Harper Beckham wanted to do something special for her father, David Beckham's, 50th birthday, and began searching for a beautiful, enduring way to mark the occasion. Naturally, she turned to one of his favorite hobbies: gardening.
The 14-year-old called the famed rose breeder David JC Austin to choose a flower to name after her dad, landing on a pinkish-white starburst-style flower with touches of yellow. Thus, the previously unknown flower (breeding number Ausa34b16) became the new Sir David Beckham Rose. His novel rose variety is on display as part of David Austin® Roses' immersive exhibit at the 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.
David Beckham himself was incredibly touched by the gesture. He states: 'Gardening brings people together across generations and gives so much pleasure. To be part of something that celebrates that, and the heritage of the English rose, feels very meaningful to me.'
Beyond its story of familial love, the hearty English roses are also inspired by another kind of passion - the way that David Beckham developed a love of gardening later in life. The soccer player began the hobby in his 40s, setting out to transform their family's home in Chipping Norton in the English Cotswolds. His outdoor space features fruit trees, raised vegetable beds and is alive with roses and other flowers, proving that gardening is for everyone. The broader hope is that David's affiliation with the rose will inspire a new generation to discover the joy of growing roses.
Shop The English Rose Gardening Edit
A refined and generous bloomer, this rose produces wide, shallow cupped flowers in a delicate apricot-pink hue, each packed with over 100 petals. The blooms release a subtle, elegant myrrh fragrance, adding quiet depth to their visual charm.
These Felco pruning shears feature hardened steel blades designed for precision and ease, making even demanding rose pruning feel effortless. Built for durability and clean cuts, they are a trusted tool for maintaining a well-kept, flourishing garden, and especially useful for keeping your roses healthy.
These English roses are grown on their own roots, ensuring vigorous growth, reliable hardiness, and faithful true-to-type blooms. They bring lasting performance and are perfectly suited to creating a floral garden that returns in full beauty year after year.
This garden fork combines a sturdy wooden handle with four strong tines, designed to dig deep and work soil with ease. Its ergonomic form offers comfort and control, making everyday garden tasks more efficient and less strenuous.
Pink roses convey ultimate romance, and this evocative bush is the perfect place to start. Flowering generously from spring through summer, it brings bold color and effortless charm right through the peak of the season.
These flexible gardening gloves are dual-sided, making it easy to slip them on to garden at any time. Even better, they are machine washable. At $3 a pair, you won't find a better bargain for something this good, making working in your rose garden a piece of cake.
David J.C. Austin explains: 'The Sir David Beckham rose represents everything we value in modern rose breeding – beauty, fragrance, charm and strength – while also marking a contemporary moment within a long horticultural tradition. We hope it will introduce a whole new raft of people to the joy of growing roses.'
In addition to its obvious beauty, the Sir David Beckham rose smells divine. Fresh green notes, warm honeyed musk, nougat, clove, and myrrh blend together for a complex symphony. This fragrance emanates from the pollen-rich flowers for a combination that is incredibly attracted to bees. They bloom from summer until first frost, for a flower you will be able to enjoy all season. Like all David Austin roses, this new variety comes from more than a decade of careful breeding and selection.
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