The fragrance of roses is not easy to discuss. Perhaps we lack an adequate vocabulary to discuss fragrance. And, perhaps, many of us lack attention and practice. It appears to me that there are definitely first class noses, just as there are first class tasters. I have an average, relaxed nose. A friend reminds me to sample a rose for just four or five seconds and then sniff coffee beans to cleanse the scent receptors before I go on to the next blossom.

I cannot countenance bringing coffee beans into the garden for some reason, but gradually, with coaching, and though it does not come easily, I am able to apply the likening of scent in roses to something else, much as we do with wines: the scent is of citrus, or violets, or it is the redolent damask we all revel in, or….. I enjoy the challenge of analyzing a few roses in this way and then I go back to merely strolling about the evening garden with a bloom or two in hand not caring whether they are fruity or….

Fragrant Classes of Modern Roses
Part 1, “Fragrance in Recurrent Antiques” can be accessed in the 3-28-09 issue of the RVR Newsletter

Paul Barden, Oregon rose hybridizer, has noted in an article on Breeding for Fragrance:

"When you study the modern hybrid roses, including but not limited to, the Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Miniatures, etc., you can begin to see a common problem; many have moderate to severe problems with disease, primarily Blackspot. Examining a group of these roses you might also come to the conclusion that many of the highly fragrant varieties are the worst offenders of the lot. Why is this so?

Many factors play into the problems many modern roses suffer from. Let’s consider some of them. First, we have a group of plants that have been bred to include certain traits at the expense of concerns like disease resistance. For over 100 years breeders have sought bloom form, cut flower suitability and fragrance above all other traits. When chemical gardening became possible, it allowed hybridizers to practically ignore disease issues, assuming (and often quite rightly so) that the consumer would embrace the new chemical Fungicides and effectively resolve the problem.

Consider also the plant material used in the creation of our modern roses; in the effort to introduce bright yellow/orange hues into roses, breeders turned to R. foetida, a species known for its susceptibility to Blackspot. The resulting hybrids, like 'Soleil d'Or' suffered from disease terribly, and it happily passed this trait on to its progeny. Making matters worse, the Hybrid Perpetuals were used in breeding as well, in an effort to gain reliable repeat blooming (remontancy) in subsequent hybrids. While the Hybrid Perpetuals offered breeders improvements in fragrance, in general they also suffer badly from disease and readily pass on this problem to their offspring. The recipe so far includes a lot of undesirable characteristics along with the favored traits!

Unfortunately, to increase rebloom in hybrids, the China hybrids were employed as well. While they are not the worst offenders for disease in themselves, neither did they improve Blackspot resistance in their offspring. In my experience, the older China roses like 'Slater's Crimson' and 'Old Blush' are mediocre at resisting disease and I would expect their progeny to be at least as poor in that regard. And so, coupled with a single-mindedness on the part of the hybridizers to breed roses of a certain style without much regard to disease problems, we witnessed the introduction of many beautiful roses that were ultimately unsuited to non-chemical gardening. Some hybridizers have suggested that Blackspot susceptibility and intense fragrance are linked traits, which they very well may be. It could also simply be that by selecting for fragrance qualities and beauty of bloom, breeders inadvertently selected plants with inferior health."

Paul then states, “But all is not lost,” and goes on to review his own work and the work of other modern breeders that has resulted in roses that are both disease resistant and fragrant. The remainder of Paul’s article can be read in the March 7, 2009 issue of the newsletter as well as on his website here. At the conclusion of the 3-28-issue I presented RVR’s approach to careful preventive use of Caution level, low toxicity fungicides applied only as the climate and season requires, and only to those varieties in the garden that one knows will need preventive protection at particular times of the year. In this way it is possible to protect the bees, ourselves, and the environment, and still have a healthy, basically organic, garden that includes some roses that are treasured regardless of their disease vulnerability.

The Hybrid Musks: The Hybrid Musks are Very Disease Resistant, and shade tolerant, with excellent rebloom throughout the summer and particularly good fall bloom. They are hardy down to Z6-7. The Hybrid Musks are superb in a perennial border and are, as a group, some of the most useful and graceful of all garden plants. Most have excellent fragrance. I adore the scent of Cornelia. Is it the fragrance of narcissus or violets? The fragrance of Paul Barden’s Jeri Jennings™, has a refreshing hint of citrus. Kathleen, Buff Beauty, Penelope, Trier, Bubble Bath are equally engaging. The discovered Darlow's Enigma (hardy to Z4) and Secret Garden Musk Climber, are reliably able to waft their fragrance on the breeze. In my opinion they should be placed with the Hybrid Musks, the members of which owe much of their fragrance to R. moschata (Single Musk) and R. multiflora.

The Ramblers and Large Flowered Climbers: (Note: There are many other groups of climbers that can be accessed from the top white drop down window on the left margin of our website under view by class.) Most varieties in the rambler and LFC groups are Disease Resistant or Very Disease Resistant; hardiness varies with the parentage--several will thrive down to Z4; many have excellent fragrance. RVR has one of the largest collections of climbers and ramblers currently in commerce. They are climbing and cascading from trees everywhere in our gardens and are a guaranteed way to bring drama and dimension into any landscape. Even the smallest patio garden is made grand by a climber on a fence or up a wall. The Garland and Albertine are well known in England . I am particularly fond of the grand wichurana ramblers and their derivatives. La Perle, Alberic Barbier and Alexandre Girault are favorites of mine. Mme. Alice Garnier (Brownlow Rambler) is a reblooming delight. The foliage of the wichuranas is Very Disease Resistant and nearly as beautiful as the blooms. Among the Climbing Hybrid Teas, Mrs. Sam McGredy, a Pernetiana from 1937, has fabulous fragrance and nuanced color. Our customers find the vigorous, fragrant Very Disease Resistant and hardy shrub/climbers such as Westerland, Autumn Sunset, Aloha, Dixieland Linda, and Compassion satisfying for their lavish, nearly continuous rebloom.

The Hybrid Teas: Most can be grown in Z6 and up, a few varieties can be grown in Z5. Some HTs do have decent Disease Resistance, although among the HTs it is harder to find Disease Resistance combined with fragrance. Some favorites of mine for fragrance: the much awarded Double Delight, Sutter's Gold, and Sheila's Perfume. Eiffel Tower, Dolly Parton, Medallion, and Velvet Fragrance are memorably fragrant roses in this class. There are many others.

The Modern Shrubs: Many in this group have excellent Disease Resistance. Several varieties are available for the coldest zones (Z3 and 4). This is a very diverse group. Linnea's Rose™, Lupe's Buttons™ and Blessed Child™ are fragrant roses which Rogue Valley Roses has introduced. These have excellent vigor and Diseases Resistance as well as fragrance, as do: Golden Wings and Lyda Rose, as well as, Paul Barden’s Oshun™, Licorice Tea™, Siren's Keep™, Jeri Jennings™, Golden Buddha™, and Incantation™. David Austin’s Abraham Darby, Heritage and Gertrude Jekyl are among the many very fragrant varieties from that premier breeder. The work of Paul Barden and David Austin are notable among modern hybridizers for their use of the antiques and their emphasis on fragrance. Paul is tireless in his quest for roses that are both fragrant and healthy. He is also one of the very few breeders ready to recognize greatness in new one time bloomers.

The Polyanthas, Floribundas, and Miniatures are not particularly fragrant as groups. However, there are varieties among them that are fragrant.

Some Fragrant Floribundas: Angel Face, Cl., Apricot Nectar, Geranium Red, Gruss an Aachen, Moonsprite, Pink Gruss an Aachen (Irene Watts), Sheila's Perfume (really a Hybrid Tea), White Gold. Chinatown, Escapade, Intrigue, Everest Double Fragrance, Maria Mathilda, Magenta, and Old Port are a few with excellent to intense fragrance.

Polyanthas: Clothilde Soupert, and Marie Pavie have superb fragrance. Others with good fragrance are La Perle, Leonie Lamensch, Aunt Margy's Rose™, Rita Sammons, White Cecille Brunner, Red Sweetheart, White Pet, and Yvonne Rabier.

It seems appropriate to conclude with a thought from another friend, Kelley Leonard, who has this to say, “Some scents linger, others are just a short sweet burst as if someone spritzed the air and it instantly vaporizes to nothing. I like it when a rose scent slowly envelopes me with a cloud---possibly air particles mixed with the oil of roses? I like to smell roses best when their scent catches me by surprise. I am breathing slowly and the scent seems to linger longer. Sometimes, the harder I try to smell a rose, the more elusive its scent is. I really think rose scents are a combination of environmental conditions and a person’s state of mind.”

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