I thought this rose was quite nice when I grew it in CA about 10-15 years ago.
This morning I had an email from Heirloom Roses advertising "limited quantities" of various English roses--not all were by Austin or even other English breeders--at Heirloom's usual prices, $45. per each. This is expensive but I have seen comparable prices from other nurseries. But $60 for "last chance" Eglantyne? I can't help wondering about the motive here.
These are Austin cultivars from 1982-2007. Possibly Austin is preparing to delist them as they have dome with some of their other earlier roses. You would then only find Eglantyne as Ausmak.
I don't doubt it, but the $60. price tag? 'Eglantyne' was quite popular in its' day, widely regarded by American gardeners as one of Austin's best. Forgive my suspicious mind, but I can't help wondering if someone doesn't want a small nursery picking up AUSmak and propagating and selling it.
A significant number of American nurseries are simply declining to sell the Austin oevre at all.
Heirloom has another clutch of Austins up for "sale" @ $60. each, including last chancers 'Graham Thomas', 'Grace' and 'The Ingenious Mr. Fairchild'. It looks to me like DA Ltd. is killing their brand identity and decades of accumulated good will. Maybe they are already rich enough they don't have to care.
GT has been available for decades from many nurseries in the USA. It is the other last chancers I wonder about. I doubt the smaller nurseries are willing or even able to spend $60. for a mother plant.
Austin's good will is already gone with most smaller nurseries. They have a habit (policy) of refusing to allow the small nurseries to sell the current DA releases if the nursery also propagate the older ones. Pisses everyone off, every time they do it. Most recent was K&M, the only fortiuniana producer of Austins in the US.
Wikimedia lists 'Masako' as a synonym for 'Eglantyne', saying that the rose was so named in honor of Japan's Crown Princess Masako's wedding: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rosa_'Eglantyne'
The Japanese site for David Austin Roses acknowledges that the rose may be referred to as 'Masako', but it doesn't look like an official synonym: https://www.davidaustinroses.com/japan/showrose.asp?showr=3267 The DA sites for other countries make no mention of 'Masako'.
Whether it's a synonym or a nickname, might it be helpful to have a cross-listing to assist anyone trying to locate R. 'Masako'?
Syn.'Ausmak', 'Eglantyne Jebb' Rosa Inglese a cespuglio, Gruppo Rosa Antica Ibrida, a portamento vigoroso-ricurvo. Fogliame opaco, coriaceo, verde intenso, bronzeo da giovane. Fiori grandi, rosa pesca, singoli o in mazzi, dai petali arricciati. Fragranza delicata, di Rosa Antica e thè. Rifiorente, rustica. H.110cm L.90cm. Premiata con RHS/RNRS Award of Garden Merit. (ROSACEAE) (David C.H.Austin, David Austin Roses Ltd., UK, 1994)
