MACBETH™ – deep crimson English rose - Austin
Evoking the atmosphere of an old walled garden, MACBETH™ brings a richly coloured, romantic backdrop to family life with its deep crimson rosettes and very strong, room‑filling perfume. This English shrub rose forms a substantial, upright structure, clothed in dark green foliage that sets off the velvety blooms beautifully in a traditional cottage border. It thrives in typical British conditions, coping reliably even in gardens where strong winds and wet spells would test less robust varieties. Repeating well after the first flush, its remontant flowering gives a long season of colour for seating areas, arbours and paths where you can savour its heady fragrance over afternoon tea. As an own‑root plant it offers reassuring longevity, regenerating well from the base and retaining its ornamental value over the years with relatively low maintenance. Once settled, its good disease resistance supports easy‑care gardening, while the dense, dark foliage adds textural impact even between flushes.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Feature shrub near terrace or seating area |
MACBETH™ excels as a focal shrub where its very strong old-rose fragrance can be appreciated close at hand, giving a sense of intimacy and romance around terraces, benches or arbours for those who enjoy a scented, classic garden atmosphere, especially beginners. |
| Romantic cottage-style mixed border |
The deep crimson rosettes and dark foliage lend a traditional cottage feel, pairing beautifully with soft pinks, whites and silvery perennials for a storybook border that looks full and established without intricate upkeep, ideal for time-pressed homeowners. |
| Low-maintenance family garden hedge or backdrop |
Its upright, substantial habit and dense foliage create a leafy backdrop or informal flowering hedge that screens play areas and patios while needing only basic pruning and occasional deadheading, suiting practicality-minded garden families. |
| Specimen rose in a large container (40–60 litres) |
Planted in a generously sized container, MACBETH™ becomes a movable centrepiece for small patios, balconies or rented gardens, offering repeat blooms and fragrance without major ground works, convenient for urban and smaller-space gardeners. |
| Long-term planting in traditional borders |
As an own-root rose, it matures steadily with strong basal growth, giving a dependable long-term presence that can be renewed by simple hard pruning when needed, which suits those planning a garden for years of use, including new property owners. |
| English rose bed with classic form and perfume |
The very double rosette flowers, rich crimson colouring and powerful old-rose scent together create a quintessential English rose display, making it a natural choice for themed beds that celebrate traditional forms, attractive to romantic-style rose collectors. |
| Roses for cooler, exposed or coastal gardens |
MACBETH™ combines good winter hardiness with dense foliage and a sturdy framework that copes well where blustery, damp weather is common, bringing reliable flowering structure to sites that often challenge roses, reassuring cautious garden buyers. |
| Easy-care flowering feature for busy lifestyles |
With low routine maintenance, solid disease resistance and a naturally full, upright habit, this shrub offers rewarding colour and scent without complex pruning regimes, matching the needs of hobby gardeners who want results, not chores, especially modern couples. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-arch – Position MACBETH™ either side of a simple wooden arch, underplant with Scabiosa columbaria and catmint for a soft, drifting edge – ideal for lovers of informal English cottage paths.
- Evening-terrace – Use a single plant in a 50–60 litre container by a seating area, with low herbs in surrounding pots to catch its intense perfume – perfect for busy urban gardeners who relax outdoors after work.
- Kitchen-border – Place MACBETH™ at the back of a kitchen garden bed, with Verbena hastata ‘White Spires’ and chives in front for a pretty, productive mix – suited to families who like flowers beside vegetables.
- Storybook-hedge – Create a loose flowering hedge along a boundary with plants at 1 m spacing, interspersed with hawthorn or yew for year-round structure – appealing to those seeking a traditional, sheltered garden frame.
- Crimson-focus – Combine MACBETH™ with pale foxgloves and silver Artemisia vulgaris ‘Oriental Limelight’ in a mixed border to make the dark blooms stand out – attractive for homeowners building a romantic, colour-coordinated scheme.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
MACBETH™ – deep crimson English rose – shrub form in the English Rose Collection; registered as AUSlo, ARS exhibition name Othello, commercial romantic rose type for garden use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by David C. H. Austin in the United Kingdom from ‘Lilian Austin’ × ‘The Squire’; introduced and registered in 1986 by David Austin Roses Ltd. as part of the English shrub rose line. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Strong, upright shrub 135–225 cm high and 90–150 cm wide, with dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage and plentiful thorns; poor self-cleaning, so spent blooms benefit from regular deadheading. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, very double rosette blooms with more than 40 petals, mostly borne singly; remontant habit with a generous second flush, flower size typically in the 7–10 cm range under average garden conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep, even crimson-red flowers (RHS 60A–60B) with velvety texture; colour may lighten slightly with a purplish or mauve tint in strong sun, remaining attractive as blooms age before petal fall. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, garden-filling perfume of classic old-rose character, particularly noticeable in warm, still air; best appreciated near paths or seating where the heady scent can accumulate in sheltered spots. |
| Hip characteristics |
Very double flowers limit hip set; occasional small ovoid hips, around 9–15 mm, develop to an orange-red colour, offering modest late-season interest without significant self-seeding issues. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good overall health with resistance to powdery mildew and black spot, moderate rust susceptibility; reliably hardy to around –26 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b), performing well in typical cool, damp UK climates. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Prefers a sunny position in fertile, well-drained soil; spacing 100–110 cm in groups or hedges and wider for specimens; regular watering in dry spells and deadheading help maintain flowering and tidy appearance. |
MACBETH™ English Rose AUSlo offers richly fragrant crimson blooms, sturdy shrub structure and dependable, long-lived performance on its own roots, making it a thoughtful choice when planning a romantic, easy-care family garden.
