David Austin William Shakespeare

• Category: English Roses (English Rose Collection);
• Colour: Richest, velvety crimson changing to rich purple;
• Flower Type: Double/Full Bloom;
• Size: Medium Shrub;
• Hardiness: Hardy;
• Fragrance: Old Rose. Strong;
• Repeating: Good;
• Special Characteristics: Superb. richly coloured flowers on a very disease resistant, rounded shrub. Excellent repeat flowering

Without doubt, the best crimson English Rose to date. It is a truly superb variety with exquisite blooms of the richest velvety crimson, gradually changing to an equally rich purple. Deeply cupped at first, the flower soon opens out to a shallow quartered cup. The growth is neat and upright; each stem bearing a number of flowers.

This rose has the strong, warm Old Rose fragrance that we expect, but do not always find, in deep red roses. Excellent disease resistance.

We have planted a large bed of William Shakespeare and a mixed border of English and Old Roses at Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare himself has been voted 'Man of the Millennium'.