ALL ABOUT ROSES
Old Garden Roses and 'Vintage' Roses
GETTING TO KNOW THE OGR'S: THE BOURBON ROSES
by Carol Cohen, New Hampshire
The Bourbon roses have a very special history. They originated on an island, located in the Indian Ocean, now known as Reunion, which was originally a French colony and called Isle de Bourbon. Bourbon was the name of the last royal family of France so don't pronounce the rose like the whiskey. Say boor-bone , with the n barely sounded.
The farmers of the island bordered their fields with hedges of ‘Old Blush' (also known as ‘Parsons' Pink China') and ‘Autumn Damask', and a natural cross occurred between these two different classes of roses some time early in the nineteenth century. A French botanist realized that nature had created something very special and took some specimens back to France. Its remontant (reblooming) habit, inherited from its China parent, made it very valuable to the nurserymen, who began to create new varieties from it.
The form of the Bourbon rose may be cup-like or flat and quartered, the bloom has a strong damask fragrance, and the plants are very generous with their blooms. Like many of the OGR's, the colors are white and shades of red and pink. In warm climates they may grow quite large and can even be used as climbers. There are two flaws in this lovely class of roses: they are not reliably cold-hardy and they are prone to blackspot.
The form of the Bourbon rose may be cup-like or flat and quartered, the bloom has a strong damask fragrance, and the plants are very generous with their blooms. Like many of the OGR's, the colors are white and shades of red and pink. In warm climates they may grow quite large and can even be used as climbers. There are two flaws in this lovely class of roses: they are not reliably cold-hardy and they are prone to blackspot.
Some of the most popular Bourbons are: ‘Louise Odier'--dark pink; ‘La Reine Victoria'--medium pink; ‘Mme. Isaac Pereire'--dark pink; ‘Honorine de Brabant'--pink blend' ‘Boule de Neige'--white; ‘Variegata di Bologna'--red blend; ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison'--light pink; and ‘Zephirine Drouhin'--medium pink. The last rose named is the famous thornless rose.
Are Bourbons hardy in New Hampshire? Mike Lowe grows 70 varieties in his Nashua garden, which has an unusually mild microclimate. He recommends four in particular--among the most beautiful of the class, he says, although less well known. See the list below for a description of them. Whether they will work in your garden will depend on your microclimate and method of winter protection.
‘Charles Lawson'
The hardiest and biggest, but a once bloomer. It has vivid rose to brilliant pink flowers that are large and full and grow in clusters. In New Hampshire it grows 8-10 feet.
Are Bourbons hardy in New Hampshire? Mike Lowe grows 70 varieties in his Nashua garden, which has an unusually mild microclimate. He recommends four in particular--among the most beautiful of the class, he says, although less well known. See the list below for a description of them. Whether they will work in your garden will depend on your microclimate and method of winter protection.
‘Charles Lawson'
The hardiest and biggest, but a once bloomer. It has vivid rose to brilliant pink flowers that are large and full and grow in clusters. In New Hampshire it grows 8-10 feet.
‘Omer Pacha'
Omer PachaOne of Mike's favorites, it has large, double flowers that may have bluish-purple centers with white to light pink edges or deep pink centers and white edges. In either case the effect is startling. It is very floriferous and is truly remontant. Its one failing is that it needs protection, which is hard to apply because it grows too big for a rose cone. It must be fall-pruned to fit under a cone.
‘Catherine Guillot'
This is a repeater with large, clear, pink double flowers. The bush has branching and bowered canes.
‘Captaine Dyel de Graville'
This dwarf Bourbon is, in Mike's opinion, the most beautiful and hardy of the class. The blooms are a beautiful fresh pink with a darker center. It exceeds its parent ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison' in being larger, fuller, and more vigorous and recurrent.
Omer PachaOne of Mike's favorites, it has large, double flowers that may have bluish-purple centers with white to light pink edges or deep pink centers and white edges. In either case the effect is startling. It is very floriferous and is truly remontant. Its one failing is that it needs protection, which is hard to apply because it grows too big for a rose cone. It must be fall-pruned to fit under a cone.
‘Catherine Guillot'
This is a repeater with large, clear, pink double flowers. The bush has branching and bowered canes.
‘Captaine Dyel de Graville'
This dwarf Bourbon is, in Mike's opinion, the most beautiful and hardy of the class. The blooms are a beautiful fresh pink with a darker center. It exceeds its parent ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison' in being larger, fuller, and more vigorous and recurrent.
Omer Pacha
