The Countryman rose Rosa The Countryman 'AUSman'

The Countryman is one of the original English shrub roses bred by David Auston in 1987.  It was named after the Countryman magazine.  The parents are ‘Lilian Austin’ x ‘Comte de Chambord’.

The average size is 3 feet by 3 ½ feet and will grow taller in warmer climates.  Like most roses, it requires full sun and moist, well-drained, fertile soil. Fertilize in early spring and early summer. Prune back one-third in late winter to encourage flowering and maintain its bushy shape.  Cut some of the older stems to the base of mature plants to encourage new shoots.  Deadhead throughout the growing season.  Propagate by hardwood cuttings in autumn, softwood cuttings (under glass) in spring or summer, or grafting in summer.

The pink blooms have a strong, old rose fragrance with 40-100 petals.  The 3 to 5-inch blooms are continuous from spring to fall.  The dark pink fades to medium pink, and the ruffled petals look similar to peonies.  The prolific blooms grow in clusters on short stems.  The dark green foliage and orange-red hips are showy.

Include the bushy shrub in a cottage garden along the border or as a small hedge.  Grow in a container or near the patio where you can smell the fragrance when in bloom.  Plant it as a specimen in a pollinator garden.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Diseases include rose black spot, powdery mildew and rose rust.  Insects affecting this plant include aphids, caterpillars, glasshouse red spider mite, leaf hoppers, Rose leaf-rolling sawfly and scale insects.  Rabbits and deer can cause damage to the plant. See pests of roses to the left

More information on Rosa.