Creating a Garden of Rare and Old Roses ..
Creating a garden from scratch is no light undertaking.
Creating a garden featuring rare and heritage roses is perhaps a challenge!
But creating a garden that can accommodate room for visiting family and grandchildren to run around in, as well as two active dogs, and a racing pigeon loft, plus featuring rare heritage rambling and large, spreading rose bushes is an almost impossible feat on only half an acre. Especially after down-sizing from acreage where finding room for another large rose or three was just a matter of creating a new garden bed.
Of course, for many gardeners, a half acre garden would be a dream. It's just that as a collector of rare roses, I'm sure I'll run out of space before I've found all the old roses I desire!!
Regardless, the plan is to feature rare, old roses, so after moving to this garden just twelve months ago, my rose order of heritage roses has been greatly anticipated. And it has not disappointed!!
Here is my list of bare root roses (not in any particular order), according to the class of rose -
(I have not included photos of all these roses here. Refer to the rose directory on helpmefind.com/roses for further information and photos.)
Noisettes -
I love this class of old roses, but unfortunately a number of them failed to perform well in the warmer climate of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. As we also had many years of drought, lack of regular and plentiful water was a huge impediment to them thriving. The two varieties I have listed here did well for me so I am expecting them to thrive here in our new Hunter garden as they water availability is not as much of problem. Of course, as I type this we are having more rain with further threats of flooding!
Lamarque (1830) I grew this in my former garden on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and loved the small white blooms that often had a crisp lemon scent for me. Although it struggled during the drought in our other garden, here in the Hunter with access to good rain, Lamarque should cover its section of the pergola with ease.
Mme Alfred Carriere (1878) This was a delight in our other garden and I could not be without the creamy, blush tinged rose with her soft, sweet scent. Famous in Vita's Sissinghurst garden for covering a large brick wall of the tower, she should cover more than her fair share of the pergola.
Bourbon
This is a special group which I enjoy enormously, not least because they bloom repeatedly, but also because their blooming is abundant and fragrant. They also make any bouquet look sumptuous!
Souvenir de St Anne's (1950) A sport of Souvenir de la Malmaison, I love this rose so much that not having her in my new garden was unthinkable. Unlike many of the Bourbon roses she is not fully double, but opens to an almost single bloom and is an irresistible rose to have in the garden. Her shell pink bloom opens from a pointed pink bud, and has a sweet scent that hints of clove. As a smaller shrub she would fit into most rose garden schemes and is much tougher than she looks.
Souvenir de la Malmaison, Climbing (1938) A quintessentially old fashioned rose in shape and scent, her very double pink blooms are renowned for balling in wet weather. I will have her in any garden scheme regardless. When she blooms in clear weather, her flowers are exquisite. I am looking forward to her climbing the pergola and showing off her gorgeous blooms.
Madame Pierre Oger (1878) Although I have not grown this member of the Bourbon group, I have grown her parent, La Reine Victoria. Most Bourbons will do well in some shade so she is planted in a slightly shadier section of our garden. With a strong scent and cream to blush double blooms, she will be a lovely addition to the gardens.
Commandant Beaurepair (1879) Another Bourbon I have not grown before, With striped pink blooms, I am expecting that this fellow will perform well here in our new Hunter garden. Hopefully the stripy blooms will add exquisite charm to my bouquets.
Hybrid Musk
This is one of my favourite classes of roses among the old roses, although not strictly classified as Heritage. I have grown a number of these roses before, but Buff Beauty is a worthy member of this group.
Buff Beauty (1939) A favourite rose that I have grown in each garden I have owned. This rose has the loveliest shades of apricot through to a soft yellow with a sweet, full fragrance. The full blooms on this generously blooming small climber or large shrub are abundant and delicious. I have planted mine to grow up the post of a dove-cote and cannot wait to see it in bloom for the first time in this garden. I cannot imagine a garden without this rose; a must-have for any rose lover.
China
Irresistible and charming are words that come to mind when I think of the China roses. Many of them start out as twiggy plants, but over time they build up to form more substantial shrubs that are usually covered in blooms. Although generally not highly fragrant, they are worthy garden roses.
Mutabilis (pre 1894) I planted a hedge of this in my former garden, and although it grew to a good size quite rapidly, I was sorry to leave this behind before it grew into the substantial hedge I envisaged. Its single, open blooms cover the plant in sunset colours, from apricot through to crimson as it ages. Bees and butterflies love this tough rose with its crimson new growth and delicate grace. I love its Chinese name of Tipo Ideale.
Teas
My former large country garden in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast was filled with many varieties of this class of old roses. In that climate many of the Teas bloomed their best in the cooler Winter months. If the weather was extremely hot and dry in Summer (we had several years of drought), I noticed most of the Teas would limit their flowering, or did not flower at all during these times.
Sombreuil (1850) I loved this rose in our other garden with her folds of creamy white blooms and sweet fragrance. Although she is not a large climber, she will easily clothe the tripod I have in place for her. I am planting her near a found Tea rose, Carlsruhe Cemetery, Maria Bruhne, which is said to be the true Sombreuil. Having these two roses together will tell a lovely story in the garden.
Souvenir D'un Ami (1846) I have coveted this rose for many years. Although supposedly not the true form of this name, she is nevertheless said to have a very strong, sweet Tea fragrance, so I cannot wait for the first flush of blooms.
Mrs Reynolds Hole (1904) Named for the wife of the famous 19C English Rosarian, the large crimson blooms have a strong fragrance. I grew this rose in our SSC Hinterland garden, but she succumbed to drought and so I'm looking forward to having her grow well in our Hunter Valley Garden, as water supply is no longer such an issue.
Climbing Devoniensis (1838) I grew the shrub form of this rose, with her gloriously scented, velvety cream blooms. I cannot wait to see the climbing form on the new pergola.
Maman Cochet (1893) This is a large, gorgeously shaped pink rose that is perfect for cutting and arranging. I cannot wait to have her again in my garden.
Damask
This is one of the classes of roses I was unable to grow in our former garden. I am excited to trial the Damask rose in our new garden, but as we have limited space I have chosen only one to trial.
Ispahan (pre 1832)
Described as growing to 2 metres tall, with once flowering blooms of medium pink. I have placed this rose where the highly fragrant blooms can be appreciated and sniffed easily. Looking forward to seeing how this rose grows in our new garden.
Gallica
As with the Damasks, I have not grown this class of rose before. According to Trevor Griffiths, Gallicas are the only class of rose whose blooms retain their perfume after drying, hence their use in perfumery. I'm not sure about this, as I know other roses from different classes that I've grown also keep their perfume once dried, but who am I to argue with such a renowned Rosarian.
Duchess de Montebello (1829)
Apart from loving the name, I have coveted this rose with her pale pink, very double blooms for some time. So I'm looking forward to trialling her in my garden for the first time. Although she is once flowering, her blooms are said to be highly fragrant and worthy of a place in the garden.
Along with these roses I have also planted numerous finds, including the Rambler, Albertine, which has been planted next to the wood shed. Hopefully it will cover this unattractive edifice fairly rapidly.
Other roses newly planted are a selection of David Austins, including my favourite, Heritage, which grows into a substantial shrub and is covered almost continuously in lusciously fragrant, very double pink blooms. Windermere is another DA favourite, as well as Claire's rose, which have found their way into the garden while I waited for my heritage rose order to arrive. Of course, as with all roses, there is no one definitive favourite!
Although most of these roses are only sticks in the ground now, especially with an extended cool Spring, I am avidly watching every new growth and anticipating the blooms to come. Surprisingly, a few are already starting to produce embryonic buds, and I find myself telling them to slow down, there's no rush, just grow nice deep roots first before showing off!!
So there you have it, this year's rose list. I can't wait to share with you how they're growing and capture their beautiful blooms throughout the flowering season.
As well as enjoying them, I also plan to use their blooms in fresh, seasonal bouquets and our range of fragrant petals.
Until next time ... happy gardening.
xxLillian
@lillianheirloomroses
