Intoxicating Fragranced Roses - Jude The Obscure

"Jude The Obscure" is bred by Davis Austin (UK, 1989). The breeder says about this rose:

"Its flowers are very large and of incurved chalice shape. Their color is a pleasing medium yellow on the inside of the petals and a paler yellow on the outside.

It has excellent, strong and almost completely disease-free growth. This rose is particularly fine in a dry climate, although it may ball in the rain.

A very strong, unusual and delicious fragrance with a fruity note reminiscent of guava and sweet white wine.

Named after the character in Thomas Hardy’s novel.

4 ft. x 4 ft. or 8 ft. as a climber ".

We simply can't argue with Mr. Austin. This rose is indeed magnificent.

So:

- shrub English Rose Collection

- medium yellow, apricot, cream shading colour, lighter reverse.

- 55 to 70 petals.

- full, borne mostly solitary or in small clusters, globular bloom form.

- blooms in flushes throughout the season.

- height of up to 4' (up to 120 cm)

- width of up tp 4' (up to 120 cm).

- as a climber - 8' or 250 cm.

- very disease resistant indeed.

- Zone 5 to 10.

Use minimal pruning, otherwise the growth will be diminished.

Intoxicating Fragranced Roses: Rosa Damascena Bifera / Autumn Damask / Quatre Saisons

Also referenced as: Castilian Damask, Old Castilian, Trachyean Rose, Rose of Paestum, The Alexandria Rose, Semperflorens Damask, Rose of Castile, Tous les Mois, Rosa omnium calendarum, Rosa menstrua, Quatre Saisons Continue, Rose des Quatre Saisons.

Unknown origin, before 1633, likely originated in the Middle East. Seedling of rosa moschata, rosa gallica and rosa fedtschenkoana.

The bush is a bit sprawly and unkempt. The foliage is typical Damask, with soft, downy greyish green leaves which are reasonably disease resistant. It is supposedly very tolerant of pruning.

The height is 4' to5' (120-150 cm) and width of 3' to 4' (90 to 120 cm).

The clear pink blooms come in flushes through the summer and are double (17-25 petals) bloom form. There are some reports of blooming only twice a year though.

Intense Damask fragrance. Excellent rose for making pot pourri.

Zone 4.

Intoxicating Fragranced Roses - Star of the Nile

Introduced in USA by Heirloom Roses, bred by John Clements (USA, 2000).

It is a strong and healthy shrub of typical English rose habit, growing rather upright. It blooms profusely in small clusters.

It has a height of 4' - 120 cm and a width of 4' - 120 cm as well.

Zone 6, or zone 5, if it's in a protected area.

The colour is a blend of deep pinks and a paler pink or even with touches of orange backside on the petals. The flowers are 4'' - 10,2 cm and have 80 petals.

The most beautiful feature of this lovely rose is the FRAGRANCE. Incredible fragrance, one of the most extraordinary fragrances encountered. It has a very intense, heady Anise fragrance. The fragrance is strongest at 3/4 open stage of flowers.

The breeder says "the blooms are an intense, deep pink that ages to the blended colours of an Egyptian sunrise" and it bears a myrhh fragrance that is also in its parent The Yeoman - Austin English Roses.

You can buy it for $17,50 from here http://www.heirloomroses.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=STAR+OF+THE+NILE

Rosa Alba Maxima

This beautiful rose is one of the most subtle and simple of the Albas, and yet also a sophisticated shrub of great character. Also known as the 'Jacobite Rose', or the 'White Rose of York'.
The shrub form is upright and arching, or fountain shaped. 

The foliage is typical of the Albas: grey-green and dark, generally disease free, although rarely this rose will get rust.

Blooms are white when fully open, but depending on the weather, they will have a cream or blush pink tone at the center at the beginning. They are produced in small clusters of 3 or as many as 8, and are very strongly, and sweetly scented.
R. alba maxima is not an ordinary rose....it is a sublime beauty that works very well in cottage gardens. Just remember that Albas are best left unpruned so that they may develope their true shrub form, so don't plant one unless you can allow it the room to grow as it pleases.
Alba Roses are hybrids whose antiquity may go back further than the Roman Empire. Plinius, who lived from 23-79 A.D., mentioned white roses in his Natural History. Botanists believe these roses may have been Albas.
Graham Thomas supports Dr. C. C. Hurst's theory that Albas are derived from the dog rose, Rosa canina, and the Damask rose, Rosa damascena. Others say it's born from Rosa canina and Rosa gallica. 

They have a penetrating pure rosy fragrance with tones of citrus. 

They are resistant to disease for the most part. Many can tolerate shade, drought, and are winter hardy.
Many prominent artists including Botticelli, Luini, Crivelli, Shoengauer, da Zevio and van Spaendonck illustrated Albas.

Zone 3 to 9

Rosa Rugosa

Rosa rugosa (rugosa rose, Japanese rose, or Ramanas rose) is a species of rose native to eastern Asia, in northeastern China, Japan, Korea and southeastern Siberia, where it grows on the coast, often on sand dunes.
In Japanese, it is called hamanasu, meaning "shore eggplant" and also hamanashi meaning "shore pear". In Korean, the species is called haedanghwa, literally "flowers near seashore".
It is a suckering shrub which develops new plants from the roots and forms dense thickets 1–1.50 m tall with stems densely covered in numerous short, straight thorns 3–10 mm long. The leaves are 8–15 cm long, pinnate with 5–9 leaflets, most often 7, each leaflet 3–4 cm long, with a distinctly corrugated (rugose, hence the species' name) surface. The flowers are pleasantly scented, dark pink to white, 6–9 cm across, with somewhat wrinkled petals; flowering is from summer to autumn (June to September in the northern hemisphere).
The hips are large, 2–3 cm diameter, and often shorter than their diameter, not elongated like most other rose hips; in late summer and early autumn the plants often bear fruit and flowers at the same time. The leaves typically turn bright yellow before falling in autumn.
Rugosa rose is widely used as an ornamental plant. It has been introduced to numerous areas of Europe and North America. It has many common names, several of which refer to the fruit's resemblance to a tomato, including beach tomato or sea tomato; saltspray rose and beach rose are others.
The sweetly scented flowers are used to make pot-pourri in Japan and China, where it has been cultivated for about a thousand years.
This species hybridises readily with many other roses, and is valued by rose breeders for its considerable resistance to the diseases rose rust and rose black spot. It is also extremely tolerant of seaside salt spray and storms, commonly being the first shrub in from the coast. It is widely used in landscaping, being relatively tough and trouble-free. Needing little maintenance, it is suitable for planting in large numbers; its salt-tolerance makes it useful for planting beside roads which need deicing with salt regularly.
Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use, with flower colour varying from white to dark red-purple, and with semi-double to double flowers where some or all of the stamens are replaced by extra petals. Popular examples include 'Fru Dagmar Hastrup' (pink, single), 'Pink Grootendorst' (pink, semi-double), 'Blanc Double de Coubert' (white, double) and the more common 'Roseraie de L’Haÿ' (pink, double), which is often used for its very successful rootstock and its ornamental rose hips.
Syns:
• Apfel-Rose
• Beach Rose
• Hama-nashi
• Hama-nasu
• Hedgehog Rose
• Japanese Rose
• Kartoffelrose
• Nordische Apfelrose
• Ramanas Rose
• Rosa andreae Lange synonym
• Rosa ferox Lawr. synonym
• Rosa rugosa f. rugosa
• Rosa rugosa Thunb.
• Sea Tomato
• Shore Pear
• Tomato Rose

Also referenced as: R. andreae, Rosa rugosa flore simplex, Wild Beach Rose.

Purple or red. Or white. Strong fragrance. 5 petals. Large, single (4-8 petals) bloom form. Occasional repeat later in the season.
Armed with thorns / prickles, sends out runners, suckers on its own roots. Wrinkled (rugose) foliage.
Height of 90 to 245 cm. Width of up to 185 cm.
Zone 2b through 9b. Produces decorative hips. Shade tolerant. Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.
Author: Lange
Diploid
Rosa rugosa was first described by Thunberg in 1784 and introduced to Europe 50 years later, also by Thunberg. Prefers sandy or gravelly soils with average pH, although soils range in pH from 4.7 to 8.5. Salt and drought tolerant. Rosa rugosa actually performs best with periodic burning of the top growth in fall.

Native to Hokkaido and Honshu, Korea, NE China and Kamchatka, and the Russian Far East, where it's native habitat is sand dune and shores near the coast the low elevations.

Rosa rugosa is an invasive species in northern, central and western Europe and in parts of North America - New England, in Canada from Ontario to Newfoundland, and in Washington.

Rosa Canina

Macesul - Rosa canina (lit. Dog Rose) is a variable scrambling rose species native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia.
It is a deciduous shrub normally ranging in height from 1–5 m, though sometimes it can scramble higher into the crowns of taller trees. Its stems are covered with small, sharp, hooked prickles, which aid it in climbing. The leaves are pinnate, with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are usually pale pink, but can vary between a deep pink and white. They are 4–6 cm diameter with five petals, and mature into an oval 1.5–2 cm red-orange fruit, or hip.
The plant is high in certain antioxidants. The fruit is noted for its high vitamin C level and is used to make syrup, tea and marmalade. It has been grown or encouraged in the wild for the production of vitamin C, from its fruit (often as rose-hip syrup), especially during conditions of scarcity or during wartime. The species has also been introduced to other temperate latitudes. During World War II in the United States Rosa canina was planted in victory gardens, and can still be found growing throughout the United States, including roadsides, and in wet, sandy areas up and down coastlines.
Forms of this plant are sometimes used as stocks for the grafting or budding of cultivated varieties. The wild plant is planted as a nurse or cover crop, or stabilising plant in land reclamation and specialised landscaping schemes.
Numerous cultivars have been named, though few are common in cultivation. The cultivar Rosa canina 'Assisiensis' is the only dog rose without prickles. The hips are used as a flavouring in the Slovenian soft drink Cockta.
The botanic name is derived from the common names 'dog rose' or similar in several European languages.
It is sometimes considered that the word 'dog' has a disparaging meaning in this context, indicating 'worthless' (by comparison with cultivated garden roses) (Vedel & Lange 1960). However it also known that it was used in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to treat the bite of rabid dogs, hence the name "dog rose" may result from this. (It is also possible that the name derives from "dag," a shortening of "dagger," in reference to the long thorns of the plant.)
Other old folk names include rose briar (also spelt brier), briar rose, dogberry, sweet briar, wild briar, witches' briar, and briar hip.

In Romanian, its names is maces, pronounced 'machesh', which means "wild rose".
In Turkish, its name is kuşburnu, which translates as "bird nose."
In Swedish, its name is stenros, which translates to "stone rose."
In Norwegian, its name is steinnype, which translates to "stone hip."
In Danish, its name is hunderose, which translates as "dog rose."
In Azeri, its name is itburunu, which translates as "dog nose."
In Russian, its name is шиповник (translit: 'shipovnik'), which translates as "thorn bearer."
In Bulgarian, its name is шипка (translit: 'shipka').
In Mongolian, its name is нохойн хошуу, which translates as "dog nose."

In Hungarian, its name is vadrózsa, which translates as "wild rose."
Other names:
• Briar Rose
• Brier Bush
• Canina
• Dog Briar
• Dog Rose
• Hondsroos
• Hunds-Rose
• Rosa belgradensis Pancic synonym
• Rosa leucantha Loiseleur
• Rosa pseudoscabrata Bllocki ex R.Keller
• Rosa sarmentacea Woods synonym
• Rosa sphaerica Grenier synonym
• Rosa surculosa Woods
• White-flowered Rose

Also referenced as: Wolriechendes Dornröslein, Heckrosen, Hep tree, Rosier à fleurs blanches (syn. R. leucantha), Rosa sylvestris vulgaris flore odorato incarnato, Rosa sylvestris

Light pink to white. White to light pink to shell pink blooms. Mild fragrance. Small to medium, single (4-8 petals), borne mostly solitary, cluster-flowered bloom form. Once-blooming spring or summer.
Tall, arching, armed with thorns / prickles, upright. Medium, matte, medium green foliage. 5 to 7 leaflets.
Height of 120 to 500 cm.
UZone 6b through 9b. Can be used for understock. Vigorous. Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.
Pentaploid
A wide-ranging species found throughout Europe, showing considerable variation in bloom and foliage color and texture. Blooms vary from white to pale pink to warm shell pink, foliage from shiny medium olive green to matte greyish green. Most distinctive are the hooked, falcate prickles that are green on new growth. Orange-red hips. Almost 400 forms and variants have been documented by taxonomists.

Rosa Glauca

Rosa glauca (Red-leaved Rose or Redleaf Rose; syn. R. rubrifolia) is a species of rose native to the mountains of central and southern Europe, from Spanish Pyrenees east to Bulgaria, and north to Germany and Poland.

Rosa glauca is a deciduous arching shrub of sparsely bristled and thorny cinnamon-coloured arching canes 1.5–3 m tall. The most distinctive feature is its leaves, which are glaucous blue-green to coppery or purplish, and covered with a waxy bloom; they are 5–10 cm long and have 5–9 leaflets. The fragile, clear pink flowers are 2.5–4 cm diameter, and are produced in clusters of two to five. The fruit is a dark red globose hip 10–15 mm diameter.

This rose was not widely grown in gardens until the end of the 19th century, when its refined wildness and beauty out of the flowering season first began to be appreciated. The flower petals fall off easily in the spray from watering hoses, as well as from wind and rain. The species is naturalised in northern Europe north of its native range, particularly in Scandinavia.
A hybrid with Rosa rugosa has been given the cultivar name 'Carmenetta'.
Syns:
• Hecht-Rose
• Red Leaf Rose
• R. ferruginea
• Rosa ferruginea Villars synonym
• Rosa glauca Pourr.
• R. majalis rubrifolia
• Rosa majalis var.rubrifolia (Vill. ex Thory) Wallr.synonym
• R. romana
• Rosa romana hort.
• R. rubrifolia
• Rosa rubrifolia Vill. synonym
• Rosier a feuilles rougeâtres
• Rubrifolia
Pink blend, white center. Moderate fragrance. 5 petals. Small to medium, single (4-8 petals), cluster-flowered bloom form. Once-blooming spring or summer.
Arching, bushy, spreading, thornless (or almost), upright. Matte foliage. 5 to 7 leaflets.
Height of 150 to 350 cm. Width of 150 cm.
Zone 2 through 9. Vigorous. Produces decorative hips. Shade tolerant. Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.
Tetraploid
R. glauca Pourr. (1788) sets red hips...
This should not be confused with Rosa rubifolia (Erich Unmuth, Vienna Austria). R. rubifolia (R. setigera) is so named because its leaves look like those of the blackberry (genus Rubus).

Intoxicating Fragranced Roses - Hansa

"Hansa", bred by Schaum and van Tol, Holland 1905. Hansa is one of the more typical R. rugosa hybrids, having characteristics very similar to the species. Often ignored and even maligned as being an unsophisticated rose, it is a very attractive shrub that deserves garden space.

Hansa blooms throughout the season, in the same manner as R. rugosa, often displaying ripening hips at the same times as new blooms are opening.

The flowers are a clear magenta hue, not a true red. The photo is true to color.

Hansa offers the distinct Rugosa fragrance, which can be described as Old Rose mixed with clove.

Bloom form is fully double, but of no particular arrangement of petals. We could call this a rosette form of 4'' - 10,2 cm.

Like most of the Rugosa class, particularly the ones that most closely resemble the species, this shrub is completely resistant to the typical rose diseases. For this trait alone this rose can be placed high on the list of larger desirable shrub roses!

It has a height of 5' to 7' - 150 to 215 cm and a width of 4' to 7' - 120 to 215 cm. Given the space to get to this size, it forms a wonderful treelike form with an umbrella shaped canopy. Rather than pruning this shrub to keep it small, people should be encouraged to place it where it can be allowed to take on these treelike characteristics. It suckers profusely and can be used as screen.

The beauty of these old plants of Hansa is really impressive. And the smell... mmmm!

The flowers are edible, as the hips are! You can make jam of them, although a good friend of mine eats them just like that, without cooking! :) He says they are sooo sweet!

Zone 3 to 9. 

Intoxicating Fragranced Roses -Frederic Mistral

"Frederic Mistral", syns "The Children's Rose", bred by Meilland, France, 1996 - modern, large-flowered, hybrid tea, repeat-flowering.
A winner of so many awards for its ravishing fragrance: Baden-Baden Fragrance Award 1993, Leroeuix Fragrance Award 1994, Monza Fragrance Award 1994, Belfast Fragrance Award 1996.

Intoxicating Fragranced Roses - Scepter d'Isle

"Scepter'd Isle"

Bred by David Austin (United Kingdom, 1989).
Shrub. English Rose Collection.
Soft pink shading to a paler pink on the outer petals. Strong, myrrh fragrance. 45 petals. Average diameter 3.5" - 9 cm. Medium, double (17-25 petals), cupped bloom form. Prolific, continuous (perpetual) bloom throughout the season.
Short, upright. Medium, semi-glossy, dark green foliage.
Height of 75 to 185 cm. Width of 60 to 105 cm.
Zone 5. Disease susceptibility: disease resistant. Requires spring freeze protection.
Parents: Wife of Bath ® × Heritage
This is a charming rose which bears numerous, cupped flowers, with yellow stamens visible within.
The colour is a soft pink shading to a paler pink on the outer petals.
Its growth is rather upright, with its flowers held above the foliage. It flowers freely and continuously.
There is a powerful fragrance - an outstanding example of the English Rose fragrance, based on the myrrh note introduced with ‘Constance Spry’.
Winner of the R.N.R.S. Henry Edland Award for fragrance.

Intoxicating Fragranced Roses - Rose de Rescht / Rose de Resht

"Rose de Rescht"

Exact origin unknown. From Rasht (Iran) to Europe via Lindsay, UK, 1940.

It is a wonderful Portland Damask rose that was rediscovered in Persia in 1945 by an English gardener by the name of Nancy Lindsay. It is one of the wonderful mysteries of the Old Garden Rose history.

Being of the Portland group, Rose de Rescht is capable of several flushes of repeat bloom throughout the season in distinct cycles.

It is quite disease resistant, and healthy.

It is a beautiful opening bud, that quickly grows to reflex into a pompon form.


The scent is exceptional in quality; pure sweet Damask with a hint of spices.

This is the rose that is often recommended to people who are contemplating buying their first Heritage Rose, as it is trouble free, well behaved, and very rewarding.

An outstanding rose that is quite easy to grow.

Royal Cultural Society Award of Garden Merit 1993.

Compact, dense bush. It suckers on its own roots. Healthy foliage.
Height of 3' to 4' - 90 to 120 cm. Width of up to 30'' - up to 75 cm.
Very full, over 41 petals bloom form, average diameter of 2.5'' - 6 cm.

One of my favourite roses, small but strong. I make a wonderful jam out of its petals :).