Rosa 'Comte de Champagne'
ENGLISH ROSE, DAVID AUSTIN ROSE
Family: Rosaceae
Pronounced: RO-sa
Quick Jumps
Growing Guide
Rainy Side Notes
GROWING GUIDE
Origin:
Garden.
Plant Group:
Shrubs
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: All Western zones with protection in Alaska.
USDA zones: 6-9.
Heat zones: 9-6.
Mature size:
Height: 4 feet (1 m).
Width: 3 ½ feet (1.2 m)
Flowering period:
Early summer to fall.
Flowering attributes:
Deep rich yellow, semi-double, cup shaped blossoms with 12-18 petals surrounding deep yellow stamens, and a strong honey and musk fragrance. As the flower ages it fades to hues of soft yellow to apricot.
Leaf attributes:
Glossy, medium green foliage.
Light:
Full sun.
Soil:
Humus rich, moist and well-drained soil.
Feeding:
Once a month with a complete organic fertilizer during growing season.
Propagation Methods:
Softwood cuttings in spring.
Hardwood cuttings in autumn.
Layer stems.
Pruning Methods:
In February, prune out canes that cross along with dead, old and diseased ones. The remaining canes cut back by ⅓.
Pests and Diseases:
This is a very disease resistant rose.
Rainy Side Notes
Introduced to the UK in 2001, it is often misspelled as 'Comtes de Champagne'; however, its name doesn't include the "s". Bred by David Austin, he named the rose after one of Taittinger's fine French champagnes. An interesting side note: the president of the vineyard, M Claude Taittinger, descended from Thibaud IV. During the 13th century, while he was traveling home from the Crusades he paid a visit to his cousin, Queen Alix, who gave him two plants. One plant was a Chardonnay vine, which Thibaud planted in Champagne and the other was Rosa gallica officinalis, an apothecary rose that later became known as the Red Rose of Lancaster.
With our mild summers, 'Comte de Champagne' is a long time bloomer. If it is too hot, they will stop flowering during summer. The flowers are not long lasting, but they do turn from deep yellow and age to soft yellow-apricot hues. It has a fragrance of musk and honey that I find very pleasant, but some think the scent is too musky. Fragrance likeability must be in the nose of the beholder.
Because this is a highly disease resistant rose, it is a good choice for the organic garden.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton