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! 

Coraline

Coraline, André Eve, 1976

Opaline 

Large flowered climber 

Parents unknown 

Big, semi double, Apricot /pink and peach flowers in great abundance, that's Coraline. Popular in France till this day and also in other European countries she's not rare to find. 

It's a typical climber of its age with semi double, large blooms which keep several days. Hélas, they are almost scentless but the blooms and overall effect is stunning. 

Makes a strong, vigorous shrub or climber up to 300 cm or 9 feet. Foliage is very healthy. Blooms are rain and heat resistant and she can take some shade. Zone 6b to 10b

A climber from the Disco era, the seventies, when the most ugly roses were created. Coraline is an exception, with her big, pastel colored flowers she enchants your garden all summer long and a big piece into autumn. 

If you don't mind the lack of fragrance then Coraline is is your rose! 

Wasily Chludoff

Wasily Chludoff, G. Nabonnand 1903

Climbing Tea Noisette 

Parentage unknown 

This magnificent rose was lost for decades till she was rediscovered in Australia and brought back to France. It's a common thing that Teas and Tea Noisettes disappeared in Europe during the 20th century and reappeared in Southern USA and Australia.

Wasily Chludoff was the son of Russian Textile industrialist Alexei Chludoff and Alexei commissioned the rose with Gilbert Nabonnand. The rose grew in the milder regions of Russia such as the Crimea, current Ukraine. 

It is a stunning bloom: Large, light pink at the outer edges turning deeper pink towards the center of the petals. Those petals curl back in beautiful Tea style. The blooms stand in groups of two or three and keep appearing all season long. A good strong sweet fragrance adds to their beauty. A sunny, warm spot is preferred in colder climates. The plant isn't that tender and has a surprisingly good cold resistance zone 6b to 11b.

Being a climber she can reach 4 meters or 13 feet. Typical twiggy, abundant Noisette tea growth. Excellent as a cascading climber in old fruit trees, tall obelisks or piramides. The flowers are rain and heat resistant.

A lost gem 💎 that has returned to us. Available in the EU at Ducher nursery 

Deuil de Dr Reynaud

Deuil de Dr Reynaud, Pradel 1862

Bourbon 

Parentage unknown, probably seedling of Mme Isaac Pereire 

This magnificent rose emerged in 2005 and the debat is ongoing if this is the same rose as Philémon Cochet.

As a bloom and shrub she's very close to Mme Isaac Pereire (Philémon Cochet is a seedling of Mme Isaac Pereire) with puffy, big, quartered pink to deep pink flowers with a strong fragrance. Grows up to 150 cm or 5 feet. Zone 6b to 10b. Main flush is abundant with a later good flush in September. Rain and partial shade tolerant.

If she's not identical to Philémon Cochet we will start to see her more often as she's impressive 

Checkmate

Checkmate, Colin Dickson 2012

Modern Climber 

Parentage unknown 

A rising star in the climbers category but she's also suitable as a large shrub. 

Large, semi double, peach/apricot/light pink flowers slowly fading into Cream. The golden stamen are prominent and add to her beauty. These flowers stand in rather big clusters and appear all summer and autumn long. Mild wild rose fragrance.

It's a stiff growing rose so she's not suitable for pergola's or arches but ideal for pillars. A bit like Scent from heaven from Warner. She can reach 3 meters or 9 feet but if you prune her a bit harder she's also very beautiful as a large shrub.

Extremely healthy and impenetrable to disease this Checkmate is a true rose of the next generation. Zone 5b to 9b. Rain, heat and shade tolerant. The blooms also attract lots of bees so it's also an eco rose.

One of the best examples of semi double climbers! 

Recommended rose 

Petite Lisette

Petite Lisette, Vibert 1818

Centifolia Hybrid 

Parentage unknown 

A magnificent Centifolia with rather small, exquisitely shaped flowers.

Nice, rounded, well balanced shrub of approx 150X100 cm or 6X4 feet. Healthy foliage.

Flowers are rather small for a Centifolia but they are incredibly beautiful and perfectly formed: light pink, very full, flat rosettes in small clusters. The fragrance is strong and lemony, delicious! 

Very hardy zone 4b to 9b, rain and shade tolerant. Once blooming in late spring and early summer.

If you want Centifolia blooms reaching perfection with a good fragrance then Petite Lisette is your rose!

Recommended rose