Mme Zephirine Drouhin and Mr Alister Stella Grey

Two of my favourite roses, both sourced from David Austin. I wish I knew the origin of ZD - rose-wise, she's a Bourbon, but what about the person the rose is named after?

A jolly useful beautiful dark pink rose that will grow in low light levels like the wonderfrul white Kiftsgate.  Growing here with Euonymus japonica "Silver queen" which will climb if you give it a little bit of support, with a camellia and a tree heather in front. Yes, I do know my windows need cleaning!

This website about a collection of historical roses tells me that Alister Stella Grey dates from 1894 - http://www.monticello.org/chp/leonie_bell.html. Wonderful rambler rose but flower season rather short and the old blooms are a bit messy. Pretty good at the moment though!

These roses were a present from my mother to my new house 20 years ago. I always think the textbooks that tell you roses have had it after 10 years are wrong... so it really is worth paying for good value, unusual roses.