Jacqueline Du Pre Rose

This white shrub rose is named for the great musician Jacqueline du Pre. It's one of the new roses I planted in the Birthday Rose Garden, and I chose it because of the musical connection. This first photograph was taken in the first flowering summer - what a gorgeous beginning!

Jacqueline du Pre was a cellist whose recorded version of Elgar's Cello Concerto is the best I've ever heard. She sadly died young, and this rose which bears her name was bred in England by Harkness.

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The flowers have beautiful dull cherry-red middles, and are loosely cupped. My big rose book Botanica's says she will keep flowering all season 'until the weather stops her'. Jacqueline du Pre isn't the last rose to hang on and keep flowering, but I rather like her rose hips, anyway.