Constance Spry

I think of Constance Spry as the mother of all English roses - these were introduced to the rose world by Englishman David Austin. I have one Constance Spry which sprawls over the fence behind the Septic Tank Garden.

I grow a lot of David Austin English roses in the Moosey Garden, and Constance Spry appealed to me because of her historical significance. My big rose book agrees - saying she was ’the very first of her kind’.

Pink Flowers

This rose has large mid-pink double flowers, and expansively throws out long canes to sprawl over everything nearby. Thankfully I planted my Constance Spry on a fence-line, and have trained it up into the Pittosporums.

Constance Spry is once flowering, since it is a cross between a Modern Cluster-flowered rose and an Old Garden Gallica (I got that from my big rose book, too). I love it.

She couldn't possibly be grown on her own, even if a rose support was provided. She needs to sprawl and drape herself over, up, and down other plants (as you can see in this photograph). The rose's flower-heads are really heavy and tend to hang down. They are a beautiful pink colour and quite large.

Stylish Weeping Maple

I'm pleased with the new planting scheme in the pond-side border - my new red weeping Maple and wine coloured flax fit perfectly with the pink rose colour. I've also moved in some surplus hostas (you can't go wrong with hostas!). Very stylish - particularly the Maple!