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'St. Swithun ™' rose Reviews & Comments
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St. Swithin is disease resistant in zone 6B, Kentucky, without spraying fungicide. Very easy care. The blossoms are radiant with a light but sweet scent. Generous bloomer with old fashioned look.
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In my hot humid climate it is always full of black spot. A disaster!
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St. Swithun is listed in David Austin website as medium strong myrrh scent, and not moderate citrus and musk as listed by HMF.
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This rose appears to have been 'pulled' in Australia by David Austin Roses UK, and is no longer available through retail nurseries here.
I have to wonder at the perceived power of an international grower to (a) allow only a select few roses onto the market instead of going through the usual trial process, and (b) telling retail growers what they will sell and what they won't. Seems a bit too cheeky when they don't live here.
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The DA Co. has been doing this kind of thing for decades in North America. Some very hard-nosed business practices have alienated some of their customer base. Many of us gardeners won't buy their new releases and some are aggressively seeking out "superseded" varieties.
The main complaint has been that DA Co. won't authorize a nursery to grow their newest, patented varieties unless that nursery agrees not to sell older, off patent varieties. That is part of a growing trend in many fields to include in contracts matters which are in fact no business of the contracting parties.
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Reply
#2 of 2 posted
18 JAN 19 by
Geoffrey
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I am not a grower nor retailer, but have purchased some hundreds of roses over the last five years or so, all of which are doing rather well :)
But I am going to throw a gauntlet down before all those who are apparently beholden to DAUK.
Why are you so enthralled by the self-appointed kings of roses? Aren't there other suppliers of roses that are just as good if not better than the standard DA 'English Rose' which has become rather boring with its repetition? Once you have seen a DA English rose, they all now look the same.
So, you suppliers of roses to we the retail public, to whom do you owe you fealty to? DA Jnr or your customers?
Just asking.
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I grow this rose as a short climber. It is currently about 7 ft. tall. Although slow to reach this height (about five years) some of this slowness is due no doubt to it's being in a half-shade site and it doesn't get watered a lot.
In general I like this rose although it definitely has trouble opening it's flowers in rainy weather. In a sunny position this might be less of a problem.
The color often fades to a milky whitish-pink but despite these problems I would still call it a good rose as it has many good attributes, especially vigor, disease resistance, wonderful form and fresh bloom color. The fragrance is interesting. Austin says it smells of myrrh. I'll take his word on that, just adding that it's an acquired taste (odor).
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