The Greek poet Sappho described the rose as the ‘Queen of Flowers’, a title no gardener would dispute especially the old garden types which have long been symbolic plants treated with great reverence and preserved through the ages for their sentimental associations and the special memories they invoke by countless generations of gardeners.
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Like so many old varieties of garden-worthy plants they are tough, generally disease-resistant and flower consistently even under adverse conditions.
The Alba roses were grown in ancient Roman gardens for their sweet perfume, delicate flowers of white, cream to blush, vigorous growth and longevity.
Rosa La Virginale is a very old Alba known since the 15th century with soft double, pink-frilled, fragrant flowers.
Rosa Alba Maxima, the Jacobite rose, is also a 15th century rose of double white flowers on long arching stems.
The Bourbons, distinguished by prickly stems, have large opulent flowers packed with silky petals in a teacup shape, often quartered.
Three superb specimens are Rosa Souvenir de la Malmaison (1843) named after the Empress Josephine’s country house, with soft blush pink fading to cream, double, spicy fragrant flowers; Rosa Mme Issac Pereire (1881) heavily fragrant with layers of petals in huge double, deep pink and Rosa Zephirine Drohin (1868) a thornless rose of cerise/carmine, sweetly scented semi-double flowers and stunning rich green and coppery purple foliage in autumn.
The China Roses are renowned for their informal, subtle charm and long flowering.
Rosa Cecil Brunner (1881) is among the most favoured of these roses with clusters of small, soft pink, delicately fragrant blooms.
Rosa Parks Yellow Tea Scented China (1824), one of the four roses used to form the modern rose dynasties, has impressive large, double yellow blooms and is a rare beauty.
The Damask rose, Rosa damascena versicolor is believed to be the York and Lancaster rose with its white and red flowers seen as symbolic of the reconciliation after the 30 years war (1455-1485) between the two houses.
Tea roses, named for their tea-like aroma, are reputed to be the result of crossing Rosa chinensis with Rosa gigantea which produced the most exquisite form with new soft colours, silken petals and longer flowering.
Rosa Adam (1833) believed to be the first Tea Rose has very fragrant flowers of apricot with hints of deep pink in the centre.
It is a vigorous bush or low climber.
There are some lovely old climbing roses.
Rosa Wedding Day (1950) has large, single, creamy white flowers with prominent golden stamens; Alister Clark’s Rosa Lorraine Lee (1924) with tulip-shaped semi-double blooms in shades of rich apricot/pink; and Rosa Albertine (1921) a famous old rambler with masses of carnation-like pink blooms ageing to blush with age.
One could not list prominent old roses without mentioning Rosa Peace (1942) with various shades of cream, ivory and gold flushed with pink ruffled edges and Rosa Crimson Glory (1935) with large, very fragrant blooms of deep velvet/crimson as these two are probably the most prolific parents in modern rose hybridising.
If you have space in your garden consider growing at least one of these beautiful roses for they will reward you with years of beauty and immense pleasure.
Diary
January 5, 6: The Northern Tasmanian Lilium Society Lilium Show, St. Ailbes Hall, Margaret Street, Launceston. Saturday 1pm-5pm, Sunday 9.30am-4pm. Floral art and photography, plant sales and info on lilium culture. Entry $3.
January 26, 27: North-West Tasmanian Lilium Society Latrobe Lilium Show, Memorial Hall, Gilbert St. Saturday 1pm-4pm, Sunday 10am-4pm. Bulbs, plant and seed sales, demos, flower auction Sunday 4pm. Admission $4. Accompanied children free.
