Old Roses

Rosa centifolia , The Cabbage Rose, has been in cultivation for hundreds of years. It is a shame that the fragrance cannot be captured on the computer. This plant has been in Mom's family forever. It grew at my grandfather's house with his first wife, and there's no telling how long her family had grown the plant.

Rosa 'Glamis Castle' is not an old rose at all , but one of the wonderful creations of hybridizer David Austin. I am extremely pleased with this "new old rose," as it has the habit, form, color, and scent of the timeless classics.

From the 1860s , Rosa 'Marechal Niel' has been a popular rose over the years. In fact, it was my mother's mother's favorite rose , and her mother's mother ,Mary Julia Bondurant, grew it. A noisette, Niel grows tall and stringy, is slow to establish, and unfriendly toward cold weather. For these reasons, other yellow climbers, often with Niel heritage, have replaced the original in most modern gardens. Still, though, the picture shows what a wonderful yellow the old fellow can produce, and why it still deserves a place in southern gardens.

From the 1880's , 'Cecile Brunner' or 'The Sweetheart Rose' still has no equal. Profuse, little , fragrant flowers adorn the graceful shrub. This is another rose that has been handed down through the generations in my family, originally belonging to my father's mother's mother.

Easily one of the best climbers , New Dawn is as easy to grow as it is showy.