Rose Juliet (AUSjameson)

Rose Juliet is the most popular David Austin’s cut roses due to her trademark colour and her distinct English rose shape form. Roses in her luminous shade of peach – pale at the edges with darker apricot hearts – were known in the past. Add to this the distinctive, deep – cupped elegance of her blooms and it’s easy to see why rose Juliet is in demand all over the world. In fact, this rose is the most popular wedding rose in the US according to David Austin team. Showy yet subtle, she sits well with soft-toned, blush pinks and vanilla creams, but it is not losing to any other flowers and always remains the focal point in any arrangement.

Juliet is its trade name and its patent name is Ausjameson (AUSjameson). This rose was first introduced in 2004 as part of David Austin wedding rose collection and patented in the US in 2005 (USPP17159P2). Almost instantly rose Juliet become one of the world’s most desired and iconic wedding/event roses due to its photogenic nature in a time of social media boom.

Rose Juliet: Parentage

Rose Juliet (‘Ausjameson’) is the result of a cross between the female parent and the male parent, both unnamed seedlings (unpatented), both English Roses bred by David Austin. The cross took place at Bowling Green Lane in Albrighton, England in 1999. ‘Ausjameson’ was selected by Mr Austin based on its healthy shrub form, high, number of stems for cut flower production and flowers with a good “vase” life.

The primary objective of this breeding was to produce a plant suitable for year-round cut flower production under standard greenhouse conditions having apricot blooms which are fragrant and have long vase life, produced on strong, upright stems.

The objective was substantially achieved, along with other desirable improvements, as evidenced by the following unique combination of characteristics that are outstanding in the Juliet rose variety and that distinguish it from its parents, as well as from all other varieties:

1. Apricot, rosette-shaped blooms.

2. Upright growth.

3. Light Tea fragrance.

4. Suitable for cut flower production under greenhouse conditions.

Rose Juliet: Fragrance

This rose has a light fragrance, just a soft hint of tea smell. Some people can sense light fragrant notes of lilac and sweet vanilla.

Rose Juliet: Colour and shape

The soft, peachy-apricot shades of this rose are exceptionally sophisticated and create a feeling of warmth and romance. Rose Juliet has large, elegant flower heads made of 92 tightly packed petals that open to reveal perfectly arranged petals nested in the heart of each bloom.

Rose Juliet: Interesting facts about the rose

Here are a few interesting facts about rose Juliet:

1.) It is known as the “£3 million rose” because that’s how much it cost rose breeder David Austin to create this apricot-hued hybrid over the course of 15 years.

2.) It debuted in 2006 at the Chelsea Flower Show and took the floral world by storm not only for its peach-apricot beauty but because it was the most expensive rose ever developed.

3.) Juliet (Ausjameson) was first introduced in April 2004 as one of the first David Austin cut roses to be launched.

4.) At a time of Juliet launch, David Austin’s Wedding rose collection only had three roses with Juliet being one of those three rose varieties. Only Juliet continues to be part of today’s current collection of exclusive cut roses. Not only does Juliet take the accolade of being one of the first David Austin cut roses but also a variety that has stood the test of time.

5.) David Austin’s Juliet rose is not available as a garden rose as it was developed specifically for the cut flower industry.

Details – Rose Juliet

Other names: Ausjameson or AUSjameson
Shape: Deep Cup, Classic shapery form and full cupped heart.
Type: Shrub (designed as cut rose and not a garden rose), English Rose Collection.
Colour: Light apricot with darker peach hearts
Petal Count: 90 – 92 petals
Breeder: David Austin
Year: Introduced in 2004
Fragrance: Tea – slight tea smell
Vase Life: 6 to 8 Days

For more information about cut garden roses check out my blogging series about cabbage roses & cut roses.