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This Visitor's Guide was originally written by Consulting Rosarian Gary A. Ritchie and printed hard copy for visitors of the Garden. This online version has been edited for clarity and usefulness. Statehood Roses | Specimen Roses | Modern Roses Rose Type Definitions | Making New Roses References | Acknowledgements | Contributors The arbor at the entrance to the Centennial Garden was designed to tie the garden architecturally to the Schmidt Mansion. Two varieties of period roses, Mme. Alfred Carriere and Sombreuil were selected for the arbor because of their exceptionally high quality as climbing roses. Both were popular in Washington during the late 1800's. Mme. Alfred Carriere: Noisette. 1897. Raised by Joseph Schwartz of Lyon, France and dedicated to "the wife of a great lover of roses from our province of Dauphiné." A fine old rose which was very popular in Victorian times. Noted for its strong repeat bloom not common in old garden roses. Parentage is unknown. Sombreuil: Climbing Tea. 1850. A splendid example of a climbing tea rose, Sombreuil was introduced by M. Robert of France during the mid 1800's. It is dedicated to the memory of Mlle de Sombreuil, a heroine of the French revolution, who locked herself up with her father, the Count de Sombreuil, and, according to legend, drank a glass of Aristocrat's blood to prove that she and her father were not themselves Aristocrats. Sombreuil was popular in the United States after the Civil War and remains widely grown today. Felicite et Perpetue: Hybrid Sempervirens. 1828. These bushes are growing astride the fence to the left of Sombreuil. Introduced by Mr. A.A. Jacques, gardener to Louis Philippe, Duke d' Orleans, before he became King of France. Believed to be a cross between Rosa sempervirens and R. chinensis . Named for Mr. Jacques' two daughters, who, in turn, were named for Christian martyrs killed in an arena near Carthage and later canonized as Saint Felicitas and Saint Perpetua. This is perhaps the finest rambler to come out of 19th century Europe.
Roses have been grown and loved since the dawn of civilization. Although most of the roses cultivated by ancient peoples have been lost to history, a few remain in cultivation today. Before you lies a collection of some of the oldest and most cherished of these remaining few. Some are as ancient as to have been grown by the Greeks and Romans. Some date back to Elizabethan times, while still others were cultivated by Washington, Jefferson and other founding fathers of our country. Examine these ancient roses. Ponder their antiquity - how many millions of human eyes have beheld their timeless beauty? How many souls have been intoxicated by their sweet, heady fragrance? Rosa moschata: Species. date unknown. The 'Musk Rose'. The rose of the Persian poets, its praises were sung by Shakespeare, Bacon, and Keats. One of four or so species roses from which most other old and modern roses have derived. R. moschata, combined with the Gallica roses, gave rise to the Autumn Damasks and then to the Centifolia roses. It is thought to be native to Europe, the Mediterranean and Northern Africa but is rarely seen growing there in the wild. Its flowers have an unforgettable sweet scent reminiscent of musk - a rare and expensive perfume obtained from the diminutive Musk deer of India. Attar of roses, an ancient perfume worth six times its weight in gold, was distilled from the flowers of the musk rose. There has been a great deal of confusion over the whereabouts of the true R. moschata. It was supposed to have been introduced into Europe around 1651 and subsequently grown until about 1830. After 1830, plants with the same name were grown throughout Europe but were different from the original R. moschata and were probably R. nepalensis. The true R. moschata was discovered growing in a garden near Enfield, England by the eminent botanist Graham Stuart Thomas. Alba Maxima: Alba. 1450. This large, near-wild rose is a sport (genetic mutation) of Rosa alba semi-plena. It was much more widely grown in the 1800's than it is today. Alba Maxima is also called the 'Jacobite Rose' because of its association with Bonnie Prince Charlie, leader of the Scottish Jacobite clansmen. According to legend, Flora MacDonald gave Prince Charlie these white roses to wear in his bonnet before going to battle against the British. The heavily outnumbered Jacobites were routed and slaughtered by Government forces under the Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Culloden in 1673. The clansmen wore white cockades on their bonnets, symbolizing the white rose. Tuscany: Gallica. 1596. A very old Gallica rose. Sometimes called "Old Velvet" owing to the thick, velvety appearance of its petals. One might speculate from its name and known date that it is one of the oldest garden roses under cultivation. Austrian Copper: Species. before 1590. Actually Rosa foetida bicolor, which is native to northern Iran and Kurdistan. Was introduced into the west from Vienna (hence its name) to Holland before 1590 and was probably cultivated back to the 12th century in the Arab world. Rosa gallica: Gallica. before 1500. This variety, 'Officinalis', is also known as the 'Apothecary's Rose' owing to the medicinal properties of its blossoms, stems and hips. It was adopted by the House of Lancaster as its symbol during the 30-year 'War of Roses' in 15th century England. Hence, it has also been called the 'Red Rose of Lancaster'. (Opposing forces from the House of York adopted a white rose, R. alba, semi plena on exhibit in the lawn area, as their symbol). Also called the 'Rose of Provins' because it formed the basis of an immense perfume industry which flourished from the 13th to the 18th century around the town of Provins in France. The red colors of the old European roses derive almost exclusively from this variety. Truly a rose of great historic significance. York and Lancaster Rose: Damask. 1551. Rosa damascena 'Versicolor'. A bicolor Damask rose which is sometimes confused with 'Rosa mundi' owing to its pink and white flower coloring. However, it is blotched pink and white - never striped as is 'Rosa mundi'. Largely due to an account by Shakespeare in King Henry VI, Part I, Act II, Scene 4, this rose has become known as 'York and Lancaster'. The 'Red Rose of Lancaster' and the 'White Rose of York' were united to form the symbolic Tudor Rose when Henry VII married his cousin, Elizabeth of York. Rosa centifolia: Centifolia. 16th century. Also called the 'Cabbage Rose', a name given to it because the petals fold over the flower and delay revealing its center. This relatively recent 'old rose' was developed in Holland over a period of about two centuries by Dutch breeders and grown in the south of France, where it became known as the 'Provence Rose'. It is thought to be a hybrid between R. damascena bifera and R. alba. This was the rose most loved by 17th century Dutch painters. Autumn Damask. Damask. Ancient. Rosa x bifera. Probably a natural hybrid between R. gallica and R. moschata, a late summer blooming rose which introduced a repeat bloom into roses. A rose steeped in antiquity, this and its sports were the only repeat blooming roses in the western world before the 18th century. First recorded on the Greek island of Samos in the 10th century B.C. Mentioned by Herodotus as growing in the Macedonian gardens of King Midas in the 5th century B.C., and by Virgil in 30 B.C. as flowering twice a year at Paestum. Known to have been cultured in Egypt for the Roman market. Frescoes of the Autumn Damask Rose were found in the ruins of Pompeii, which was destroyed in 79 A.D. In the 10th century A.D. it was cultivated on a large scale in Syria for manufacture of rose water and medicine. Rumored, but never proven, to have been introduced into Europe by Crusaders returning from Damascus. Evidence suggests that it was brought to the west coast of the United States by Spanish missionaries. It is sometimes called the 'Four Seasons Rose'. Rosa mundi. Gallica. before 1581. A bud sport of R. gallica 'Officinalis'. Mentioned in 1583 by the herbalist Clusius. A drawing of it, dated 1640, exists in Paris in the Jardin des Plantes. Conjecturally, it may have been associated with Henry II's mistress, the Fair Rosamond, who died around 1176. Dr. C.C. Hurst speculates that it may have been given to her by a Crusader who found it growing in a Syrian garden. The bushes on display here in the Centennial Garden were propagated from plants growing in George Washington's garden at Mount Vernon, Virginia and donated to us by the Mount Vernon's Ladies Association. Celsiana. Damask. 1732. An old and particularly lovely Damask rose which originated in Holland. It was introduced into France by the noted French writer, breeder, and plantsman Jacques Martin Cels and named for him after his death in 1806. This was one of the 250 cultivars of old roses grown and preserved by Napoleon's wife, the Empress Josephine, at their famous estate at Malmaison, near Paris. Celsiana is also believed to have been favored by George Washington. The bushes growing here were propagated from cuttings taken at his estate at Mount Vernon, Va. Scotch Rose: Species. Date unknown. Rosa spinosissima. This small rose is native to Europe and temperate Asia including parts of Russia, Siberia, and the Altai Mountains. It is normally a rose of sandy soils growing down to the beaches in some parts of Scotland. It has also been naturalized in a few regions of North America. It is believed to have been grown by one of America's first horticulturists, Dr. William Blackstone, in his Boston garden in the early 17th century. The plants here were propagated as root suckers from bushes growing in George Washington's rose garden.
Pioneers of Washington and Oregon Territories began heading west during the early 1840's and by 1843 were arriving in the Willamette Valley in considerable numbers. Their diaries and journals tell of smuggling hidden rose cuttings wrapped in wet moss. Some recall cherished family possessions being discarded along the trail while plants were saved. Some kept their plants alive with their own daily water rations. By the types of roses they elected to carry west one might infer that they were brought mainly as reminders of home and loved ones in the east. However, certain roses were used as dietary supplements or for medicinal purposes. Blossoms and hips were eaten directly or were made into candies, jams, syrups and wine. Rose oil was used to relieve eye problems. Rose syrup and honey soothed sore throats and coughs. Today, throughout the Willamette Valley and southern Puget Lowland, one can find roses growing around old homestead sites or in pioneer cemeteries. Many are the original plants brought west across the prairies and mountains by the intrepid settlers who first laid claim to this beautiful land. The pioneer roses on display in the Centennial Garden represent but a small sample of the varieties known to have been brought west during the 1840's and 1850's. It should be noted also that many of the varieties described above under 'Ancient Roses' could also be included in the Pioneer Rose bed. Paul Ricault: Centifolia. 1845. Introduced in France by the well known French rose breeder M. Portemer. Of unknown parentage. This soft, rich pink rose is one of the most free flowering of the Centifolia Roses, but is not often found in cultivation. Felicite Parmentier: Alba. 1836. One of the most "shapely and sumptuous" of the Old Garden Roses. Less upright and more open than the other Albas suggesting a relationship to the Damasks. Noted for its huge clusters of densely packed buds and its lovely white flowers with salmon tinted centers. Common Moss: Moss. 1696. Rosa centifolia muscosa, a sport of R. centifolia, was an extremely popular rose in Victorian times. It is called a 'Moss' rose because of the moss-like proliferations which cover the stem and calyx. These are actually glandular organs which produce a rich, pine scented fragrance when touched. Alfred de Dalmas: Moss. 1855. Another introduction by the French breeder, Portemer. Also called 'Mousseline' because the fine texture and creamy blush color resembles French muslin. Like other Perpetual Damask Moss Roses, Alfred de Dalmas has a repeat bloom in autumn. The blossoms have a fragrance resembling honeysuckle or sweet pea. Louise Odier: Bourbon. 1851. Parentage unknown. Raised by the French breeder M. Margottin, this is a superb and vigorous old Bourbon rose. Flowers have the form of Old World perfection - rosy pink, perfectly circular and camellia-like with legendary fragrance. Blooms from June to October. Gloire de France: Gallica. 1818. A tall growing, exceptionally beautiful, Gallica rose also known as 'Fanny Bias'. The fully double petals are reflexed to resemble pompons of a lilac-rose color when fully opened. Louis Gimard:Moss. 1877. Introduced by the French breeder Pere Pernet, of the famous family which is noted for having produced the Pernetiana Roses - the first yellow cultivated roses. Louis Gimard has very dense, tight round buds which resemble Brussels sprouts. They open to reveal rich lilac-cerise petals which form flat blooms with confused centers. Hermosa:China. 1840. Introduced in France by M. Marcheseau, Hermosa was originally considered to be a Bourbon Rose. However, it has recently been more correctly placed among the China roses, of which it is a direct descendant. Hermosa, meaning 'beautiful', blooms continuously throughout summer.
By the late 1800's, the time of Washington statehood, the food and medicinal value of roses was largely supplanted by their usefulness as decorative garden plants. Although most of the famous rose breeders of the time were working in Europe, particularly France, many of the new European varieties of roses were being imported into the United States where they were achieving immense popularity. The list of varieties grown at the time is lengthy and, regrettably, the Centennial Garden is far too small to accommodate more than even a fraction of them. In the small collection assembled here we have attempted to select varieties which are representative of the many types of roses grown at the time - Gallicas, Bourbons, Hybrid Perpetuals, Polyanthas, and others. Also popular at the time of statehood were many of the Ancient and Pioneer roses described above. Had you been living in Olympia 100 years ago, these are the kinds of roses you would have seen growing around town. Marie Pavie: Polyantha. 1888. One of the earliest Polyantha roses, Marie Pavie has some interesting characteristics such as pretty, whitish double flowers, good scent and scarcely any thorns. The Polyanthas are hybrids between Rosa multiflora and R. chinensis 'Minima' and, while not widely grown today, they are important because they are ancestors of the Floribunda Roses. Polyanthas were bred for mass color and repeat blooming rather than for the beauty of the individual blossoms. Reine Victoria: Bourbon. 1872. Introduced by Veuve Schwartz in France, Reine Victoria has achieved fame, not entirely on its own, but owing to the popularity of its sport "Mme. Pierre Oger". Both make upright bushes which constantly send up fresh flowering canes from June to October. Both are known as Victorian shell roses because the rounded, intense rose-madder petals resemble delicate sea shells. Reine Victoria is a unique and distinctive period rose. Mrs. John Laing: Hybrid Perpetual. 1887. Introduced by the English rose breeder Henry Bennett, who is often credited with coining the term "Hybrid Tea". Bennett was originally a cattle breeder who applied his understanding of genetics to roses and became one of the most noted breeders of the later 1800s. Of the numerous Hybrid Perpetuals grown in Victorian times, Mrs. John Laing is one of the very few which is still popular. It is one of the best of this type of rose ever created. Commandant Beaurepaire: Bourbon. 1874. One of only three striped Bourbon roses. Introduced in France by Moreau-Robert, its distinctive narrow pointed leaflets reflect the influence of China roses in its ancestry. The remarkable and variable striping of white, blush, light pink and scarlet against a deep pink background makes Commandant Beaurepaire one of the more spectacular Old Garden Roses. Roger Lambelin. Hybrid Perpetual. 1890. Another product of the French breeder Veuve Shwartz, who found it as a sport of the Hybrid Perpetual rose, "Fisher Holmes". Roger Lambelin is a very distinctive and unusual rose, with ruffled maroon petals frosted with white tips. It is sometimes called the "Old Curiosity Rose" because of its unusual carnation-like flowers. Difficult to grow owing to its extreme susceptibility to black spot, but worth the effort for the unique flowers. Tuscany Superb: Gallica. 1848. Possibly a seedling of Tuscany (described on page 3) introduced by William Paul, one of the great 19th Century rose growers of England. It closely resembles Tuscany but has larger, double blooms. Some people prefer Tuscany to Tuscany Superb because its petals give a greater contrast with the yellow stamens. Probably the "Double Velvet" rose listed in 19th Century catalogs. Leda: Damask. before 1827. A very old rose whose origin and parentage are unknown. It is also called the "Painted Damask" because the white flowers open with the edges of their petals tipped in crimson. Leda is noted for its rounded dark green foliage and dark brown buds. Cecile Brunner: China. 1881. "The Sweetheart Rose". This rose was raised by Antoine Ducer's widow the year their daughter Marie married Joseph Pernet, the hybridizer who had given new colors to rose petals. Its parentage is not clearly known but it was once believed to be a cross between a Polyantha and a Tea rose. It is now thought by some (but not all) authorities to have been a cross between a Tea and a Rosa chinensis hybrid. Cecile Brunner blooms profusely all summer producing perfectly formed, pink button-hole roses. It is one of the most popular old roses grown today. Mme Isaac Pereire: Bourbon. 1881. This large, magenta shaded Bourbon Rose was introduced in France by M. Garcon. It was probably named for the wife of one of the Pereire brothers, great through unorthodox bankers and financiers during the Second Empire when Louis Bonaparte, Napoleon III, was Emperor of France. Despite its lavish fragrance, the quality of this rose is debated. One author describes it as a "...luscious, sumptuous blowzy beauty...", while another describes it as "...clad with dull flowers, nasty little thorns, and mildew...". Marchioness of Lorne: Hybrid Perpetual. 1889. Little is known about this rose except that it was introduced by William Paul in England in 1889 - the year of Washington statehood. Hence, its inclusion in the Centennial Garden collection.
The lawn area to the east of the formal garden contains eleven rose bushes representing the very old (Rosa alba) to some relatively recent (Henri Martin) types. They were placed here because of their size only - they are generally too large to be grown in confined beds. Each of these bushes has its own distinctive look and growth habit, from the tall pillar type roses (Charles Lawson) to the more drooping, lax types (Rose des Pientres) as well as some species roses (Rosa canina). Over time these bushes may become very large and spectacular. Rosa glauca: Species. before 1830. Named for its grayish, glaucous foliage. Native up to 6,000 feet in elevation in high mountains of Europe from the Pyrenees to the Carpathians and farther south into Yugoslavia and Albania. Its tiny, single pink blooms give rise in late summer to bright red hips which resemble Pyracantha berries. has been widely used as a cultivated plant since about 1814 but, surprisingly, has not been exploited by hybridizers. Harison's Yellow: Hybrid Foetida. 1830. A classic pioneer rose, Harison's Yellow was carried west in countless wagon trains and dispersed across the continent where the plants can still be found growing. It was introduced by a New York lawyer and amateur rose hybridizer, George Harison, who was growing several varieties of R. spinosissima in his garden adjacent to a plant of Persian yellow (R. foetida persiana). Harison's Yellow grew apparently as a natural hybrid between these two species. It is extremely cold hardy but has only a brief early spring bloom period. Henri Martin: Moss. 1863. Known also as Crimson Moss for its stunning red blossoms. It was introduced by the French nurseryman Jules Laffay and named for a French historian. Laffay, also a consummate rose breeder, was at the forefront in the development of Hybrid Perpetual roses. Rosa alba, semi-plena: Alba. Date unknown. The origins of this legendary rose are lost in antiquity. It was certainly cultivated by the Romans and, before them, the Greeks. It was popular with 15th Century Italian Painters, such as Sandro Botticelli, who painted its petals raining down on his famous rendering of "Venus". Also called the White Rose of York.. Although Linnaeus deemed it a species in 1753, modern chromosomal evidence suggests that it may have arisen as a natural hybrid. Rose des Peintres: Centifolia. before 1838. "Rose of the Painters" was so called because its nodding, globular, many-petaled clear pink blooms were a favorite subject of the l7th Century Dutch masters. William Lobb: Moss. 1855. Also called "Old Velvet Moss" this rose was also introduced by Jules Laffay in France in the mid 1800's. It is a large, vigorous Moss Rose having dark crimson-purple blooms fading to lavender gray. It was named for a young Cornish nurseryman who explored parts of South America during the 1840's in search of new plants. Mme Hardy: Damask. 1832. Probably a hybrid between Rosa damascena and R. centifolia, Mme. hardy was introduced by Monsieur Eugene Hardy, curator of the Luxembourg Garden in Paris, and named for his wife. It was one of the most popular roses to be carried west on the Oregon Trail. It is considered by many to be the loveliest of all white roses - with a green button eye resting in its center. Pink Moss: Moss. Date uncertain. This enigmatic rose is often found growing around old homesteads and cemeteries in Washington and Oregon. Hence, it undoubtedly traveled west with pioneers along the Oregon Trail. John MacGregor, formerly of the Huntington Botanical Gardens, believes it to be La Diaphane, in which case it was introduced by William Paul before 1848. Other experts are less certain of its identity. Charles Lawson: Hybrid Bourbon. 1853. Known for its vigorous climbing habit. Charles Lawson produces large, very double lilac pink petals which are darker in tone on their back side. This almost thornless Old Garden Rose is widely grown throughout the Pacific Northwest today. Rosa canina: Species. before 1737. A wild rose native to northern Europe, including Britain, and western Asia. Known for centuries as the "Dog Rose", perhaps because its curved thorns resemble a dog's teeth. R. canina is one of the most important of the species roses, having given rise to both the Alba and Centifolia Roses. It has been grown in America for at least two centuries as evidenced by its appearance on a survey of roses grown in colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. (Other roses on this list included Rosa gallica, R. mundi, R damascena bifera, and the Common Moss Rose). R. canina was once widely used as rootstock for budding varietal roses but, owing to its propensity to produce root suckers, it has been replaced by other species and cultivars for this purpose. Chinquapin Rose: Species. 1820. Rosa roxburghii. A native of China, this robust species was first noted in 1820 by Dr. William Roxburgh, a Scot, who arrived in India in 1776 as an assistant surgeon in the East India Company. In 1789 he was placed in charge of the Company's Calcutta Garden - a staging area for many plants coming out of China. The cultivated form reached the United States in 1828. Its unusual name arises from the similarity between its buds and the fruits of the Chinquapin (Castanea dentata), a low growing relative of the American chestnut tree - now all but wiped out by the chestnut blight.
In the Centennial Garden, the center bed and the four beds surrounding it contain modern roses - that is, roses introduced after 1867. Many of these plants had been growing at the old Community Center rose garden on 4th Street in Olympia for several decades. They were transplanted into the Centennial Garden by the Olympia Rose Society in February, 1988. Modern Roses comprise several types including Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Grandifloras, English Roses, and Miniatures (see below). Their reliable habit of strong repeat blooming, or remontancy, has endeared them to many generations of gardeners who enjoy mass blooms from late spring to autumn frost. In Olympia, most of these roses begin blooming in early June and will remain in bloom until Thanksgiving or later, depending upon the weather. The brief descriptions which follow include the cultivar (or variety), type, date of introduction, breeder, and parentage. Parentage is indicated by the seed parent, then the letter "x", followed by the pollen parent. For example, Sexy Rexy is a cross between "Seaspray" and "Dreaming" with Seaspray being the seed parent ("mother") and Dreaming the pollen parent ("father"). "AARS" following the description indicates that this variety was awarded an All American Rose Selection - the highest honor which can be bestowed on a rose variety in the United States. Sexy Rexy. Fl. McGredy. 1984. (Seaspray x Dreaming).
Species Roses These are the wild roses which began evolving tens of millions of years before the dawn of man. All other roses have been derived from species roses either through breeding or mutation or both. At least 150 rose species are known, the aggregate of which inhabit virtually every continent in the Northern Hemisphere from as far north as the Kamchatka Peninsula to as far south as Burma, Ethiopia and the southernmost parts of the United States. They vary from small suckering bushes a foot or so tall to gigantic climbers up to 60 feet. They have a simple flower pattern of five (or rarely four) petals surrounding a crown of bright yellow stamens. There are several species roses on display in the Centennial Garden, including R. canina, R. spinosissima, R. glauca, and R. moschata. Gallica Roses A group of very ancient roses. Known and cultivated by the Persians, Minoans, Mycenaeans, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Carthaginians. Imported into Rome in the first century A.D., these roses were carried to the farthest reaches of the Roman Empire, and thereby scattered halfway around the world. Rosa gallica (also named R. rubra) is a true species and the ultimate parent of many of our most beautiful modern roses. Gallicas make tidy, neat little bushes that hold their blossoms upright. They are not recurrent blooming but do produce beautiful hips later in summer. Their flowers have the unusual property of becoming more fragrant when dried. There are several Gallica roses in the Centennial Garden, such as Tuscany, Rosa Mundi, Gloire de France, and the Apothecary's Rose. Damask Roses Probably the most ancient group of roses remaining in cultivation. The Autumn Damasks were known to have been grown in heated houses by the Romans so that they would bloom out of season. Following the fall of Rome the Damasks disappeared and did not reappear in Europe until around the 1200's. According to legend, the Damasks were brought to the west by Crusaders returning from Damascus. As romantic and engaging as this story is, it has never been substantiated. The Damasks are mostly very thorny, lax shrubs with extremely fragrant blooms which arise in clusters of three to five. Several Damask Roses are represented in the Centennial Garden. Some of these are Mme. Hardy, Leda, and the Autumn Damask. Centifolia Roses Centifolias were complex hybrids probably developed in Holland during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. They are characterized by once-blooming very fully petalled double flowers. Fragrance is intense. Canes are long, thorny and sparsely foliated and spring up from the ground in all directions giving them a loose, untidy appearance. Rosa centifolia and Rose des Peintres are two Centifolia Roses represented in the Centennial Garden. Moss Roses The Moss Roses originated as sports from either the Centifolias or the Damasks. Both types are characterized by the mossy appearance of the calyx and stems. Those originating from the Autumn Damask Rose have sparse, woody, brownish moss and an autumn repeat bloom period. In contrast, those originating from the Centifolias have a heavy, soft green moss and bloom only once. Very popular in Victorian times, the Moss roses are represented here by the Common Moss, the Pink Moss, Louis Gimard, and others. Alba Roses These are healthy, vigorous plants with gray-green leaves and flowers which are either pure white, clear pink or pink-tinged. They include the forms and descendants of Rosa alba, which is believed to be the natural hybrid R. gallica x R. canina. Alba Roses are tall and upright with soft foliage and thorny canes. They are very fragrant and exhibit non recurrent blooming. Alba maxima and Rosa alba semi-plena represent this group in the Centennial Garden. China Roses Natives of China, these recurrent blooming roses were first discovered by European explorers in the late 1700's. These are a very important class of roses because they carry the natural mutation which enables them to bloom repeatedly throughout the year rather than only once, as is the case with most flowering perennial plants. China roses were bred extensively with European roses of the day and imparted this recurrent blooming trait to their progeny. Our modern recurrent blooming roses owe this property largely to the China Roses. They are generally rather small plants and are not particularly winter hardy. Stems and leaves are very smooth and thornless. In the Centennial Garden, Cecile Brunner and Hermosa represent this group. Tea Roses Originally called "Tea Scented Roses", this name was shortened to Tea Roses. They were so named because the original varieties of these plants produced flowers with a mild tea-like scent. They shared with the China Roses a propensity for recurrent blooming. When crossed with the Hybrid Perpetuals they gave rise to the Hybrid Tea - the most popular of the modern types of roses. Their weak points include lack of cold hardiness and an inclination toward droopiness. Tea Roses are represented in the Centennial Garden by Sombreuil, growing on the arbor. Noisette Roses The Noisettes are an interesting group of roses which originated in North America. They apparently resulted from a cross between a China Rose and a wild musk rose. This cross, made in the early 1800's by John Champneys, a South Carolina rice planter, became known as Champneys' Pink Cluster (see page 9). Champneys gave some of this material to his friend Philippe Noisette, a nurseryman, florist and rose grower, who produced a second generation cross from the original plant. He sent these to his brother in France, under the name Noisette, where they were further developed and refined. The Noisettes are handsome ever-blooming roses which, unfortunately, lack cold hardiness. We are hopeful that the two Noisettes in the Centennial Garden, Champneys Pink Cluster and Mme. Alfred Carriere, will be able to survive our sometimes cold winters. Bourbon Roses Bourbon Roses originated on Reunion Island (formerly called the Ile de Bourbon) presumably as a natural hybrid between China and Autumn Damask roses, which were used by local farmers as hedges. Seeds and plants of these new crosses were sent back to France where they were bred to produce numerous varieties of very popular roses. The Bourbons seem to have captured the favorable properties of each parent - more shapely flowers than the China Roses and more recurrent blooming than the Autumn Damasks. Many Bourbon Roses can be found here in the Centennial Garden, including Louise Odier, Charles Lawson and Commandant Beaurepaire. Hybrid Perpetual Roses The Hybrid Perpetuals are the direct ancestors of our modern Hybrid Tea Roses. Descendant from Gallica, China and Bourbon Roses, they were very popular during the late 1800's and early 1900's. The Hybrid Perpetuals have undergone three stages of development. The first stage yielded roses of the classic Old Garden form - tightly packed central petals surrounded by larger outer petals, sometimes with a button center. A later stage had large, full globular blooms. The most recent Hybrid Perpetuals began to resemble the modern Hybrid Tea Roses with long central petals and high centered flowers. This group originally included La France, which later became recognized as the prototype of our modern Hybrid Tea roses. There are several Hybrid Perpetuals in the Centennial Garden, including Roger Lambelin and Mrs. John Laing. Polyantha Roses Polyantha, meaning many flowered, Roses are important historically because they were ancestors of the modern Floribunda Roses. They were bred to produce massed color with less emphasis on the form of the individual bloom. The early breeding which led to Polyantha Roses began in France around 1860 at the nursery of Jean-Baptiste Guillot near Lyon. He crossed seedlings of the wild Rosa multiflora with dwarf forms of R. chinensis ultimately to produce the low growing, ever blooming Polyanthas of today. The delicate Marie Pavie, in the Statehood Roses Bed is an example of a Polyantha Rose. Hybrid Tea Roses The Hybrid Teas are the most important and popular of the contemporary roses. They were developed from crosses between Hybrid Perpetual cultivars and the Tea and China Roses. Hybrid Teas tend to lack cold hardiness owing to the influence of the China and Tea ancestry. However, because of their recurrent blooming habit, wide range of brilliant colors, high centered flower form and often rich fragrance, they are widely grown around the world. Among the many Hybrid Tea Roses on display in the Centennial Garden are Die Welt, Pristine, Color Magic, and Peace. Floribunda Roses The Floribunda roses were developed by crossing Hybrid Polyantha cultivars with Hybrid Teas. The result is a class of roses with many of the characteristics of the Hybrid Teas except that the flowers are generally smaller and borne in clusters (inflorescences) rather than singly. The plants tend to be lower growing than most Hybrid Teas and flower production is often greater. Floribundas are well suited as landscape plants, producing constant brilliant color throughout summer. In the Centennial Garden, Escapade, Sunsprite, Elizabeth of Glamis, and Europeana are excellent examples of Floribunda Roses. Grandiflora Roses Grandiflora Roses are often lumped together with the Hybrid Teas, but in general they produce smaller blooms and the bushes tend to be taller than Hybrid Teas. This class of roses was created by Dr. W.E. Lammerts around 1950 with his introduction of Queen Elizabeth. Other Grandifloras in the Centennial Garden are Lucky Lady and Tournament of Roses. Miniature Roses During the past twenty years, Miniature Roses have become very popular with both growers and exhibitors. They originated largely from crosses of Rosa chinensis 'Minima' with Hybrid Teas and others. To be classed as a miniature the plant is normally less than 18 inches tall with dwarf stems, leaves and flowers. Miniatures are excellent container and hanging basket plants. In the Centennial Garden two raised beds are devoted to these very popular roses. English Roses A new class of roses, the English Roses, or English Shrub Roses, has been developed by David Austin of Albrighton, England. Becoming more popular every year, these roses combine the fragrance and charm of the Old Garden Roses, with the recurrent bloom of modern roses. Blossoms are fully double and often quartered, but larger than most Old Garden Roses. The bushes are also more orderly in their growth habit. This group is represented by William Shakespeare, Graham Thomas, and Heritage in the Centennial Garden.
New roses are being created all the time. All cultivated roses originate ultimately from about four wild species roses which have been selected, crossed, and back-crossed perhaps hundreds of times over centuries to produce the thousands of varieties now available. Most new varieties are created using this process of selection and breeding. In addition, many types of roses will produce somatic mutations (sports) without human intervention. Normally these sports are of little value, but very occasionally one is found which equals or even surpasses the beauty of its parent. These, if they can be vegetatively propagated true to type, may become new varieties. The plants in this bed illustrate these two methods of creating new roses. The first rose, Granada, is a Hybrid Tea rose created in 1963 by Robert Lindquist. Several feet to its right is Garden Party, another Hybrid Tea produced in 1959 by Herb Swim. Granada and Garden Party are the parents of Double Delight, which is growing between them. Double Delight was hybridized by Swim and Ellis and was an All America Rose Selection for 1977. Some results of the cross are obvious. The flowers of Double Delight are creamy white (from Garden Party) but with strongly red tinted petal margins (from Granada). All three varieties are extremely fragrant (and susceptible to powdery mildew disease, as you may have noticed). The next variety is the famous Hybrid Tea rose Peace. Peace was created by the French breeder Francois Meilland and was introduced just after World War II (the effort to smuggle this rose of out France during the war makes a fascinating story in itself). Peace is perhaps the most popular rose of all time - it has been reported that at least 40 million Peace rose plants have been sold. The plant to the right of Peace is Chicago Peace, a sport of Peace, discovered in 1962. It displays all the favorable properties of its parent but in a deeper color range. To the right of Chicago Peace is another Peace sport, Flaming Peace. It was introduced in 1965 by Sam McGredy. Note its outrageous flower color. Many of our favorite roses have been created not by professionals but by amateur hybridizers. HamPic 1 for example, is a cross between Hamburger Phoenix and Picadilly. It was created in 1985 by Dr. Neil Adams, a member of both the Olympia and the Lewis County Rose Societies. La France represents a true landmark in the history of roses - the world's first Hybrid Tea. It was introduced over a hundred years ago by the eminent French rose breeder Jean-Baptiste Guillot, who claims to have found it growing in a bed of seedlings in his rose garden. Hence, its parentage is unknown. However, many of his contemporaries believed it to be a cross between a Hybrid Perpetual and a Tea Rose. Owing to its extraordinary form it was placed into an altogether new class of roses - the Hybrid Teas. La France had such a tremendous impact on the rose world that the date of its introduction, 1867, stands to this day as the dividing line between Old Garden Roses and Modern Roses. In June of 1867 a committee of 50 leading French rosarians met at Lyon to judge more than 1,000 new varieties. They voted overwhelmingly that this rose, above all others, should have the honor of bearing the name "La France" in honor of their country. As La France is considered to have been the first Hybrid Tea Rose, Queen Elizabeth was the first Grandiflora. In this century it has proven itself second in popularity only to Peace. When Queen Elizabeth was introduced by Dr. W.E. Lammerts in 1955 the American Rose Society created this new class of roses just to accommodate Queen Elizabeth. Since then there have been numerous other Grandiflora roses introduced including Tournament of Roses and Lucky Lady, which can be seen growing in the Modern Roses section of the Centennial Garden. Behind La France and Queen Elizabeth are a selection of English Shrub Roses - a new breed recently introduced by English breeder David Austin. These roses capture many of the lovely traits of the old roses, including fragrance, but are everblooming. The varieties on display here - William Shakespeare, Graham Thomas, and Heritage are among his most popular. Champneys' Pink Cluster. Noisette. (1811). Represents another, albeit less noteworthy, landmark in rose history. It was created by John Champneys, a wealthy South Carolina rice planter, by crossing a China Rose, "Parson's Pink China", with R. moschata (growing behind you). The result was this handsome, rangy rose with large open clusters of pink flowers. He gave cutting wood to his close friend Phillipe Noisette, a French nurseryman living in Charleston. Noisette, realizing the potential of this new rose, began propagating and breeding it extensively to create an entirely new class of roses called "Noisettes". Hence, John Champneys deserves the credit not only for producing the first Noisette Rose but also for incorporating the recurrent blooming gene from a China rose into western roses.
Beales, Peter. 1985. "Classic Roses." Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, New York. Members of the Centennial Garden Committee wish to thank the following individuals for their helpful reviews of the historical information presented above: Mike Darlow, Judi Dexter, Mary Rae Mattix, Jim Pressley, Jackie Trimble, and Jeff Wyckoff.
The following individuals and organizations have contributed supplies or funds to the Centennial Garden Foundation. Without their generosity and support the Garden would not exist. To them we offer sincere thanks. Supplies and Materials:
© 1997 Olympia Rose Society |
