Rose - The Ancient Mariner

Common Name:
The Ancient Mariner Rose

Description:
The Ancient Mariner is a captivating English shrub rose bred by David Austin, named after the famous poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. It features large, deeply cupped blooms filled with layers of soft to mid-pink petals, which fade slightly at the edges, giving the flowers a luminous, romantic quality. With a strong, warm myrrh fragrance, this rose is a delight for the senses and flowers continuously from late spring through to autumn. The Ancient Mariner has a strong, bushy growth habit with upright stems and lush, mid-green foliage, making it ideal for garden beds, rose borders, or even as a fragrant hedge. It performs beautifully in Melbourne’s climate, preferring full sun and well-drained soil, and benefits from regular feeding and deadheading to encourage repeat flowering. Its impressive size and long flowering season make it a showstopper in cottage and formal gardens alike.

Form:
Shrub - Large
Suitable for Hedging

Mature Size:
Height: 1.4 to 1.6 metres
Width: 1.2 to 1.4 metres

Aspect:
Full Sun
Part Shade

Flowering:
Flowers in Spring
Flowers in Summer
Flowers in Autumn

Flower Colour:
Mid Pink
Soft Pink
Pale Pink Outer Petals

Key Attributes:
Scented flowers
Bee Attracting
Perennial
Suitable for Hedging
Herbaceous
Repeat Flowering
Suitable for Cottage and Formal Gardens

Toxicity:
May be mildly toxic to pets if ingested (due to thorns and foliage); generally considered low risk.

Companion Plants:
Foxglove (Digitalis)
Salvia nemorosa
Catmint (Nepeta)
Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina)
Delphinium