The garden centres are well stocked with containerised and container grown roses. There is a difference. The former have been potted up during the past winter. If they are not carefully removed from their container when planting the compost will fall off leaving you with bare roots. For years the bush roses have dominated the market but recently more and more old and new varieties of shrub, rambler and climbing roses have become available.
These are the roses of times past when perfume was everything. ‘Comte de Chambord’ is a Portland rose growing to 5 ft high with mid-pink double flowers throughout the summer and a fragrance all of its own.
The old moss roses have lost their popularity which is a shame as they are unique in looks and fragrance. ’Muscosa’ dates from the seventeenth century with mossy flower stems and sepals. It grows to 7 ft high with double, soft pink flowers for two months of the summer. Rose ‘Trigintipetala’ is older than some hills. Its origins are lost in the mists of time but has been grown since before Christianity for the manufacture of Attar of Roses perfume. It is a Damask species with soft pink flowers.
‘Blush Noisette’ is almost two hundred years old and is still in demand. Given support it will climb to 12-15 ft. The pale pink flowers open from crimson buds.The flowers appear throughout the summer and into early winter when they are a deeper pink. The perfume makes me think of cloves. Another favourite climbing noisette is the Old Glory Rose, ‘Gloire de Dijon’. It will flower all summer and autumn with highly perfumed, creamy-apricot, double flowers. Succeeding even on a North wall it will grow to 15 ft in height.
One of the best of the old rambler roses is ‘Francois Juranville’. It will grow to 20 ft in height, flowering in early summer. The orange-pink flowers are fully double with a good scent. ‘Russelliana’ is better known as the ‘Old Spanish Rose’ or ‘Russell’s Cottage Rose’. The stiff, thorny stems will reach 25 ft. It will succeed in the poorest of soil providing the roots don’t suffer from a lack of water. The unusual flowers are often green in the centre with purple-red petals fading to pink. The perfume is wonderful.
Of the American ramblers ‘Baltimore Belle’ with its pale pink, double flowers has the best fragrance. Shop around, you may get more than you bargained for.
The garden centres are well stocked with containerised and container grown roses. There is a difference. The former have been potted up during the past winter. If they are not carefully removed from their container when planting the compost will fall off leaving you with bare roots. For years the bush roses have dominated the market but recently more and more old and new varieties of shrub, rambler and climbing roses have become available. 
The old moss roses have lost their popularity which is a shame as they are unique in looks and fragrance. ’Muscosa’ dates from the seventeenth century with mossy flower stems and sepals. It grows to 
‘Blush Noisette’ is almost two hundred years old and is still in demand. Given support it will climb to 12-15 ft. The pale pink flowers open from crimson buds.The flowers appear throughout the summer and into early winter when they are a deeper pink. The perfume makes me think of cloves. Another favourite climbing noisette is the Old Glory Rose, ‘Gloire de Dijon’. It will flower all summer and autumn with highly perfumed, creamy-apricot, double flowers. Succeeding even on a North 
One of the best of the old rambler roses is ‘Francois Juranville’. It will grow to 20 ft in height, flowering in early summer. The orange-pink flowers are fully double with a good scent. ‘Russelliana’ is better known as the ‘Old Spanish Rose’ or ‘Russell’s Cottage Rose’. The stiff, thorny 
Of the American ramblers ‘Baltimore Belle’ with its pale pink, double flowers has the best fragrance. Shop around, you may get more than you bargained for. 
