At this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, David Austin® Roses returns with an immersive, rose-filled garden that celebrates the enduring beauty, craftsmanship and heritage of the English rose, alongside the launch of a significant new variety, Sir David Beckham (Ausa34b16).

Designed as a circular space inspired by the beauty of the Cotswolds, the stand invites visitors to wander among more than 700 roses in peak bloom. Curving pathways lead through abundant planting, framed by honey-coloured stone walls and softened by climbing roses overhead, with a gentle central fountain anchoring the garden. Unlike traditional show stands, the design encourages visitors to experience the roses at close quarters, through shifting scent, colour and light.

David J.C. Austin says: “What makes this year’s garden special is its sense of generosity. We’ve planted hundreds of roses in total abundance, overhead climbers and the freedom for visitors to walk within it, rather than simply viewing from the outside. It’s a garden to really take a moment in.”

At the heart of the story is this year’s new rose, Sir David Beckham (Ausa34b16), an English shrub rose. The rose’s story begins with a family gesture: for

Sir David’s 50th birthday, his daughter, Harper, wished to mark the occasion with something lasting and beautiful. In that spirit, David Austin® Roses has dedicated this variety as a symbol of enduring love. The choice of name also carries a wider ambition. Beyond the personal tribute, there is a broader hope: that Sir David Beckham, whose relatively newfound passion for growing has resonated far beyond the gardening world, might inspire a new generation to discover the joy of roses.

Sir David Beckham says: “Gardening brings people together across generations and gives so much pleasure. To be part of something that celebrates that, and the heritage of the English rose, feels very meaningful to me.”

Opening from softly flushed pink buds, the blooms reveal luminous white petals touched with blush and pale yellow, each flower loosely cupped and centred with a starburst of golden stamens. Produced in generous clusters from summer until the first frosts, the pollen-rich flowers, set against dark foliage and red-tinged stems, are highly attractive to bees. Upright yet elegant, the shrub reaches 3-4 feet and is equally suited to borders or containers.

Its fragrance is notably complex: fresh green notes give way to warm honeyed musk, layered with hints of nougat, clove and myrrh. Like all David Austin® roses, Sir David Beckham (Ausa34b16) has come to be after more than a decade of careful breeding and selection, chosen for its vigour, character and scent from tens of thousands of seedlings.

David J.C. Austin says: “The Sir David Beckham rose represents everything we value in modern rose breeding – beauty, fragrance, charm and strength – while also marking a contemporary moment within a long horticultural tradition. We hope it will introduce a whole new raft of people to the joy of growing roses.”

The introduction of the new rose also supports The King’s Foundation, for which David Beckham serves as ambassador. A donation of £2.50 from every sale will be given to the charity, which works to build sustainable communities and provide practical education programmes inspired by the vision of Charles III, for whom the King’s Rose of 2025 was named. David Austin® Roses will also supply roses (Sir David Beckham (Ausa34b16), Alan Titchmarsh (Ausjive) and The King’s Rose® (Ausa27a16) to The RHS and The King’s Foundation Curious Garden at this year’s show.

Sustainability underpins the Chelsea exhibit. Many of the roses on display have been nurtured over several seasons and are reused year after year, reducing waste while allowing plants to mature and strengthen. Varieties have been selected for their pollinator-friendly qualities, and all roses are grown in peat-free compost, reflecting the nursery’s commitment to environmentally responsible cultivation. David Austin® Roses is proud to have been designated a peat-free champion by the RHS, reflecting the company’s long-standing commitment to protecting vital ecosystems and reducing environmental impact. For more than 15 years, we have been carefully trialing peat-free composts in our nurseries, and for the past two years all our roses have been grown and shipped in 100% peat-free compost, proving that with a few simple adjustments, gardeners can achieve excellent results while helping to preserve Britain’s irreplaceable peatlands.

David Austin Roses will be located at stand GPF075 at Chelsea Flower Show from Monday 18 to Saturday 23 May. The Sir David Beckham (Ausa34b16) rose will be officially launched at the show and available to purchase from 18 May via www.davidaustinroses.co.uk, at the David Austin® Roses Plant Centre in Shropshire and through selected stockists, with prices starting from £27.50 for a bare root rose.

- Ends -

For more information, please contact Irby Rubinstein

davidaustinroses@irbyrubinstein.com

Notes to Editors

About David Austin Roses

For over 60 years, David Austin has shaped how the world sees the rose. What began with one man’s determination to create something entirely new has grown into an internationally renowned family business that continues to influence the way gardens look, feel and inspire.

Founded in 1961 by David CH Austin, a lifelong plantsman and visionary rose breeder, the company was driven from the outset by a bold ambition: to combine the timeless beauty and fragrance of Old Roses with the repeat flowering, robust health and colour diversity of modern hybrids. The result was the English Rose, a completely new category of rose that quickly captivated gardeners and designers alike, admired for its distinct form, sumptuous fragrance and exceptional performance.

The company’s breeding process is rigorous and uncompromising. From thousands of seedlings, only the best are selected, with each new rose typically taking more than a decade to develop before it is released. Every plant is assessed for beauty, fragrance, form and resilience, ensuring it meets the highest standards of quality and reliability. This deep commitment to excellence has earned David Austin an unparalleled reputation for roses that not only inspire but endure.

The Shropshire nursery, where the roses are bred and grown, is at the heart of the company. It is here that traditional skills meet innovation, producing roses for a changing world while holding fast to the values that inspired David CH Austin’s first breeding programme.

Under the stewardship of the Austin family’s second & third generation, the company remains focused on the future. The same passion that drove David CH Austin to redefine the rose continues to fuel new developments, expanding colour palettes, fragrance notes and growth habits to keep pace with evolving garden design and environmental considerations. The company also continues to share its expertise widely, making rose growing accessible to gardeners through education, inspiration and support.

David Austin exists to celebrate and share the beauty of the rose. From the very first flower David CH Austin bred to the latest introductions, every rose tells a story of patience, dedication and love for this remarkable plant. That story continues today, driven by the same enduring passion: to inspire gardens and gardeners everywhere through the timeless beauty of roses.

About The King’s Foundation

The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by King Charles III and was first formed in 1990.

Inspired by the vision and values of His Majesty, the Foundation builds and supports communities where people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony. The charity offers education courses for almost 15,000 students annually, health and wellbeing programmes for nearly 2,000 people every year, and spearheads placemaking and regeneration projects in the UK and overseas to revitalise communities and historic buildings.

The King’s Foundation is headquartered at its flagship regeneration project, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, and acts as custodian of other historic Royal sites including the Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland, and Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire. The Foundation also carries out its work at educational and cultural hubs in London, based at The King’s Foundation School for Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, Trinity Buoy Wharf on the River Thames and the Garrison Chapel in Chelsea. In addition to its UK presence, the Foundation delivers programmes and projects in over a dozen sites worldwide.

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