English Rose 'The Dark Lady': Austin's Shakespearean Mystery

Named for the enigmatic "Dark Lady" of Shakespeare's sonnets, this 1991 David Austin introduction (PP8677, also known as AUSbloom) embodies the passionate intensity of its literary muse. The blooms are a deep, velvety crimson-purple—a color of secrets and sonnets, opening from rounded buds into shallow cups of breathtaking richness.

Botanical Profile

The fragrance is strong and complex—old rose with hints of spice and fruit, a perfume that lingers like an unfinished verse. The plant forms a compact, bushy shrub 3-4 feet tall, with healthy, dark green foliage. As an English Rose, it repeats reliably from June to frost, each flush renewing the drama. 'The Dark Lady' stands among Austin's most successful dark-colored varieties, proving that the deepest colors can carry the lightest charm. A rose for the poet in every gardener.