Rose of Augusta Luise

This hybrid tea rose is considered a recognized aristocrat among flowers, winning the love of connoisseurs with its lush color and unsurpassed scent. Sometimes it seems that it was not in vain that she was awarded such a "count" name!

Details of origin

The fact is that Augusta Louise von Stolberg was indeed a countess who at one time had a lively philosophical correspondence with Goethe himself. And when the 250th anniversary of the famous German poet was celebrated in 1999, his compatriot, the famous rose breeder Hans Jürgen Ewers, a leading specialist of the Tantau firm from Germany, presented his new brainchild under this name.

His "Countess" made a splash in the world of roses, for two decades managing to become one of the most popular varieties and win many international awards. Among the latter - the prize for the best fragrance at the exhibition in New Zealand (2009) and the prize for the best hybrid tea rose in 2010.

Description of appearance

Its adult bush has a height of 70 cm to 1.2 meters. Shoots are strong, thick, erect, with large dark green foliage. Even the outline of the bush resembles a proud, independent and aristocratic posture.

But flowers are the real decoration of the variety! Their color is difficult to describe, it is so changeable, diverse, depends on the weather, and on the time of day, as well as on the age of the flower.

In general, its range is dominated by pink and peach shades. In trying to describe these complex transitions, people compare the color of the petals to champagne pink, or to a slightly unripe apricot. Over time, some petals acquire a subtle golden color, especially at the end of the day, at sunset.

It has also been noticed that the richness of the range depends significantly on good nutrition. On poor soils, the Augusta Louise flower looks simpler, but with good feeding the color becomes more intense and complex.

Naturally, the flowers themselves are densely double, consisting of four dozen petals, opening magnificently, like a dress of a young countess. Their diameter can reach 12 cm, although usually a couple of centimeters less: these are one of the largest hybrid tea roses.

Now, remember that the plant has won awards for the best scent. Indeed, in order to smell the Augusta Louise, one does not even need to smell its flower. It will be enough to stand a few steps from the bush to feel a pleasant fragrance with a distinct fruity-raspberry hue.

The flowering itself shows three waves, of which the first two are more intense. The advantage of the third is that it lasts until the very autumn frosts. Flowers appear almost always in the form of brushes located at the ends of long shoots at the top of the bush.

Features of agricultural technology

Some sources call the winter hardiness of the variety high, but some - average. In any case, it should be cut low and covered if the temperature is expected to drop below -18 °. Apparently, the ability to survive frost in this variety depends on the conditions of its summer keeping. However, in case of freezing, in spring the rose is well restored from the lower, dormant buds.

The variety has good resistance against powdery mildew and rust; of the pests, only aphids pester it.

Good lighting is important for high-quality flowering, as well as a varied, nutritious diet. "Augusta Louise" is very demanding on soil fertility and timely feeding. The soil should not dry out, it is advisable to regularly loosen and mulch the trunk circle. Stagnation of water at the roots and poor drainage are absolutely excluded! It is very important to cut off wilting inflorescences in time, this stimulates re-flowering.

Use cases

Having large flowers and a strong smell, this bush will be appropriate not far from a residential building, near the entrance or at the gate. But even in the garden, away from home, it will turn out to be an excellent single plant, beautiful "in itself", accented until late autumn. Looks great in rose gardens, in mixborders, can decorate any dacha corner.

Often, our heroine is used as a cut rose, filling the room with a thick, persistent scent. The buds of the last wave are often cut off, to which the autumn cold is already "approaching". A cut branch with an inflorescence remains in a vase for a long time, like a small continuation of an already past summer.