Slowly, we are edging closer to that time of year when all rose enthusiasts mimic excited children at Christmas, eagerly awaiting the arrival of presents. But, for us, it’s the approaching bare root rose season that we lie awake at night musing over; when will the roses arrive, where will I plant them, why did I order so many, and how will I fit them all in? Not to mention the hours of reverie on the colour combinations and the endless possibilities of which companion plants to choose. Here, the situation is even more exaggerated because being a new garden there is a blank canvas to fill.
A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.
Gertrude Jekyll
The excitement within is palpable as the garden plan forms and is becoming more tangible because several unwanted shrubs and small trees have been removed from the garden. Don’t get me wrong; I am not a tree hater; I’m far from it. The previous gardeners had planted too many fruit trees close together with no space between them and the surrounding walls. So better to remove them before the walls are damaged and there is no light coming through the canopy. Similarly, outside on the verge garden, what was a massed border of native shrubs is now more open between the Bottlebrush, Tea Tree and Banksia, allowing room to view the spectacular examples of several Balga Grass plants and a Protea.
“The most productive time in the garden is not spent digging and working but sitting and contemplating.”
There is nothing quite like having an able-bodied, strong bloke working in the garden for a day, as I did last Saturday. Not only was he helping me achieve my dream garden beginnings, but he came complete with a surplus of augers for digging holes, hedgers, saws, mattocks, trimmers, chainsaws and a truck to boot, so all evidence of destruction could be removed immediately. He made the work of pruning trees, hedges and removing unwanted scraggly shrubs appear effortless. What is left is an empty space that I’ve been hoping for, and today, once the sun’s rays are warm enough to venture out and work, I’m plotting the spots for the roses from the rural garden, a few new bare root roses and some silver birch trees to be planted.
A garden is not a place: it is a passage, a passion.
Octavio Paz
We don’t know where we’re going, to pass through is enough;
to pass through is to remain.’
Old Garden Roses are the highlight in this season’s plantings. I love the idea that a rose has been around for a very long time, in some cases for thousands of years. The term ‘Old Garden Roses’ means a rose that existed before 1867, and each one is integral to the history of roses. Old Garden Roses are also called Heritage roses, Classic roses, Old-fashioned roses, Roses of yesteryear, or Cabbage roses. Their origins are wonderful stories that form the backbone of the history of roses.
When I need to relax, To my garden I’ll go,
Ralph Moore
Enjoy all my roses, Where the pace is more slow.
Why is 1867 so significant ? This was the date that the cross between a Hybrid Perpetual and a Tea rose occurred. The cross created the rose ‘La France’, the first of the Hybrid Tea roses. So, it is from this line that our modern roses such as the ever popular Peace rose was first bred and the hundreds of roses that followed.
I adore modern roses for their colour brilliance and ability to repeat flower all season long, but there is something unique about Old Garden roses. They have the best perfume—it is so heady, fresh, and pure. The blooms are soft and elegant, and they add charm and grace to a garden for the way they spread and intertwine, festooning through shrubs and amongst the surrounding plants. They are also resilient and have survived for generations in gardens worldwide, forming an intriguing history.
The Rose is the perfume of the Gods, the joy of men,
Anacreon
It adorns the Graces at the blossoming of love,
It is the favoured flower of Venus.
All roses are grouped into three main types – Species or wild roses and their hybrids, Old Garden Roses and Modern Roses.
The Old Garden Roses are made up of five subclasses of roses and the oldest of these are the Gallicas. then Albas, Damask, Centifolia and Moss roses. Generally Old Garden Roses only bloom once a year although, there are a few exceptions.
Gallicas were grown by the Greeks and Romans and were hugely popular during the middle ages. Then later were grown by the Dutch and French. These roses were richly fragrant, compact, with a sucker habit of runners spreading underground. Often these roses were purple or red, have dark green textured foliage, and were bred in a variety of stripes and mottled colouring. The Gallica roses do not need much attention to grow well and can survive in poor or gravelly soil.
Albas dated from before 100 A.D. and were also richly scented and could grow in difficult conditions, or partial shade. Albas are elegant and have a tall upright slender growth with blush pink blooms or white and grey-green disease-resistant foliage.
Damasks are thousands of years old and according to history were brought to Europe from the Middle East by the crusaders. On the other hand there are accounts that say the Romans brought them to England, or that Henry VIII’s physician gave him a Damask rose as a present, around 1540. Nonetheless, these roses are thorny and highly fragrant but need good fertile soil to thrive. They are mostly grown for the perfume industry.
Centifolias have hundreds of petals and are often called “cabbage roses” because of the size and shape of the blooms. They can grow from a short rose to over 20 feet tall. The features of Centifolias is their perfume and they are very winter hardy, but not as disease-resistant as the other roses.
Moss roses are the epitome of Victorian England and were bred over a short period of time, between 1850 to 1870, They are a sport because they grew a moss like growth on the sepals and calyx that smells like pine. The moss roses are very disease-resistant and some of them will repeat bloom.
What a treat it is, to think you can still grow a rose that dates back to the Romans or the Ancient Greeks. They are remarkable roses for the variety in the size, shape, and colour of blooms, foliage and rose hips, Old Garden roses are tough, drought-tolerant, and resilient and, mostly require very little pruning. The diversity of the rose blooms is extraordinary; singles, doubles, clusters, pompoms, and long arching branches of larger full double rose blooms.
The second group of Old Garden Roses has six classes but all of these roses repeat bloom; Chinas, Bourbons, Hybrid Perpetuals, Noisettes, Portlands and Teas.
China Roses were bought from China to Europe, where the breeders began to use other classes of roses for breeding new varieties. This was the begining of developing repeat blooming roses in the western world.. China roses range from disease-resistant dwarf varieties to vigorous climbers with a strong fruity fragrance in pinks, copper and red.
Portland roses were popular in the mid 1800s and are a mix of China, Damask and Gallica roses. The roses are multi-petaled, fragrant, with light green foliage in pink colouring. The blooms are small so ideal for small gardens or containers.
Hybrid Perpetuals are tall and have strong arching growth and fantastic fragrance. The double blooms are large in pink, purple, red and white.
Bourbon roses have large blooms that are highly scented and grow with three to a cluster. The growth habit may be leggy though.
Noisette roses are named after Louis and Philippe Noisette a French nurserymen. The story is that in Paris Louis sent an ‘Old Blush’ China rose to his brother Philippe in South Carolina in 1802. Philippe gave ‘Old Blush’ to his farmer neighbour, called John Champneys in Charleston, South Carolina. The roses bred were called Noisettes. The first roses prior to the hybrid tea but more importantly, these roses were the first to be introduced in orange and yellows. They are tall. bushy and can tolerate clay soil preferably with an arch or support.
Tea are roses with a similar history to China roses and are a cross between a Rosa Chinensis and Rosa Gigantea. The roses are V-shaped shrubs well covered with foliage and blooms most of which are pastel or shades of red. Tea roses often have only five petals with a tea fragrance. Tea roses are the ones that sulk if pruned too much and may not bloom very much again for several years.
Hybrid teas and Floribundas, are all repeat bloomers. These modern roses are prolific bloomers and are available in a wealth of different colours and varieties. The hybrid tea is popular for the perfection of its bloom, the long stems that make cutting flowers so easy. Modern rose bushes are compact, more labour intensive to look after but are suited to smaller spaces and large mass plantings.
Transplanted or in pots from the rural garden are the Old Garden Roses; Penelope~Crepuscule ~Souvenir de la Malmaison ~Monsieur Tillier~ Ballerina ~Pinkie ~Maman Cochet ~Anna Oliver ~ Fantin Latour~ Perle d Or ~Mme Issac Periere ~. Jean Ducher ~ Ballerina and Buff Beauty. The bare root Old Garden roses are arriving soon, and they are Mme. Alfred Carrière ~Ellen Wilmott~Ophelia and Quatre Saisons Blanc Mousseux. There are many more I would love to plant, but I no longer have the luxury of space.
“The right rose in the right garden can make your heart sing.”
Jeri Jennings
Roses grown in our gardens today are mainly modern Tea roses and Floribundas, developed with hybridisation to be hardy, disease resistant and prolific producers of colourful rose blooms that repeat all season. However, the scent and nostalgic appeal of the Old Garden Roses are becoming increasingly popular to reflect classic gardening, slow living, and a simpler, more authentic lifestyle. Fortunately, there is an increasing interest in treasuring the past and preserving the heritage of heirloom roses. They are which easy to grow and will thrive year after year producing abundant blooms to the garden without fuss.
“The sharp thorn often produces delicate roses.”
Ovid
But be warned, some Old Garden Roses have many thorns or masses of prickles that catch clothing. On the other hand there are a few that are almost thornless, such as Pinkie, Zephirine Drouhin, Cecile Brunner, Aimee Vibert, Crepuscule and Mme Alfred Carriere. Nonetheless, plenty of vintage roses to choose from for rambling over walls, sheds, arches or billowing amongst perennials and other garden delights.
“Beauty is an ecstasy; it is as simple as hunger. There is really nothing to be said about it. It is like the perfume of a rose: you can smell it and that is all.”
W Somerset Maugham
Years ago, rose popularity was predominately based on not only the beauty of the rose but also the scent and strength of perfume. Today, our rose selection is more about colour and the rose’s disease resistance, ability to adapt, and garden-friendly qualities in our time-poor world. Old Garden Roses are worth a try and are treasured by rose lovers for their endurance, remarkable vigour, and longevity. Their exquisite beauty is unique in the garden.
Charles Dickens
“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.”
Title quote by Vita Sackville-West
Content Di Baker 2024
Title image – A Rose Garden By Italian Painter Gustave Bienvétu
