Old Garden Roses: Timeless Beauty and Toughness

Old Garden Roses: Timeless Beauty and Toughness

Old Garden Roses (pre-1867, before the first hybrid tea) include bourbons, noisettes, portlands, species, centifolias, albas, chinas, damasks, hybrid perpetuals, moss roses, gallicas, and teas. Mostly from Europe and Asia, they're the ancestors of modern roses.

Characteristics

Pastel colors, usually single-bloom (annual), but intensely fragrant. Their yearly show signals summer's arrival. They're exceptionally hardy, disease-resistant, and versatile—surviving extremes that kill modern roses.

Planting

Full sun (6+ hours), open area away from shade trees. Well-drained, fertile soil. Add generous manure/compost months ahead to settle. Dig 1 ft wide/deep hole, untangle roots, plant, backfill, water deeply. Water daily for 3 weeks, then as needed.

Low-Maintenance Care

Mulch heavily—suppresses weeds, holds moisture. Rarely need spraying; diseases seldom debilitate them. They're self-maintaining survivors.

For fragrance, history, and resilience, add an Old Garden Rose to your landscape.