers and book readers.
- Family-Focus – Use as a central shrub in a mixed family bed with hardy herbs and grasses, giving long-season interest without complex pruning – for busy household gardeners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Feature |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Registered as AUSsaucer, sold as ‘Evelyn’ in the English Rose Collection; modern shrub rose type with peach-toned blooms, classed within the romantic shrub rose commercial group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by David C. H. Austin in the United Kingdom from ‘Graham Thomas’ × ‘Tamora’; raised in 1991, registered 1992 and introduced after 1992 by David Austin Roses. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holds the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit since 2001 and has gained multiple North American show awards in modern shrub rose categories between 1998 and 2001. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Forms an upright, bushy shrub 120–190 cm tall and 80–140 cm wide, with dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickles; spent blooms usually need deadheading. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, 7–10 cm, very full rosette flowers with over 40 petals are usually borne singly; repeat-flowering with a notably generous second flush given reasonable feeding and deadheading. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Blooms open vibrant peach-yellow, maturing to soft creamy apricot with a pinkish veil; colour lightens in strong sun and late season, shifting towards pastel peach-pink tones. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Produces a very strong, garden-filling scent with a richly fruity character, often compared to ripe apricots and classic perfume tones, giving powerful fragrance both outdoors and in vases. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is usually sparse due to very double flowers, though occasional ellipsoidal orange-red hips 12–19 mm across may form, adding modest late-season interest for observant gardeners. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b, Swedish Zone 4); good black-spot resistance with medium tolerance to powdery mildew and rust, benefits from regular watering in drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun, in well-drained but moisture-retentive soil; space 60–110 cm depending on use, mulch annually, water deeply in dry spells and use occasional disease control where needed. |
‘Evelyn’ (AUSsaucer) offers romantic, strongly scented blooms, reliable repeat flowering and a long-lived own-root shrub that settles in securely, making it a thoughtful choice if you value lasting beauty with manageable care.
