My Favorite Floral Resources - Part 2: David Austin’s Annual Handbook of Roses

As a brand that incorporates floral imagery into many of our products, we certainly have many flowers filled resources that we turn for daily inspiration and to fuel our creativity. Yet, there are certainly a few floral resources that stand out and are distinctive and they certainly deserve a special mention.

It is well-known that good things can come in small packages and fortunately for many, this is a treasure that is small enough to fit into our mailboxes. Known as the David Austin Handbook of Roses, 21st USA EDITION, this is a valuable floral catalog published annually by David Austin Roses and is specifically dedicated to the coverage of roses only. This small, yet mighty handbook is filled to the brim with valuable information about this beautiful, diverse and fragrant flower and there are also hundreds of beautiful pictures of roses accompanying this publication.

So, what is David Austin Roses? David Austin Roses is a company that has been breeding roses in Shropshire, England for many decades and are known for producing roses of impeccable quality. Named after David C.H. Austin OBE, the company has strived to create roses of exceptional quality and beauty and are particularly known for their creation of the English Rose.

The English Rose refers to a rose that has been bred by David Austin and they are known for being beautiful and large flowers, for having many layers of petals, for having rich and diverse fragrances and for being able to bloom repeatedly and in abundance. Mr. Austin created his first English Rose, ‘Constance Spry’ in 1961 and since then, he has introduced over 200 English Roses to the world. These beautiful roses are also always given exquisite names by David Austin Roses. Emily Bronte. Queen of Sweden. Lady of Shallot. Charles Darwin. These are just some of the gorgeous identities given to these extraordinary flowers.

The Handbook of Roses, 21st USA EDITION, offers plenty of practical gardening advice and information to both the novice and experienced rose gardeners. It offers the reader an introduction to the types of roses that are available, such as the Shrub Roses, Climbing Roses, English Tree Roses and the Rambling Roses. It guides the audience through the bloom styles of the roses and explains the various fragrance types that are associated with these flowers.

David Austin Roses also operates five rose gardens in Shropshire, England which are normally open to the public. Known as The David Austin Rose Gardens, this award-winning rose garden has earned the 'Award of Garden Excellence' from the World Federation of Rose Societies. However, these gardens are currently temporarily closed to visitors.

For those looking for even more inspiration and information on roses, David Austin Roses also operates a website dedicated to all these exquisite English roses and other types of roses. To discover more about David Austin Roses, their story and their beautiful roses, visit their website at David Austin Roses. It is a website filled with advice, information and inspiration on caring for and growing these gorgeous flowers. Many varieties of roses may also be purchased on their website.

Meanwhile, the Handbook of Roses can be ordered online through the David Austin Roses’ website or through their toll-free telephone number.

Catalog Photos Credit: David Austin Handbook of Roses 2020, 21st USA EDITION

Eiko