A Floral Legacy: David J. C. Austin, 1958-2026

David J. C. Austin
Chairman, David Austin Roses

David J. C. Austin died at his Shropshire home, surrounded by his family, following a short struggle with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and incurable neurological condition.

Austin died July 20, 2026, at the age of 67.

David joined the venerable family business in Albrighton, Shropshire, in 1990, as his father, the late David C. H. Austin, was gaining wider recognition for his work in breeding English Roses. He went on to lead the business for more than three decades, driving its growth and transformation from a specialist nursery into a globally recognized name among rose lovers. Throughout his leadership, the creation of beautiful, fragrant roses was always central to the business he built.

Tributes to Austin have poured in since his death, with Sunday gardeners, The Royal Horticultural Society and the National Trust expressing their grief and acknowledging the work Austin and his family have done and the joy it has brought to millions.

David Austin rose

David’s children, Richard, James and Olivia, said:

“First and foremost, Dad was a gardener. That was at the heart of who he was. He carried our grandfather’s vision with humility and an unwavering sense of responsibility, always putting the roses, the family business and its people before himself. He was kind and modest, with a playful spirit, a sense of adventure and a real enjoyment of life. He faced his illness with the same courage and dignity that he brought to life. Above all, he was our Dad, and words cannot express how much we will miss him. We couldn’t be more proud of him.”