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

Lady of Shalott

Rosa 'Lady of Shalott'

Easy · Beginner friendly

About Lady of Shalott

Lady of Shalott is one of David Austin's most disease-resistant and vigorous English roses, introduced in 2009, producing chalice-shaped blooms in warm salmon-pink with orange undersides and a light fruity tea fragrance. Growing 4 to 5 feet in a robust healthy shrub, it blooms continuously from late spring through fall with exceptional weather resistance. One of the easiest-growing Austin roses for American beginner rosarians.

  • Fragrant
  • Disease-resistant
  • Long-blooming
WATER
Regular
Top inch dry
LIGHT
Full sun
6+ hrs direct
HARDY
Hardy to -30°F (-34°C)
USDA hardiness zones 4–9

How to care for Lady of Shalott

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
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At a Glance

  • Height4–5 ft (1.2–1.5 m)
  • Spread3.5–4.5 ft (1.1–1.4 m)
  • Flower colorOrange, Pink, Yellow
  • 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

Salmon-orange chalice blooms with light tea fragrance, deadhead for continuous bloom

Fragrance

STRONG FRAGRANCE

Warm tea, clove, and apple 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 Lady of Shalott

Rosa 'Lady of Shalott' is a warm orange-apricot English shrub rose bred by David Austin at Albrighton, England, released in 2009 from proprietary parentage as part of a deliberate breeding programme to produce more disease-resistant English Roses for the landscape market. Austin named the cultivar for the enchanted weaver in Alfred Tennyson's 1842 poem 'The Lady of Shalott'. The loosely cupped chalice-shaped blooms open warm salmon-pink on the inside with rich golden-yellow petal reverses, so the flower shows both colours simultaneously; a strong fragrance combines warm tea, clove, and soft apple notes.

The arching bushy plant reaches 1.2 meters, blooms continuously, and is among the most disease-resistant and cold-hardy English Roses yet bred, making it a popular choice for tough American and Scandinavian gardens as well as beginner gardeners seeking English Rose elegance without fuss. Bred by David Austin and introduced in 2009 for Austin's 50th anniversary, Lady of Shalott was named after Tennyson's famous 1833 poem of the same name.

Its robust health and disease resistance made it immediately popular in American gardens as a beginner-friendly Austin rose.

Symbolism & meaning

What It Symbolizes

The 'Lady of Shalott' Rose carries poetic longing, its name borrowed from Tennyson's tragic Arthurian heroine drifting downstream toward Camelot. Its salmon-orange-pink petals blend the warm tones of sunset, evoking the same elegiac light that hangs over the poem itself. Its meaning is romance touched by melancholy — a rose that flowers like a final, lovely scene, beautiful because it cannot last.

  • Poetic longing — evokes Tennyson's Arthurian tragedy
  • Sunset grace — salmon-orange-pink blending warm tones

Where the Name Comes From

Named for Tennyson's 1833 poem 'The Lady of Shalott', set in Arthurian Camelot.

Uses & Fun Facts

  • Apricot blooms release warm tea-and-spiced-apple fragrance
  • Cupped blooms beautiful in romantic English-style arrangements
  • Vigorous disease-resistant English shrub rose for borders

Related plants

More Rosa plants

Plants with similar care

Frequently asked questions

How often should I water Lady of Shalott?

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

How much light does Lady of Shalott need?

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

Is Lady of Shalott 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 Lady of Shalott easy to grow?

Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.

When does Lady of Shalott bloom?

It typically blooms May–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.

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