Princess Alexandra of Kent Shrub Rose

Princess Alexandra of Kent English Shrub Rose (Rosa 'Ausmerchant')

Princess Alexandra of Kent English Shrub Rose delivers oversized, deeply cupped blooms in warm, glowing pink, bringing a high-end English garden look to everyday landscapes. It repeats in strong flushes from late spring into fall, so the display stays consistent instead of peaking once. The fragrance is powerful and complex, starting as fresh tea and developing notes of lemon and blackcurrant as the flowers mature. With a full, rounded shrub shape, it adds structure and romance in beds, borders, and near outdoor living spaces.

Distinctive Features

This English shrub rose is prized for unusually large, very full rosettes in bright to warm mid-pink, held nicely on a well-rounded plant. Blooms are deeply cupped and richly petaled, creating a classic, lush look that still feels refined rather than heavy. The strong fragrance is a signature feature, often reading as tea first, then shifting toward lemon with a blackcurrant finish. Mature size is typically about 4 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, with repeat bloom through the season.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun is best for the strongest flowering and healthiest growth, with light shade tolerated but with fewer blooms.
• Soil: Plant in fertile, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter for best performance.
• Water: Water deeply and consistently during establishment, then water during dry spells while avoiding waterlogged soil.
• USDA Zones: Zones 4 to 11.
• Spacing: Space to allow airflow so foliage stays healthier and the shrub fills out evenly.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use as a focal point near a patio or main bed where the huge pink blooms and strong fragrance can define the space.
• Beds and Borders: Adds a lush, classic flower form that elevates mixed plantings with repeat color.
• Fragrance Garden: Place along paths or near seating so the tea, lemon, and blackcurrant scent is easy to enjoy.
• Cut Flower Garden: Large, full blooms make striking stems for bouquets and arrangements.
• Foundation Plantings: Creates a rounded, polished shrub presence with season-long bloom potential.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune in late winter to early spring to shape the shrub and encourage vigorous new flowering growth.
• Deadheading: Remove spent blooms to keep the plant tidy and encourage faster repeat flowering.
• Watering: Water at the base to keep foliage drier and reduce disease pressure.
• Feeding: Fertilize in spring and again after the first bloom flush to support repeat bloom and strong growth.
• Mulching: Mulch to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and protect the root zone through temperature swings.

Why Choose Princess Alexandra of Kent English Shrub Rose?

• Oversized Pink Blooms: Exceptionally large, deeply cupped rosettes deliver a luxurious English rose look.
• Strong, Evolving Fragrance: Tea fragrance develops into lemon with distinctive blackcurrant notes.
• Repeat Blooming: Flowers in flushes from late spring into fall for long-season impact.
• Rounded Shrub Form: A full, well-shaped plant adds structure and presence in beds and borders.
• Excellent Cut Flowers: Big, full blooms bring a romantic, high-end look to arrangements.

If you want an English shrub rose with statement-sized blooms, standout fragrance, and a rounded habit that looks intentional in the landscape, Princess Alexandra of Kent is an excellent choice. Give it sun, good drainage, and consistent moisture while it establishes, and it will reward you with repeat flushes of warm pink flowers and perfume you will notice every time you pass by.