Summer Song (AUStango)

Catalog notes

Bred by David Austin and introduced in 2005 (registered as Austango), this English Shrub Rose is most famous for its unusual and vibrant burnt-orange or coppery-red color, a shade rarely seen in Austin’s typically pastel-leaning palette. The blooms are medium-to-large, cupped rosettes that carry a complex and strong fragrance described as a mix of tea, chrysanthemum leaves, and ripe bananas. While the flowers are stunning, the plant is often noted for having a somewhat lanky, upright, and sometimes "floppy" habit, reaching about 4 to 5 feet in height and often requiring support or clever placement in the middle of a border to hide its occasionally sparse base. It features semi-glossy, dark green foliage and is repeat-flowering, though it has a reputation for being more susceptible to blackspot and rust than some of Austin’s more modern, robust introductions.