AUSmak – ‘Eglantyne’ pink English rose – Austin
This romantic English shrub rose combines beauty, reliable flowering and gentle fragrance in a bushy plant that suits the average Irish family garden. You receive a well-rooted, own-root shrub in a 2-litre pot that settles in quickly, then builds roots in year one, shoots in year two and reaches its full ornamental value by year three. Its medium-sized, rosette-shaped blooms appear in repeat flushes through the season, creating a soft pastel-pink display that works perfectly in front gardens and mixed beds. The compact, balanced habit fits neatly into smaller borders, while dense foliage helps the plant look full and finished even between flushes. Own-root growth supports long-term health and dependable regrowth after pruning or weather setbacks. This variety suits Irish conditions where cool summers and regular rain meet heavier soils, helped by good drainage that manages persistent moisture. With moderate care and simple deadheading, You can enjoy long-lasting cut flowers for the house as well as a romantic garden feature that matures gracefully over many years.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Front garden focal shrub by the entrance |
Its bushy, medium-height structure and dense foliage create a tidy, welcoming presence without overwhelming a small front space. Repeat pastel-pink blooms give a soft romantic feel that fits suburban and village approaches, ideal for the busy home-focused gardener |
| Mixed border with perennials and cottage plants |
The rounded habit and rosette flowers blend easily with perennials like lavender, catmint or hardy geraniums, adding a gentle vertical lift without becoming leggy. This makes it a dependable backbone in relaxed, cottage-style planting for the style-conscious homeowner |
| Small groups of 3 shrubs for a rose bed |
Planted in a triangle at the recommended spacing, three plants knit together into a continuous, softly coloured mound. Strong repeat-flowering ensures that even a small bed looks “in bloom” for much of the season, rewarding the time-poor but flower-loving beginner |
| Cutting patch for home-arranged bouquets |
The very double, medium-sized blooms and long flowering period make it excellent for informal vases and romantic arrangements. Stems are well-suited to cutting while the shrub still keeps its shape, suiting those who want garden and indoor flowers from the same reliable planting |
| Partially shaded side garden or north-east aspect |
This variety tolerates partial shade, keeping a good flower performance where many roses thin out. In Irish gardens with overshadowing buildings or fences, it brings colour and scent into less-than-ideal spots, supporting urban and rural owners of awkward side spaces |
| Coastal or exposed garden with managed drainage |
It copes with cooler, breezier sites when planted in well-prepared soil that prevents waterlogging, helpful where regular rain and heavy ground combine and good drainage is needed to balance frequent wet weather for coastal and western-region gardeners |
| Low, romantic flowering hedge |
At 90–140 cm high with a generous spread, closely spaced plants form a soft, pink-flowering line that can edge driveways or divide garden rooms. Annual pruning and simple deadheading keep it neat enough for those wanting structure with minimal effort |
| Large container on patio or balcony |
In a 40–50 litre container with good drainage, it forms a compact, floriferous shrub that brings scent and colour right to seating areas. Own-root growth supports resilience and long-term pot culture, ideal for balcony and terrace owners seeking enduring colour |
Decorating ideas
- COTTAGE TRIO – Plant three shrubs with lavender and catmint for a loose, billowing border that repeats in flower and scent through summer – perfect for lovers of romantic cottage gardens
- FRONT-DOOR WELCOME – Flank a path or doorway with paired plants underplanted with hardy geraniums for a soft, continuous pink accent – ideal for homeowners wanting easy kerb appeal
- TEA-ROSE CORNER – Combine this rose with white hydrangeas and dusky salvias to create a calm, pastel seating nook – suited to small patios where You relax after work
- PASTEL HEDGE – Space plants at hedge distance and intersperse with low box or rosemary for structure and scent along a drive – good for families needing order without formal fuss
- CUT-FLOWER PATCH – Dedicate a sunny bed to this variety with airy grasses and cosmos to supply vases all season – perfect for beginners who enjoy bringing garden flowers indoors
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Trade name Eglantyne, English Rose AUSmak; registered cultivar AUSmak, group English Rose shrub, commercial romantic bush rose; ARS exhibition name Eglantyne; part of David Austin’s English Rose Collection. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by David C. H. Austin, United Kingdom, from unknown seedling × ‘Mary Rose’; introduced and registered in 1994 by David Austin Roses Ltd, now widely grown as a classic English shrub rose. |
| Awards and recognitions |
Holds the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (2001); winner Modern Shrub Rose class at Central Ohio Rose Society Show (1999); recognised for garden-worthiness and ornamental value. |
| Growth and structure |
Bushy, medium shrub 90–140 cm high and 80–120 cm wide with dense, mid-green, slightly glossy foliage; moderately thorny stems; forms a rounded, well-branched framework suitable for borders and small hedges. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, rosette-shaped blooms with 40+ petals, medium size about 1.5–2.75 inches, usually in small clusters; repeat-flowering with a strong second flush, especially when regularly deadheaded. |
| Colour and phenology |
Soft, shell-pink flowers with creamy undertone; buds powder-pink, opening to pastel pink that gradually fades towards almost white centres; colour fade faster in strong sun, slower in cool, overcast conditions. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength, clearly noticeable fragrance with a delicately sweet, tea-scented character; provides a classic English rose scent both in the garden and on cut stems indoors, especially in still, mild weather. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Rose hip set generally poor due to very double flowers; where formed, small spherical orange-red hips 8–14 mm in diameter may appear sparingly towards the end of the season. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4); disease resistance moderate overall with good black spot resistance but moderate susceptibility to powdery mildew and rust; needs basic preventive care. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in fertile, well-drained soil with regular watering in dry spells; suitable for beds, parks, hedging and cutting. Plant 65 cm apart for mass, 55 cm for hedges, 100 cm as specimen; protect from late spring frosts where possible. |
AUSmak ‘Eglantyne’ offers repeat pastel-pink blooms, a compact bushy habit and a gentle fragrance on a long-lived own-root shrub that settles in reliably, making it a reassuring choice if You want a beautiful rose without complex care.
