The Tacoma Rose Society

08/20/2026

What’s in your garden?

Your rose leaves are trying to tell you something — and most of the...

08/17/2026

FROGS IN ROSES! Apparently the frog-in-rose season has begun. Here's one in my Gemini blossom. Great color contrast! Nice planning, frog!

08/10/2026

From the veranda family, here's Roxanne. She gave a truly stunning showing. One branch was a whole bouquet! And look at her leaves; no black spot, no problems! Gotta love this plant!

07/20/2026

David J. C. Austin
Chairman, David Austin Roses
1958-2026

It is with great sadness that we announce that David J. C. Austin has died at his Shropshire home, surrounded by his family. He had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and incurable neurological condition.

David joined the family business in Albrighton, Shropshire, in 1990, as his father, the late David C. H. Austin, was gaining wider recognition for his work in breeding English Roses. He went on to lead the business for more than three decades, driving its growth and transformation from a specialist nursery into a globally recognised name among rose lovers. Throughout his leadership, the creation of beautiful, fragrant roses was always central to the business he built.

David’s children, Richard, James and Olivia, said:

“First and foremost, Dad was a gardener. That was at the heart of who he was. He carried our grandfather’s vision with humility and an unwavering sense of responsibility, always putting the roses, the family business and its people before himself. He was kind and modest, with a playful spirit, a sense of adventure and a real enjoyment of life. He faced his illness with the same courage and dignity that he brought to life. Above all, he was our Dad, and words cannot express how much we will miss him. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”

The Austin family would like to thank everyone who cared for David and supported them during his illness.

David Austin Roses continues under its experienced leadership team, working closely with the next generation of the Austin family, and we are as committed as ever to serving our partners and rose lovers around the world.

07/20/2026

Just learned that Finn and Emily married in the rose garden in the same spot that his parents married 30 years earlier. We are happy that so many people choose it for their happy occasions. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

07/10/2026

Tall People Wanted! To help deadhead the Point Defiance Rose Garden! When people can't reach the tall canes, the rose hips get BIG! Here's Altissimo with some impressive hips growing already. I couldn't reach them all; we need help! Come Thursday mornings from 9 to 11, bring clippers and gloves!

06/30/2026

https://youtu.be/ktpd2IJsl8w?is=qTGRah18thLJ7WlW

Black spot ruining your roses? In this video, I show how I actually...

06/30/2026

It's summer in the Pacific Northwest, which is to say... gray. It usually gets sunny in the afternoon, but mornings are misty. But it makes the roses look like magic!