When he was an amateur hybridizer, David Austin crossed the Gallica 'Belle

Isis' with the Floribunda 'Dainty Maid'. 'Belle Isis' has small, light pink,

very double flowers and is a once bloomer. 'Dainty Maid' produces single

flowers and is a repeat bloomer. Among the seedlings of 'Belle Isis' x

'Dainty Maid', one, in particular, was outstanding. 'Constance Spry', as it

was named, produced surprisingly large, beautiful, pink flowers. The flowers

were deeply cupped in the Old Rose tradition. In addition, 'Constance Spry'

has a strong fragrance described as 'myrrh'. It was introduced in 1961.

'Constance Spry' had nearly all of the qualities David Austin was trying to

achieve, excellent Old Rose flowers with good color and fragrance, all on a

vigorous bush, but it was once blooming. Since the repeat blooming gene in

roses is recessive, a cross between a once blooming old rose and a repeat

blooming rose almost always produces once blooming seedlings, so 'Constance

Spry' was once blooming. However, 'Constance Spry' was crossed with a repeat

blooming rose, and some of the seedlings were repeat blooming. With these

seedlings, David Austin had what he desired, repeat blooming roses with Old

Rose style flowers and good fragrance. So far, David Austin only had pink

roses.