Rosa Susan Williams-Ellis (English Rose)

Extremely winter hardy, David Austin English Rose Susan Williams-Ellis is a ‘sport’ of Austin’s popular pink rose The Mayflower which was introduced in 2001. Like its parent, this exceptional white rose features vigorous disease resistance and flowers very early in the season – two to three weeks before most other roses – and then continues to bloom nearly non-stop until frost.

Extremely winter hardy, David Austin English Rose Susan Williams-Ellis is a 'sport' of Austin's popular pink rose The Mayflower which was introduced in 2001. Like its parent, this exceptional white rose features vigorous disease resistance and flowers very early in the season – two to three weeks before most other roses – and then continues to bloom nearly non-stop until frost. Susan Williams-Ellis is an excellent performer in most areas of the U.S. Those in cooler areas, including USDA zone 4, will welcome this exciting addition to the list of particularly winter-hardy Austin roses. It features charming rosette-shaped, pure white flowers (135 petals), rich with a strong and perfectly old rose fragrance.

  • Blooming in flushes from late spring until frost, this Rose is an excellent repeat bloomer.
  • Vigorously growing up to 4 feet tall (120 cm) and 3 feet wide (90 cm), it is an excellent choice for beds, borders, hedging, or containers. Spectacular when combined with the cool blue colors of salvia, nepeta, or lavender.
  • Best grown in full sun or partial shade, in rich, fertile with adequate moisture, well-drained soils.
  • This Rose is named after Susan Williams-Ellis, a friend of David Austin and his wife Pat. She was an artist and influential pottery designer and a great enthusiast of English Roses.
  • David Austin’s English Roses combine the flower forms and perfume of Old Roses with the color range and repeat-flowering habits of modern roses. As a Rose breeder, David Austin’s achievement is in marrying the romantic “English Rose” look with reliable garden performance, vigorous growth, full bushes, disease resistance, and prolific season-long bloom. Over 200 English Roses have been released since 1961, many of them receiving the highest rewards.

Requirements

Hardiness 4
– 8

Heat Zones 1
– 9

Climate Zones 1, 1A, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Roses, Shrubs
Plant Family Rosa – English Roses, Rosa – Shrub Roses, Rosa – Roses
Exposure Full Sun, Partial Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)Summer (Early,Mid,Late)Fall
Height 3'
– 4'
(90cm
– 120cm)
Spread 2'
– 3'
(60cm
– 90cm)
Spacing 36″ (90cm)
Water Needs Low
Maintenance Average
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy
Attracts Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Hedges and Screens, Patio and Containers, Wall-Side Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage