This shows the light green and noticeable venation leaves of the Dark Lady as own root. Blooms are bright red most of the time, but gets deeper red in VERY COLD fall with biochar or high potassium fertilizer.
As 10th-year own root, The Dark Lady has less thorns than other red Austins (except for William Shakespeare 2000). Leaves have noticeable venation and lighter green. Thorns are light green and not bad. Lowest leaves in the pics. are Comte de Chambord (blackspot prone) next to it.
My 8th-year own-root The Dark Lady bloom is large at 4 inch across with biochar. Smaller red bloom is W.S. 2000, and pink bloom is Radio Times. The Dark Lady has a nice wafting scent of old rose. Its old rose scent is also good when the bloom is aged in the vase. Bloom is the largest among any red Austin at 4" (versus Munstead Wood at 3")
8th-year own-root The Dark Lady is 100% healthy in my zone 5a garden. It's more drought and heat tolerant than other Austins, blooming well at 99 F heat this mid-June. Also more shade-tolerance than Marie Pavie.
