American beauty climbing

American beauty climbing, Hoopes Bro, Thomas & Co 1906

Wichuraiana rambler 

Parentage:

R. Wichuraiana Crép synonym X Marion Dingee

Pollen: American beauty, Hybrid Perpetual Lédéchaux

Rather large, semi double, carmine pink to deep pink flowers with a good fragrance. Borne mostly solitary or in small clusters.

One of the largest flowered Wichuraiana Ramblers and it does repeat a little bit later in the season. 

Strong, vigorous growth up to 500 cm 15 feet. Ideal for fences, pergola's, arches, big obelisks and even small old trees.

Zone 5b to 9b, can take shade and is rain tolerant. Health overall is good.

A rose which is rather unknown in Europe but quite popular in the USA. Apparently the pollen parent from Lédéchaux, American beauty, is identical to Ulrich brunner fils. 

Great colorful fushia display in early summer 

Veilchenblau

Veilchenblau, Schmidt, Germany 1909

Multiflora rambler 

Seedling of Crimson rambler 

One of the most well-known ramblers because of its multitude of small, semi double mauve flowers. Of course they are not blue but with some imagination it comes close. Nevertheless it's a very beautiful sight when in full bloom and rather unusual. 

The little flowers stand in medium clusters and have a mild apple to Lilly of the valley fragrance. 

Growth is vigorous with lots of twiggy canes and shoots. Rather easy to train this rambler can reach 7 meters or 21 feet. At its very best when it can cover a gazebo or small roof. So when it can grow horizontally covering a large structure it will reward you with quit a show. Of course you can also use it for pergola's, arches etc...

Veilchenblau can suffer from mildew when the spot is too windy are au contraire not windy enough. It's an old feature of many Multiflora Ramblers to be rather susceptible to mildew. Dorothy Perkins and Excelsa had it so bad they got replaced by mildew free clones. Super Dorothy and Super Excelsa replaced the old ones. They are an improved version. 

A very hardy zone 5b to 9b rambler that can take shade. 

If you love mauve in great quantities? This is the one for you! 

La Noblesse

La Noblesse, Pastoret 1856

Centifolia

Seedling of Louise Peyronny

A very underrated and beautiful Centifolia. Flowers are big, pink to carmine pink, very full, shaggy and very fragrant. They remind me of those from Coup d'Hebé, the famous Bourbon. 

The flowers stand in small clusters 

Nice, rounded shrub with a balanced growth. 150X150 cm or 5X5 feet. Because she's once blooming she's healthy and not susceptible to Blackspot. Very hardy zone 4b to 9b

If you want a less known Centifolia with very beautiful flowers and good Fragrance then you should try La Noblesse 

Rosa Laevigata / Cherokee rose

Rosa Laevigata/Cherokee rose

Rosa Sinica 

Wild species 

Rosa Laevigata is found in the wild in Southeast China and Taiwan. It is probably closely related to Rosa Gigantea.

It's a tall climber that, when given space, can climb up to 10 meters or 30 feet. The foliage is dark green and glossy. It's very healthy and evergreen. In early summer the plant is covered with large (10cm) single flowers with golden stamen. They exude a very strong fragrance.

The rose got introduced to the Southern United States and is now the State flower of Georgia. Sometimes considered as an invasive species but that's not the case. Rosa Laevigata is tender and can't survive in zones lower than 7b so it can't expand much to the north. In Europe the R. Laevigata Cooper's Burmese is a rare beauty and can be seen in the Mediterranean and in the warmer areas of Cornwall and Devon. 

The name "Cherokee rose" was given because of its association with the "Trail of tears". The white petals stand for the tears the Cherokee women shed when they were forced to leave their homeland and move to the US forts. The golden stamen represent the gold the white Americans stole from them. 

Beautiful rose! 

Olde Romeo

Olde Romeo, Harvey Davidson 1994

Hybrid Tea 

Dark red, old fashioned blooms with a strong fragrance. Blooms in flushes throughout the season. 

Olde Romeo is a very disease resistant red HT and that's rather difficult to find. Can easily compete with Papa Meilland, Chrysler imperial, Mr Lincoln and Oklahoma but is much more healthy. 

120 cm or 4 feet, zone 6b to 9b

It seems that Olde Romeo is about to become very difficult to find as most nurseries don't want to sell it anymore. So if you have this rose and you want to keep it for the future you should take cuttings. 

Olivet

Olivet, Alcide Vigneron 1892

Multiflora rambler, Large flowered rambler 

De la Grifferaie X Madame Baron Veillard

An insanely beautiful rambler this Olivet but sadly only known in France and that's ridiculous. 

Very large, quartered, pink blooms in small clusters. Strong old rose fragrance. Blooms very abundant in early summer with scattered blooms later in the season. 

A vigorous rambler with flexible growth so training is rather easy. Can reach 5 meters or 18 feet. Ideal for trellis, fences, big Obelisks etc...

Reliable, healthy and zone 6b to 10b 

A rose that needs much more attention! 

Mme Solvay

Mme Solvay, André Eve 1982

Reblooming rambler 

Étendard X Phyllis Bide

An extremely popular rambler in France and not without reason: Medium to rather big, semi double, carmine pink flowers in clusters. Mild sweet fragrance. A magical show when in full flush. Repeats more moderately later in the season.

Tall, vigorous growth up to 500 cm or 18 feet. Can be used for all kinds of purposes: Arches, walls, pergola's, weeping standard, trellis, trees etc... Has a reel bougainvillea vibe when in full bloom. Zone 6b to 10b, heat and rain tolerant

A very beautiful rose, time to discover her! 

Banksiae Lutea / Lady Banks rose

Considered to be one of the biggest roses in the world, Lady Banks is also one of the earliest to flower in the Northern hemisphere.

The rose is native to central China and can be found up to 2000 meters altitude. She has been in cultivation for centuries and was in high regard of the Chinese emperors.

Botanist Joseph Banks bought a plant in the famous nursery of Fa Tee in the Kanton region. He immediately named her after his wife hence Lady Banks. It's how she came to Europe. The Latin name is Rosa Banksiae Lutea

It's an immensely vigorous plant with small evergreen foliage and very little thorns. She can reach gigantic proportions and one specimen, in the USA, is supposed to be one of the biggest roses in the world, only rivaled by Kiftsgate at Kiftsgate manor. She can however be constraint and used for pergola's, gazebos etc... 

If you have the space and you let her go she can cover big walls, large trees etc.. 

She can reach between 6 and 25 meters or 18 and 75 feet.

Flowers are smell, Sulphur yellow and pompon shaped. They smell of violets. They appear with the thousands and will cover the entire rose. A sight to behold. Don't prune if you don't need to 

Lady Banks isn't that Hardy but can certainly grow in zones 6b up to 10b. She's completely Hardy in Western and Southern Europe and Southern USA and Australia of course.

She does need a very sunny, warm spot to develop the best. Rain, heat and drought resistant. 

In the Northern hemisphere she's one of the most early blooming roses as she begins end of April and early May 

A very unusual rose but one of the great Ladies in rose cultivation. A grand old lady for sure!