This is the English shrub rose Winchester Cathedral. It has a very unusual, strong fragrance which has been compared to myrrh.  It is a sport of the pink rose, Mary Rose.

Winchester Cathedral was the first of my English roses to bloom in 1999; this is the first blossom.  The photo above is as it was starting to open; the photo below is after it has fully opened.

Winchester Cathedral is in the midst of a final flush for 1999.

Here's the first Winchester Cathedral bud beginning to open in the year 2000.

Here it is fully opened a few days later.

Mid-November, and Winchester Cathedral is saying farewell to 2000 in fine style!

Winchester Cathedral has joined the other roses in the mid-May, 2001 bloom.

It's May of 2002, and Winchester Cathedral has started to bloom with this gorgeous specimen!

A couple of days later and the entire shrub has erupted into bloom.

In late May of 2003, Winchester Cathedral became the second rose to bloom with a cluster of four flowers.  Unfortunately, due to a lot of rain, by the time I got to photograph is, two had already lost their petals. ::sigh::

Winchester Cathedral is into its second flush at the end of July.

It's mid-October and Winchester Cathedral is still in bloom.

The second of November and the bloom continues!

It's late May 2004 and Winchester Cathedral is the fifth rose to bloom.

It's now early August; the summer has been cool and very wet and the roses haven't appreciated it.  Some, however, are once again in bloom.

It's mid-May 2005 and Winchester Cathedral has become the second rose to bloom.

Fully opened it looks like this.

Here's a second blossom.

The second week of May 2006 brings us the first bloom of Winchester Cathedral.

Here's a big fat bud just starting to open.

Late July and Winchester Cathedral has opened a small flower.

It's now early August; Winchester Cathedral has opened another blossom.

Late August ....

It's late October; Winchester Cathedral is back in bloom.

Late November sees a few more flowers.

It's the very last day of November and Winchester Cathedral is having a flush!

On 20 May 2007, Winchester Cathedral tied with Heritage and Red Ribbons to become the third rose to bloom.

Memorial Day weekend brings more blooms.

Early August finds Winchester Cathedral once more in bloom.

September finds Winchester Cathedral still in bloom.

The end of September and still in bloom!

It's mid-May 2008 and Winchester Cathedral has borne its first blossom.

Now June ....

Winchester Cathedral has opened its first bloom in mid-May 2009.

We're getting toward the end of May 2010 and Winchester Cathedral has begun to bloom.

Late June/early July.

Winchester Cathedral has bloomed in mid-May 2011.

The winter of 2013 to 2014 was horrendous.  I have never experienced the kind of losses in the garden that I did this past winter.  For the last couple of years, Winchester Cathedral hasn't done too well given how it's been overshadowed by Sweet Juliet.  I don't suppose it was a terrible surprise when I found that it was yet another casualty of the winter, but it's been with me for a long time and I'll miss its refreshingly different fragrance.

Last Updated: 03 Mar 2023

All of the text contained within this page and all of the photographs and videos taken by ToyTrains1 are copyright (c) 2000 - 2023 by ToyTrains1, and may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the written consent of ToyTrains1.

If you wish to use any of my content, please see my detailed copyright statement for terms and conditions of use.