‘AUSmerchant’ is the resultant seedling from a cross of two separate unnamed seedlings selected from the breeding facility of David Austin Roses in 1999. This seedling was first selected in July 2000 from which bud eyes were grafted onto Rosa laxa. Further selections took place in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006 with each selection trial material being taken from the preceding trial, and with each selection trial increasing the volume of plants up to 5,000 in 2006 prior to commercialisation in 2007. Through this period all subsequent generations proved stable with no off types observed.

'Ausmerchant' originated from normal sexual hybridization of two unnamed English rose seedlings. The cross was conducted in 2002 at Bowling Lane Green in Albrighton, England by Mr. Austin of David Austin Roses Ltd. 'Ausmerchant' was selected by Mr. Austin as it forms a good, branching shrub that is healthy and repeat flowers extremely well.