Sources

Along with the other noteworthy roses shown on these pages, the following old roses are favorites of rosarians for fragrance.

'Alba Semiplena' (an alba rose). White, extremely fragrant semidouble blooms; plant is disease resistant. 6 feet tall, 4 to 5 feet wide. Not a repeat bloomer.

'Mme Isaac Pereire'

'Belle Isis' (Gallica). Medium pink, wonderfully perfumed. 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide. Not a repeat bloomer.

Cabbage rose (Rosa centifolia). The rose in paintings by old Dutch masters. Medium to deep pink, heady perfume. 6 feet tall by 5 feet wide. Not a repeat bloomer.

'Comte de Chambord' (Portland). Silvery pink blooms; pungent, old-fashioned scent. 4 feet tall, 3 feet wide. Continuous bloomer.

'Crepuscule' (Noisette), sometimes sold as Twilight. Double blooms of gold with ruffled petals, strong fragrance. 12 feet tall by 6 feet wide. Repeat bloomer.

'Belle Isis'

"Darlow's Enigma" (ancestry unknown). Plant will grow in full shade. Small white blooms in clusters, richly fragrant. 8 feet tall by 6 feet wide. Repeat bloom.

'Ferdinand Pichard' (hybrid perpetual). Candy pink with stripes of deep crimson, aging to purple. 5 feet tall, 4 feet wide. Repeat bloomer.

'Francesca' (hybrid musk). Soft apricot semidouble blooms in clusters have the pungent fragrance of honeysuckle. 5 to 6 feet tall and as wide. Continuous bloomer.

'Henri Martin' (moss). Crimson red, many petals; strong, old rose fragrance. 5 to 7 feet tall by 6 feet wide. Not a repeat bloomer.

'Comte de Chambord'

'Mme Hardy' (damask). White bloom with a green eye, very fragrant. 6 feet tall by 4 feet wide. Not a repeat bloomer.

'Mme Isaac Pereire' (Bourbon). Raspberry purple; one of the most fragrant of all roses. 5 to 6 feet tall by 4 or 5 feet wide. Continuous bloomer.

'Reine des Violettes' (hybrid perpetual). Deep violet purple, marvelously fragrant. 7 feet tall by 5 or 6 feet wide. Continuous bloomer.

'Rose de Rescht' (Portland). Bright fuchsia, wonderful fragrance. Compact, 4 feet tall, 3 feet wide. Repeat bloomer.

'Souvenir de la Malmaison' (Bourbon). Light pink, spicy sweet. Compact, 4 to 5 feet tall, and 4 feet wide. Continuous bloomer.

SOURCES:

Arena Roses: (888) 466-7434 or www.arenaroses.com. Free catalog.

Edmunds' Roses: (503) 682-1476 or www.edmundsroses.com. Free catalog.

Heirloom Roses: (503) 538-1576 or www.heirloomroses.com. $5 catalog.