My Favourite Austin Rose- Cymbeline

CYMBELINE: Trying to name my favourite David Austin rose is almost like trying to name my favourite child- impossible- but one rose stands out for me amongst all of the others, and has done so for over a decade. The magnificent rose Cymbeline was released by David Austin in 1982, and to me is the perfect rose in all aspects...shrub-like habit, healthy, vigorous, generous in bloom, and- Hooley Dooley- what blooms they are!!! The most beautiful grey/pearl pinkish buds and flowers, packed with petals and mindblowingly amazing myrrh fragrance.

It is a polarising rose...I always make a point when showing people round the garden of taking them to Cymbeline and making them bury their nose in a bloom. Without fail the reaction is one of two extremes- they either breathe it in rapturously, asking "What IS that scent???", or snort vigorously, trying to expel the fragrance from their nasal passages and grimacing. It is a love or hate relationship with this rose...there is never any non-committal response.

I personally liken the scent to leatherwood honey, and Myrrh-scented roses are amongst my favourite Austins. There is one exception to this, however...the beautiful Austin rose 'The Reeve' is stated to be myrrh scented, and I find the scent very unpleasant, despite loving everything else about the variety.

Cymbeline grows to about 5 feet here at 'Eurimbla', with arching branches and a width of about 6 feet. The photos that I have posted here do not do him justice, but he is yet to fully flower this Spring...the minute he does, I will attempt to take some photos that display his full glory.