David Austin Rose ‘Thomas à Becket’
£30.00
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Description
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Thomas A Becket English Rose
- Botanical Name: Rosa ‘Thomas A Becket’ (David Austin)
- Plant Type: Deciduous, repeat-flowering shrub rose
- Mature Height: 1–1.2m
- Mature Spread: 80–100cm
- Flowering Period: June to October (repeat-flowering)
- Flower Colour: Vibrant, deep crimson-red
- Foliage: Healthy, mid-green, semi-glossy leaves
- Fragrance: Strong, old rose scent with hints of lemon zest (as described by David Austin)
- Hardiness: RHS H6 (hardy throughout UK & Ireland)
- Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained, fertile soil; prefers neutral to slightly acidic
- Aspect: Full sun (best flowering); tolerates light shade
- Maintenance: Moderate (annual pruning, deadheading, feeding)
Description
Rosa ‘Thomas A Becket’ is a classic David Austin English shrub rose, celebrated for its informal, natural growth habit and outstanding garden performance. The blooms are large, semi-double to double, and open in relaxed, slightly nodding clusters of vibrant crimson-red petals—creating a wonderfully romantic, cottage-garden look. The flowers are produced in flushes from early summer right through to autumn, ensuring months of colour and interest.
The scent is strong and complex, with an old rose character and a refreshing hint of lemon zest. The bushy, upright shrub is clothed in healthy, mid-green foliage with excellent disease resistance, making it both beautiful and easy to grow.
Perfect for mixed borders, rose gardens, or as a specimen shrub, ‘Thomas A Becket’ is equally at home in traditional and contemporary settings. Its informal style makes it a great choice for more relaxed planting schemes, and the blooms are lovely for cutting and bringing indoors.
Caragh Garden Notebook
Planting:
Space plants 80–100cm apart for a full, bushy effect. Plant container-grown roses in spring (March–May) or autumn (September–October). Choose a sunny, open position for best flowering—at least 4–6 hours of direct sun daily. Dig a generous hole, enrich the soil with well-rotted manure or compost, and plant at the same depth as in the pot. Firm in gently, water thoroughly, and mulch.
Space plants 80–100cm apart for a full, bushy effect. Plant container-grown roses in spring (March–May) or autumn (September–October). Choose a sunny, open position for best flowering—at least 4–6 hours of direct sun daily. Dig a generous hole, enrich the soil with well-rotted manure or compost, and plant at the same depth as in the pot. Firm in gently, water thoroughly, and mulch.
Soil Preparation:
Prefers moist, well-drained, fertile soil. Improve heavy clay with compost and grit to aid drainage; improve sandy soils with compost to retain moisture. Mulch annually with well-rotted manure or garden compost to feed the soil and suppress weeds.
Prefers moist, well-drained, fertile soil. Improve heavy clay with compost and grit to aid drainage; improve sandy soils with compost to retain moisture. Mulch annually with well-rotted manure or garden compost to feed the soil and suppress weeds.
Seasonal Care:
Prune in late winter or early spring—remove dead, damaged, or weak growth and shape the shrub as desired. Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage repeat flowering. Feed in early spring and again after the first flush of flowers with a balanced rose fertiliser.
Prune in late winter or early spring—remove dead, damaged, or weak growth and shape the shrub as desired. Deadhead spent blooms regularly to encourage repeat flowering. Feed in early spring and again after the first flush of flowers with a balanced rose fertiliser.
Pests & Problems:
Generally disease resistant, but watch for aphids, black spot, and powdery mildew. Good spacing, regular feeding, and prompt removal of diseased leaves help prevent problems.
Generally disease resistant, but watch for aphids, black spot, and powdery mildew. Good spacing, regular feeding, and prompt removal of diseased leaves help prevent problems.
Design Notes:
Perfect for mixed borders, rose gardens, or as a specimen shrub. Combines beautifully with perennials, lavender, catmint, and hardy geraniums. Also excellent for cutting and bringing fragrance indoors.
Perfect for mixed borders, rose gardens, or as a specimen shrub. Combines beautifully with perennials, lavender, catmint, and hardy geraniums. Also excellent for cutting and bringing fragrance indoors.
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