In my no spray garden, it is the earliest to be in full bloom(mid May in Western Washington, USA) and certainly one of the most disease resistant roses bred by David Austin.
I completely agree - but from the other side of the world in Australia. This is a really top performing rose in my garden. So much so that I am adding another 10 (I already have 3) to my garden this winter to plant as a hedge.
Hi Margaret, yes I would say it is fruity and very pleasant but not very strong. Can not detect any Myrrh. One thing I notice with Olivia Rose Austin is flowers cut for the house seem to smell stronger though, and last pretty well in a vase.
Yes Jude's scent is really incredible. I have 5 and prick armfuls for the house, though Olivia Rose Austin has a much better shrub shape, fuller leaf coverage for me and the roses are held more upright. JtO's stems often get broken in winds for me. For me JtO needs to be surrounded by a bit taller perennials to look good in the garden and wants to grow quiet tall, whereas Olivia is more compact (though not small) and just wants something low like nepeta or maybe alchemilla mollis at her base. But of course in other people's gardens they might behave differently.
This has been an excellent rose for me this year. Purchased bare root from Austin USA in 2016, it has been covered in blooms from spring to fall, very healthy and nicely shaped, dense leaves. I spray fungicide, but Olivia might be good for a no spray garden. A drawback is lack of scent. Hopefully that will develop. Even so, it's a keeper.
Mine has a pleasant old rose scent, but not a strong one. It's interesting that the latest Austin handbook/web info lists the fragrance as "light-medium" instead of the "strong" it used to claim (see the description right here on the intro page for this rose). But it's a wonderful, healthy rose and makes a great cut flower (unlike most Austins).
