Rosa ‘Claire Austin’ – Care Guide

Rosa ‘Claire Austin’ is one of David Austin’s finest white English roses, admired for its elegant, creamy-white blooms and exceptionally strong myrrh fragrance. Forming a graceful, arching shrub or a compact climber, ‘Claire Austin’ delivers reliable repeat flowering, healthy foliage, and a refined, romantic appearance. It is ideal for borders, rose beds, arches, pergolas, and scented gardens.

Planting & Position

• Light:

  • Prefers full sun for the best flowering and fragrance.

  • Will tolerate light partial shade but with reduced bloom quantity.

• Soil:

  • Grows best in moist, fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost or well-rotted manure.

  • Avoid heavy waterlogging.

  • Excellent for mixed borders, rose beds, and trained supports.

• Spacing:

  • As a shrub: allow 1.2–1.5 m between plants.

  • As a climber: plant 30–45 cm from its support.

• Planting time:

  • Container-grown roses can be planted year-round.

  • Bareroot roses should be planted November to March.

Care & Maintenance

‘Claire Austin’ is a healthy, reliable rose with good disease resistance when properly maintained.

• Watering:

  • Water deeply after planting and continue regularly during the first growing season.

  • Once established, water deeply once a week in dry weather.

• Feeding:

  • Feed in early spring with a specialist rose fertiliser.

  • Feed again in mid-summer to support repeat flowering.

• Mulching:

  • Mulch in spring with compost or well-rotted manure to conserve moisture and enrich soil.

• Pruning:

  • Shrub form (Feb–March):

    • Remove dead, weak, or crossing stems.

    • Reduce remaining stems by around one-third.

    • Shape into a balanced, open form for air circulation.

  • Climber form:

    • Tie main stems horizontally; this encourages multiple flowering shoots.

    • Prune side shoots back to 2–4 buds in late winter.

    • Remove old, woody stems gradually to rejuvenate the plant.

• Deadheading:

  • Remove spent flowers regularly to keep blooms coming throughout summer.

• Disease resistance:

  • Good resistance to blackspot and mildew, especially with proper spacing and airflow.

Seasonal Interest & Uses

• Flowers:

  • Elegant, creamy-white, fully double blooms with a soft hint of lemon at the centre when young.

  • Flowers appear in repeated flushes from June to October.

• Fragrance:

  • Strong, rich myrrh fragrance, one of the best among white roses.

• Habit:

  • As a shrub: 1.2–1.5 m tall and wide, with arching, graceful growth.

  • As a climber: up to 3 m with support.

• Ideal uses:

  • Cottage-style borders

  • Scented gardens

  • Training over arches, obelisks, or pergolas

  • Feature shrub or grouped planting

  • Near seating areas where the fragrance can be enjoyed

• Wildlife:

  • Flowers attract bees and beneficial pollinators.

In Summary:

Rosa ‘Claire Austin’ is an elegant, fragrant English rose with creamy-white blooms and a graceful habit. Versatile as both a shrub and a climber, it offers repeat flowering, superb scent, and strong health. Plant in fertile, well-drained soil, prune seasonally, and enjoy its classic beauty all summer long.

• Size
  6L

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Live Plant delivery charges are not calculated on weight but on the space required per package to ensure safe delivery, so delivery charges may vary as some plants require more space than others when packed.
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