Avagara Review:
Heirloom Old Garden Roses

Heirloom Old Garden Roses produces a wonderful combination of catalog, reference tool and introduction to a philosophy of rose culture. John and Louise Clements go all out in their 1997 catalog. It has 120 pages of descriptions of over 1,000 old garden roses, including size of plant, time of bloom, shade tolerance and hardiness information and the date when the rose was introduced, if known. The listings are grouped by variety. In addition, there are articles, some books, garden tools, and supplies for sale and an index. In addition, there are 200 color photographs of roses, most by Louise Clements. Of course, the catalog also includes ordering and shiping information.

The Philosophy of Own-Root Roses

The philosophy of Heirloom Old Garden Roses is to sell only roses grown on their own roots. Most roses sold, at least in the USA, are buds grafted onto a rootstock. Heirloom claims that own root roses are more winter hardy, live longer, perform better, do not produce suckers of a different type rose and are less likely to suffer from rose virus. "There is no doubt that the majority of roses sold in America today are infected with rose virus," the catalog states, due to the indiscriminate use of virus-contaminated root stocks.

The joy of old garden roses

If you grew up in the U.S., you may have thought that these old garden roses with romantic names (like Reveil Dijonnais shown here) disappeared because they were hard to grow or not as attractive. But neither of these statements is true. These roses are much easier to care for than hybrid teas and are more attractive for just about every purpose except possibly winning rose shows. Many are roses that can be planted as shrubs or in a perennial garden rather than in a separate rose garden. Except for clipping off dead tips at the end of the winter, they are care-free, if you choose.

Not all old garden roses are old. The American Rose Society introduced the designation "old garden roses" to describe not only old roses but also new rose varieties in the old classes (such as bourbons and centifolias). An old garden rose is any rose in a class that existed before 1867, the year of the introduction of the hybrid tea rose.

A congeries of old rose varieties

Very few of the roses in the Heirloom catalog are the hybrid tea roses that most garden centers promote. You won't find floribundas in this catalog. Instead, these are old roses, many of which were around long before hybrid teas were introduced in the 1860s. There are also more recent varieties, bred in the spirit of the old roses such as English roses, which are roses bred by David Austin since the 1960s (there are 88 varieties of Engish roses alone). Special sections group roses by theme, such as "Roses for Growing into Trees." Roses may be listed in more than one section.

These are the varieties and catgories listed in Heirloom OGR:

• Albas
• Hybrid albas
• Bourbons
• Centifolias
• China roses and their hybrids
• Damasks
• English roses
• English roses for collectors (older varieties)
• English-style roses
• Gallicas
• Ground cover roses
• Handpainted roses
• American winter hardy roses
• Canadian hardy roses
• Hybrid musks
• Hybrid teas, extremely fragrant, virus indexed
• Hybrid perpetuals
• Landscape roses by Meidiland
• Landscape roses by other hybridizers
• Large flowered climbers
• Moss roses
• Noisettes
• Patio roses
• Polyanthas
• Portland roses
• Rambling roses
• Rugosas and their hybrids
• Shrub roses
• Single roses
• Species and species hybrids
• Tea roses
• Roses for growing into trees
• Miniature roses
• Roses of unusual color

Albas

Albas are elegant roses. Yet they are very hardy, disease-resistant, and low-maintenance. As the name implies, most are white or pale pink. Heirloom OGR lists 10 varieties.

• Alba maxima (1500s)
• Alba semi-plena (Before 1600)
• Belle amour (No date)
• Celestial (Very old)
• Felicite parmentier (1836)
• Great maiden's blush (Before the 15th century)
• Mme. Legras de St. Germain (1846)
• Pompom blanc parfait (1876)
• Rosee de matin (Before 1848)
• Small maiden's blush (1797)

Hybrid albas

Hybrid albas are mostly recent crosses between albas and another rose. The listing includes 6 of the Blush series of hybrid albas bred by Rolf Sievers of Kiel, Germany. There is also the Alexandra Rose (1994) bred by David Austin, and Mme. Plantier (1835), an alba/noisette hybrid.

Bourbons

Bourbons come in many colors and many have repeat blooms. They are hardy through zone 5 or 6. These are the roses of early Victorian England. Heirloom OGR has 12 varieties.

• Boule de neige (1867)
• Bourbon queen (1835) (reintroduction)
• Honorine de brabant (1800s)
• Louise Odier (1851)
• Mme. Ernst Calvat (1888)
• Mme. Isaac Pereire (1881)
• Mme. Pierre Oger (1878)
• Red souvenir de la malmaison (1846)
• Reine Victoria (1872)
• Souvenir de la malmaison (1843)
• Variegata di bologna
• Zephirine Drouhin (1868)

Centifolias

The cabbage roses are as old as the Romans and were painted by the Dutch Masters. The class has large shrubs and smaller bushes called centifolia pompoms. Flowers tend to pink. They are hardy to zone 4. Heirloom carries 7, with 2 pompom type.

• Fantin-latour (1800s)
• Gros choux d'holland (very old)
• Juno (1832)
• Paul Ricault (1845)
• Pompom de bourgogne
• Rose de meaux (rosa centifolia pomponia) (1829)
• The bishop (1900s)

Damasks

Damask refers to Damascus, Syria, and these roses are said to have been brough back to Europe by the Crusaders. Others say the Romans may have brought this rose to England. White or pink color. Hardy zones 4 to 9. Heirloom OGR lists 12.

• Bella donna (before 1848)
• Botzaris (1856)
• Celsiana (prior to 1750)
• Hebe's lip (1912)
• Ispahan (before 1832)
• Kazanlik (rosa damascena trigintipetala) (ancient)
• La ville de Bruxelles (1849)
• Leda (1849)
• Mme Hardy (1832)
• Quatre saisons (rosa damascena bifera) (ancient)
• Rosa damascena semperflorens (autumn damask) (before 1819)
• York and Lancaster (before 1550)

Gallicas

The Greeks and Romans grew gallica roses. Later, the French and the Dutch loved to breed them. Colors range from pink through purple and include some striped varieties. They are hardy to zone 4. In very warm regions, they must be forced into dormancy to bloom well. Heirloom OGR lists 18, with 11 additional listed as "grown in limited quantities".

• Alain Blanchard (1839)
• Alika (rosa gallica grandiflora) (prior to 1906)
• Apothecary's Rose (rosa gallica officinalis) (12th century or earlier)
• Belle de Credy (prior to 1850)
• Belle Isis (1845)
• Camaieux (1840)
• Cardinal de Richelieu (1840)
• Charles de Mills (1800s)
• Complicata (hybrid canina/gallica) (No date)
• Duc de Guiche (1835)
• Duchesse de Monebello (1829)
• Georges Vibert (1853)
• Jenny Duval (1836)
• Le belle sultane (1795)
• Rosa mundi (rosa gallica versicolor) (12th century)
• Sissinghurst castle (1947)
• Tuscany superb (1848)
• "William Grant" (unknown, possibly 1915-1917)

Hybrid Musks

Hybrid Musks are a twentieth century contribution to old garden roses. The introduction dates shows that their development continues strong. Colors are in the mid range of pink, yellow and apricot. The shrub size varies. All give repeat flowering. Hardy at least to zone 6. Heirloom OGR offers 27 varieties.

• Autumn delight (1933)
• Ballerina (1937)
• Belinda (1936)
• Bloomfield dainty (1924)
• Bridget (1996)
• Buff beauty (1939)
• Cornelia (1925)
• Dancing in the wind (1995)
• Doctor Robert Korns (1996)
• Erfurt (1939)
• Felicia (1928)
• Francesca (1928)
• Grandma's lace (1994)
• La bonne maison (1997) New at HOGR
• Lavender lassie (1960)
• Lyda rose (1994)
• Moonlight (1913)
• Mozart (1937)
• Pax (1918)
• Penelope (1924)
• Poema (1933) New at HOGR
• Prosperity (1919)
• Red ballerina (1978)
• Sally Holmes (1976)
• Trier (1904)
• Vanity (1920)
• Wilhelm (1944)

Hybrid Perpetuals

These are the late Victorian roses. The flowers are large and the colors tend to deep pink, crimson or purple. They are hardy to zone 5. Heirloom OGR carries 11 varieties.

• Ardoisee de Lyon (1858)
• Baron Girod de l'Ain (1897)
• Baronne Prevost (1842)
• Duchesse de Rohan (1860)
• Ferdinand Pichard (1921)
• Frau Karl Druschki (1901) (white flowers)
• General Jacqueminot (1853)
• Heinrich Schultheis (1882)
• La reine (1842)
• Reine des violettes (1860)
• Souvenir du Dr. Jamain (1853)

Moss Roses

Another Victorian favorite, though the original dates to 1727. The "moss" is a growth on the sepals that fanciers find novel and attractive. Their size runs from miniatures to 8-foot climbers. Some bloom once, others continuously. Heirloom OGR has 15 offerings, mostly pink with some reds and whites. Hardy to zone 4.

• Alfred de dalmas (1855)
• Dresden doll (1975)
• Fairy moss (1969)
• Gloire des mousseux (1852)
• Heidi (1978)
• Henri Martin (1863)
• Honest Abe (1978)
• Hunslet moss (rediscovered 1984)
• Mme. William Paul (1869)
• Nuits de young (1845)
• Old pink moss (1727)
• Salet (1854)
• Shailer's white moss (1788)
• Striped moss (Oeillet panachee) (1888)
• William Lobb (Old velvet moss) (1855)

Noisettes

Noisettes, the first American-bred rose, are said to be hardy only to zone 7. Yet stories persist of Noisettes growing in the Hudson valley. Most are yellow, a few pink. Heirloom features just 5 varieties.

• Claire Jacquier (1888)
• Crepuscule (1904)
• Lamarque (1830)
• Marechal Niel (1864) (Zone 8)
• Mme. Alfred Carriere (1879) (Zone 5-6?)

Polyanthas

Polyanthas bridge between minature roses and shrubs, 1 to 3 feet. The flowers are small but profuse. All repeat bloom and many are continuous bloomers. All rose colors are represented, including some violet-blue. They are hardy to zone 4. Heirloom OGR offers 14 varieties.

• Baby faurax (1924)
• Britainnia (1929)
• Mlle Cecile Brunner (1881)
• China doll (1946)
• Ellen Poulsen (1911)
• Jean Mermoz (1937)
• Lovely fairy (1993)
• Marie Pavie (1888)
• Mr. Bluebird (1960)
• Nathalie Nypels (1919)
• Perle d'or (Yellow Cecile Brunner) (1884)
• The fairy (1932)
• White Mlle Cecile Brunner (1909)
• Yesterday (1974)

Portlands

Portlands, once known as Damask perpetuals, are smaller shrubs (3' to 4') with repeat or continuous blooms of red, pink or purple. They are hardy to zone 4. Heriloom OGR features 9 varieties.

• Arthur de sansal (1855)
• Comte de chambord (1860)
• Duchess of Portland (Prior to 1809)
• Jacques Cartier (1868)
• Rembrandt (1883)
• Rose de rescht (very old)
• Rose du roi a fleurs pourpres (1819)
• Sydonie (1847)
• Yolande d'aragon (1843)

Tea Roses

Before there were hybrid teas, China gave us tea roses. The full range of rose colors are found, from creamy white through yellow, orange and red. Many are repeat bloomers. However, their tropical origins limit them to zones 7 to 10. Heirloom OGR offers 11.

• Billard et barre (1898)
• Cl. devoniensis (1858)
• Fortune's double yellow (1845)
• Fortune's five colored rose (1840s)
• Francis Dubreuil (1894)
• Lady Hillingdon (1910)
• Climbing Lady Hillingdon (1917)
• Lorrine Lee (1924)
• Mrs. Dudley Cross (1902)
• Sombreuil (1850)
• Tipsy Imperial Concubine (1989)

Ordering and shipping

The roses in this year's catalog are mostly $10.95 for a one-year old rose grown on its own roots. The plant comes to you growing in a 6" tree seedling pot (dormant if shipped from December to February). A one-year old rose is not very big, but roses are pretty sturdy plants. I am planting my Heirloom roses in their own bed for a year before putting them in the perennial garden, because I have perennials that grow so big they would overshadow the baby roses. By year two, though, the roses should hold their own.

By the way, the first rose I ordered was in bad shape when it arrived and didn't make it. When I called, Heirloom OGR quickly sent a replacement.

The Heirloom Old Garden Roses catalog is $5, which is not refundable with the first order. But it is worth the price, and if you do order, the next catalog is sent to you without charge.

Heriloom Old Garden Roses
24062 Riverside Drive N.E.
St. Paul, Oregon 97137

Phone: 503.538.1576
Fax: 503.538.5902

The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Pacific Time. Closed on Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day (US).

There is a webpage address listed in the catalog, but it has not worked when I have tried it.