I don't buy any rose that I haven't stuck my nose into. One reason I stick mostly to old roses is that I see little point in non-fragrant ones. These are, on the left, "Hansa", a rugosa that fits my other rule-of-thumb requirement by dating back to 1905 (I aim for roses that are at least a hundred years old); and on the right, the Comte de Chambord, a Portland Damask dating to 1863.
Of all my roses, my favorite scent is Reine Victoria (Bourbon, 1872) which has a rich spicy scent that I'd love to have as a perfume. (It's very similar to a rose-scented product I got several decades ago from Avon and then never could find again.)
I don't buy any rose that I haven't stuck my nose into.
I wouldn't, either :-) but the house I grew up in had a bunch of climbing Peace roses (which smelled sweet), one wild-type (which didn't look very showy, but smelled wonderful), and one Seven Sisters (which looked really flashy, and had no smell whatsoever). So one never knows....
Do you have any resource for old roses? I'd love to be able to date them and find out more, but nursery staff are total hit and miss on that account. My garden is a mixture - I tried to have older varieties and I have no hybrid teas - but I'd love to add a few more older varieties.
One of my modern roses is doing so-so, while the others are doing great, so that's an extra incentive.
what is it with y'all and hybrid teas? Some of them are really lovely (and more importantly smelly) roses. Climbing Royal Sunset is my favorite rose from the entire Berkeley Rose Garden (as of last visit 15+ years ago)
I see a new cause in my future: End Rose Discrimination Now! ;>
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Date: 2009-05-31 11:21 pm (UTC)They're very pretty--are they fragrant, too?
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Date: 2009-06-01 12:03 am (UTC)Of all my roses, my favorite scent is Reine Victoria (Bourbon, 1872) which has a rich spicy scent that I'd love to have as a perfume. (It's very similar to a rose-scented product I got several decades ago from Avon and then never could find again.)
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Date: 2009-06-01 12:25 am (UTC)I wouldn't, either :-) but the house I grew up in had a bunch of climbing Peace roses (which smelled sweet), one wild-type (which didn't look very showy, but smelled wonderful), and one Seven Sisters (which looked really flashy, and had no smell whatsoever). So one never knows....
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Date: 2009-06-01 04:18 am (UTC)There seems little point to a rose that doesn't have a smell. It makes me feel like I was gypped.
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Date: 2009-05-31 11:48 pm (UTC)They sure are pretty :-)
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Date: 2009-06-01 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-01 08:55 am (UTC)Do you have any resource for old roses? I'd love to be able to date them and find out more, but nursery staff are total hit and miss on that account. My garden is a mixture - I tried to have older varieties and I have no hybrid teas - but I'd love to add a few more older varieties.
One of my modern roses is doing so-so, while the others are doing great, so that's an extra incentive.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-01 03:39 pm (UTC)I see a new cause in my future: End Rose Discrimination Now! ;>