David Austin Roses has today unveiled a brand new rose at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, created in honor of His Majesty King Charles III.
The King’s Rose is a shrub variety that produces semi-double, repeat-flowering blooms. Its petals feature joyful, candy-like stripes in shades of fuchsia pink and white, creating a hand-painted look and an almost a child-like charm. It is the first-ever striped rose to be created by the rose breeder.
The King's Rose is also delicately fragranced, with hints of fresh apple and rose water. The process of breeding and stabilising the rose variety took 12 years to complete.
The journey of The King’s Rose
David J.C. Austin, Chairman at David Austin Roses, says: ‘The King’s Rose is particularly special – it’s our first striped rose, created in collaboration with The King’s Foundation. The rose is a tribute to the enduring values of His Majesty King Charles III through the work of the foundation, investing in education, sustainable practices, and the revitalisation of heritage.’
The King’s Rose, which can be purchased from David Austin Roses, was chosen thanks to a particularly poignant moment three decades ago, between King Charles and Mr Austin.
‘Walking through the trial fields and watching this rose perform better and better was incredibly exciting,’ says Mr Austin. ‘But what truly made it special was the unexpected connection it sparked – memories of the first time I met King Charles at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the early ’90s.
'We had a display of ‘Ferdinand Pichard,’ a beautiful striped rose originally bred in France in the early 20th century, and he told me it was the very first rose he’d ever grown. I couldn’t believe it – because it was the first rose that I'd grown, too.
‘That shared moment has stayed with me ever since, and when I saw this new bloom in the fields – striped, distinctive, and full of charm and character – I knew it had to be the one. It felt like a sign. This had to be our rose.’
How a new rose variety is bred and developed
The 12-year breeding process was led by David Austin Roses' Head of Breeding, Carl Bennett. Each year, over 40,000 seedlings are nurtured, evaluated and gradually shortlisted until there is just one final rose that meets the highest standards of beauty, fragrance and resilience.
Carl said: ‘Breeding a new rose is a real labour of love, requiring plenty of patience and attention to detail at every stage of the process.
‘The King’s Rose’ is the result of over a decade of careful selection and refinement, and we are incredibly proud to see it come to life. Its distinctive colouring, graceful form, and delightful fragrance make it truly special – a fitting tribute to His Majesty’s passion for horticulture.’
Proceeds from The King’s Rose will support The King’s Foundation and its work building sustainable communities.
The King's Rose will grow three to four feet tall, it has a vase-shaped growth habit with vibrant yellow stems to attract pollinators.
If you are new to rose growing, you'll find lots of useful tips and advice in our rose care guide, plus tonnes of inspiration from these stunning rose garden ideas.
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