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Boscobel (Rosa 'Boscobel'), whole plant
  • Boscobel — close-up of leaves and flowers
  • Boscobel — seasonal appearance
  • Boscobel in a garden setting

Boscobel

Rosa 'Boscobel'

Medium · Some experience

About Boscobel

Boscobel is a David Austin English rose introduced in 2012, producing perfectly formed coral-salmon rosette blooms with a rich myrrh fragrance accented by hawthorn, elderflower, pear, and almond. Growing 4 feet in an upright tidy shrub, it blooms heavily from late spring through fall with strong disease resistance. A modern Austin rose with uniquely complex fragrance beloved in American English-rose gardens.

  • Fragrant
  • Disease-resistant
  • Long-blooming
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to -20°F (-29°C)
USDA hardiness zones 5–9

How to care for Boscobel

Watering

  • Springevery 5 days
  • Summerevery 3 days
  • Fallevery 7 days
  • Winterevery 14 days

Soil · Rich & loamy

  • Top dressingBark mulch15%
  • Main mixRich loam + compost 3:170%
  • DrainageGravel15%

Use fully finished compost — fresh compost burns roots.

FERTILIZER

Balanced Feed 14-14-14

An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.

N33%P33%K33%
  • Nitrogen · Leaves
  • Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
  • Potassium · Strength
  • Springevery 30 days
  • Summerevery 30 days
  • Fallevery 45 days
Get watering reminders for Boscobel — free on iPhoneDownload on the App Store

At a Glance

  • Height4–5 ft (1.2–1.5 m)
  • Spread3–4 ft (0.9–1.2 m)
  • Flower colorPink, Coral
  • Foliage colorGreen
  • SoilRich, Loamy, Well-drained
  • LocationsYard

Bloom time

BLOOM CYCLE

Peak bloom

May–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Coral-salmon rosettes with complex myrrh fragrance, deadhead for repeat

Fragrance

STRONG FRAGRANCE

Myrrh, almond, and old-rose scent.

Toxicity

Humans Slight

Unknown toxic principle

Slight

  • Stem
  • Contact

EXPOSURE Touching stems.

EFFECT Pricks from thorns.

NOTE Not toxic; thorns cause mechanical injury.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for dogs; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Safe

EXPOSURE No exposure route is reported.

EFFECT No toxic effect is reported.

NOTE Listed as non-toxic for cats; avoid eating ornamental plants unless confirmed edible.

Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

History

Illustrated historical scene for Boscobel

Rosa 'Boscobel' is a warm salmon-pink English shrub rose bred by David Austin at Albrighton, England, released in 2012 from proprietary parentage. Austin named the cultivar for Boscobel House in Shropshire, the seventeenth-century hunting lodge where the future Charles II hid in the branches of the Royal Oak on 6 September 1651 while escaping Parliamentary forces after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester. The densely packed rosette-shaped blooms, eight centimeters across, open warm salmon-pink with deeper coral-red centres and soft apricot undertones, an unusually warm coloring in the Austin range.

A strong distinctive fragrance combines myrrh, almond, and old-rose notes. The compact upright plant reaches 1.2 meters, blooms continuously, and shows notably good disease resistance.

A mid-career Austin cultivar that has become a reliable garden favorite. Its complex hawthorn-elderflower-pear fragrance and strong disease resistance have made it a favorite modern Austin rose.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

The 'Boscobel' Rose honors a hidden sanctuary — Boscobel House, where Charles II famously took refuge in an oak after the Battle of Worcester. Its complex fragrance layers hawthorn, elderflower, pear, and myrrh into a scent as intricate as that history. Its meaning is shelter remembered through perfume: an English rose that quietly carries a story of safety found in a single tree's leaves.

  • Hidden sanctuary — honors Charles II's hiding place at Boscobel
  • Complex fragrance — hawthorn, elderflower, pear, myrrh blend

Where the Name Comes From

Named for Boscobel House in Shropshire, hiding place of Charles II in the Royal Oak after the 1651 Battle of Worcester.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Salmon-pink rosettes release strong myrrh fragrance
  • Old-rose form blooms beautifully in cottage bouquets
  • English shrub rose for romantic mixed borders

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Boscobel?

In summer, water about every 3 days; in winter, about every 14 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.

How much light does Boscobel need?

Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.

Is Boscobel toxic to cats or dogs?

Pets Safe (Dogs Safe · Cats Safe) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.

Is Boscobel easy to grow?

It is moderately demanding: a good choice once you have a little experience.

When does Boscobel bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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