The second-generation chairman of David Austin Roses built an English garden legacy that reached weddings, coronations and continents worldwide
ALBRIGHTON, England — A family business tucked into the quiet fields of Shropshire, known for breeding roses that recaptured the scent and romance lost in modern varieties, has lost its second leader in less than a decade. David J.C. Austin, who spent 34 years as chairman of David Austin Roses, died at his home in Shropshire this week at age 67. His family confirmed the cause as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare and incurable brain condition.
The announcement, issued through a brief family statement, reflected the understated character of the man it described. Austin took over a niche nursery in 1990 and transformed it into one of horticulture’s most recognizable names, its roses now grown under license and sold across multiple continents. His father, David C.H. Austin, founded the company on a singular mission: to restore fragrance, fullness and old-fashioned charm to roses that had sacrificed those qualities in favor of prolonged blooming cycles.
A Vision Expanded
When the younger Austin joined the family firm, his father had already developed the “English Rose” — a hybrid crossing heritage garden varieties with modern cultivars. The public responded enthusiastically, and the son inherited the task of scaling that success into a global enterprise.
Over three decades, the company expanded far beyond its original nursery near Albrighton. David Austin Roses became a fixture at flower shows, florist shops and, notably, in elaborate bridal bouquets that grew into a signature of the brand. The company’s blooms also appeared in coronation arrangements, cementing their place in British ceremonial tradition.
“David J.C. Austin carried his father’s vision forward with humility and an unwavering sense of responsibility,” his children — Richard, James and Olivia — said in a family statement. “First and foremost, he was a gardener.”
Quiet Dedication, Public Loss
Those who worked alongside Austin described a man more at home among trial beds and greenhouses than in the spotlight. He inherited his father’s reluctance to seek public attention, preferring to let the flowers speak for themselves.
The Royal Horticultural Society expressed deep sadness at the news. Gardening writer and broadcaster Monty Don noted that Austin left behind millions of exquisite roses that would continue living long after him. Online, hundreds of gardeners shared memories of Austin-bred roses that survived decades, house moves and marriages — all tracing back to the same Shropshire nursery.
A Family Legacy Continues
David C.H. Austin died in December 2018 at age 92, having spent 75 years perfecting his vision of the ideal rose: one that combined beauty with unmistakable fragrance. His son spent the remainder of his life turning that conviction into a commercial reality without, by all accounts, losing sight of what mattered most.
The company has stated it will continue operations under its existing leadership team, working alongside the Austin family’s third generation. Richard, James and Olivia are already involved in the business, suggesting that while the two men most responsible for building the company are now gone, the roses themselves will carry on.
