George Washington Richardson
La biche
Sombreuil
Tea
Seedling of Gigantesque
When we think of Sombreuil we immediately think of that vigorous climber with big, very flat rosettes but this rose isn't the real Sombreuil and she's certainly not a Tea. Research showed that the rose in commerce known as Sombreuil (Colonial white) is a Wichuraiana hybrid and of much more recent origin...
The real Mademoiselle de Sombreuil is an elegant Tea with a moderate growth up to 120 cm or 4 feet. With some support she can make a nice pillar rose. Flowers are medium to big, very double or full, cream with pink shading in the center. They stand mostly in small clusters. Fragrance can vary from mild Tea to strong Tea. She blooms all summer and autumn long.
This is a rather tender Tea that needs zone 7b to 10b. Some winterprotection in winter is advised in colder regions. Loves full sun.
Mademoiselle de Sombreuil was an 18th century aristocrat. Her father got captured by the revolutionaries in 1792 and would face the guillotine. His daughter begged the men to release her father. "We will do that if you drink a glass filled with fresh blood from a decapitated prisoner" they replied. She immediately agreed and she saw how they filled a glass with blood gushing out of a decapitated man. She drank it all and they promised to release her father but a few days later he still died from the guillotine.
Mademoiselle de Sombreuil became a symbol of the cruelty of the French revolutionairies.
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