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Old Roses, or Heirloom Roses,
or Heritage Roses, or Antique Roses are those roses that were
developed before the advent of the modern hybrid tea rose. The
first hybrd tea rose 'La France' was hybridized in 1867, a cross
between a Hybrid Perpetual and a Tea. By the turn of the century,
when hybridization became more sophisticated, modern Hybrid
Tea roses began to replace the old roses in popularity.
Today, old roses are once again
popular for their delicate shapes, heady perfumes, and abilitiies
to mingle with other plants in the garden. At left is the Bourbon
Rose "Reine Victoria', first introduced in 1872, the height
of the Victorian era. 287-3228
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For many, the
appeal of old roses are the simple single roses. Single roses
most closly resemble the five-petaled wild, species roses, and
are often disease resistant. Rose'Complicata', seen here is
a vigourous old rose called by Graham Stuart Thomas "one
of the most strikingly beautiful of single pink roses".
And a hedge of this rose? Oh my! 496-1076
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There are many classes of old
roses with often obscure reasons for their naming and hybrid
history. From the oldest hybids, dating back to Roman antiquity
with the Gallicas, to Damasks, Centifolias,Albas, Mosses, hybridization
was revolutionized when the repeat blooming Chinese varieties
were brought to Europe in the late 18th century, This lead to
new families of roses, the Chinas, Portlands, Bourbons, Hybrid
Perpetuals, and eventually Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Florabundas,
etc.
Confusion begins to be understood
when one notes the Centifolia rose 'Cristata', at left, has
the distinct 'moss' on the sepals so characteristic of Moss
Roses. Furthar complicating clear identification of which class
a rose fits into are diffferent names for the same rose. This
rose is also known as 'Crested Moss', 'Centifolia Cristata'
and popularly, 'Chapeau de Napoleon' or 'Napolean's Hat' for
the tricorn hat shape of the bud. 642-571
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Of all the old roses, perhaps
the Bourbons are most identified with the old rose look and
fragrance, yet they began the demise of old rose to modern
hybrids. First discovered as a chance hybrid on the Isle de
Bourbon, an island in the Indian Ocean, the first Bourbon
rose was repeat blooming, large, and fragrant. By the time
European hybridizers were through cross breeding the Bourbons,
they had created Hybrid Bourbons, Hybrid Perpetuals, Noisettes,
and eventually Hybrid Teas.
The Bourbon rose pictures here
is arguably (by those other than this author) as the most
fragrant rose in the world. Though Bourbons can be prone to
disease, this rose, as Graham Thomas says, when "well
grown, on good deep soil. it has no peer".
My favorite rose: 'Madame
Isaac Pereire' 495-9225
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Before the introduction of the
China roses, which brought in the re-blooming gene now expected
in all modern roses, roses bloomed only once. Centifolias or
'Cabbage Roses' for ther prolific petals, were one of the earliest
hybrid classes, making the rose particulalry garden worthy by
making the flowers more showy.
Of the once blooming old roses
today, only those that are particulalry showy can be commonly
found in gardens such as this rose named after the French artist
who loved to paint flowers: 'Fantin-Latour'. 686-70
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