Gentle Hermione is a David Austin English rose from 2005, named for the faithful queen in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. The blooms are about 10 cm across and packed with around 90 petals in neat, shallow cups. They're pure light pink, paling to soft blush on the outer petals. The fragrance is strong and warm, Old Rose with a distinct note of myrrh. The petals stand up to rain better than many full roses, and the open cups still draw bees. It repeats from early summer into fall and makes a good cut flower. The shrub is broad with gently arching stems, about 1.2 m tall, and the new leaves come in tinged red before turning green. It's healthy, grows in any soil type and suits a mixed border, an informal hedge or a cutting garden.

An easy, light pink English rose with a strong myrrh scent.