Antique/heirloom/rare Roses?

linzelu100 · June 21, 2013

I would like to have a special rose garden with unique roses to enjoy. Are there heirloom roses? If so how would I go about finding them for my garden? I ask because roses aren't generally grown from seed so the difficulty level for getting some must be high. I can't remember where exactly I was looking, but I saw Remy's (from the sample seed shop) pictures of beautiful roses she cared for and I was moved. Now I'd like to do something similar but do not know where to start.

Thank you,
Lindsey

Dak · June 21, 2013

Try rosesofyesterday.com

tlintx · June 21, 2013

Roses are generally cloned. Sometimes on their own roots, sometimes on Dr. Huey. Which is a vigorous, climbing, lovely color in the heat, rose that has only one drawback - it only blooms once a year.

The different rose forms are diverse and all have proponents.

I grow floribunda because I like the flower shape, the growth habit, and the way they bloom practically year round here. But I don't think they could be considered heirloom.

Actual heirlooms:
https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/

I also like these, but they are not heirloom as we define it, just beautiful and frilly.
http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/Advanced.asp

The one kind I don't care for is the hybrid teas -- too fussy and too few blooms for me. But I somehow ended up with three anyway.

linzelu100 · June 21, 2013

roses of yesterday have some very nice old roses for sale.

Angel Face. Floribunda. was very nice.

I don't want just older roses- I just thought having some with history would add interest.

I gravitate towards peach roses. If I am not careful that's all I will end up with and I won't have a good variety of color.

Lindsey

tlintx · June 21, 2013

If you like the peach, go for it!!!

There are lots of "storied" roses, but you have to be sure they'll bloom the way you want without any undue hassles, pests, or diseases. I couldn't have a once a year bloomer in my garden -- I don't have the space and it would bug me every time I saw it. But if I had more space, or a formal rose garden, I wouldn't mind as much because I could plant a repeat bloomer in front of it.

In my heat, with the location I have in full sun, the rose flowers "blow out" pretty quickly, sometimes in as little as a day. So that's another thing to consider.

roper2008 · June 21, 2013

Have you checked out the rose forum at garden web?

habitat_gardener · June 22, 2013

I used to live next door to a big private rose garden (about 300 plants) and helped out with the pruning and deadheading. It was mostly hybrid teas, with a few grandifloras, climbers, and floribundas. I sort of liked working with prickly plants, but I would not plant any of those in my own garden.

What I would plant, if I had the room (=if I had enough space left over after planting all the tomatoes I wanted, plus all the other herbs and edibles and pollinator plants and natives), would be a rugosa. The foliage is tougher and prettier (rugose and glossy). I saw a single magenta one at a community garden last week and at first didn't even know it was a rose. Very fragrant, too!

I'd encourage you to see the roses in person before you buy them -- test-drive the shape/habit of the plants, their fragrance, and their color. Unless you want to spend all your time tending the roses, look for ones that are easy care and disease free.

Looking at the Roses of Yesterday catalog reminds me of looking at tomato catalogs: the descriptions are enticing, but if you know some of the plants, you know that the qualifier in every case is "at its best" and "in ideal conditions." You just know that the nursery is describing their favorite children, so they are loath to reveal any faults (or are blind to them). I knew a lot of the hybrid teas on that list and, yes, occasionally the fragrance or color was as stunning as described, but more often the bush was plagued with problems or had some idiosyncratic growth habit that did not work well in the garden. Often colors changed with the weather, or got faded out in midsummer. Some roses never opened at all.

So anyway, find a big public rose garden in your climate and go visit and ask questions. Here's one:
http://www.hartwoodroses.com/index.php

June 21, 2013	#1
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	Antique/heirloom/rare Roses? I would like to have a special rose garden with unique roses to enjoy. Are there heirloom roses? If so how would I go about finding them for my garden? I ask because roses aren't generally grown from seed so the difficulty level for getting some must be high. I can't remember where exactly I was looking, but I saw Remy's (from the sample seed shop) pictures of beautiful roses she cared for and I was moved. Now I'd like to do something similar but do not know where to start. Thank you, Lindsey

June 22, 2013	#7
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,540	I used to live next door to a big private rose garden (about 300 plants) and helped out with the pruning and deadheading. It was mostly hybrid teas, with a few grandifloras, climbers, and floribundas. I sort of liked working with prickly plants, but I would not plant any of those in my own garden. What I would plant, if I had the room (=if I had enough space left over after planting all the tomatoes I wanted, plus all the other herbs and edibles and pollinator plants and natives), would be a rugosa. The foliage is tougher and prettier (rugose and glossy). I saw a single magenta one at a community garden last week and at first didn't even know it was a rose. Very fragrant, too! I'd encourage you to see the roses in person before you buy them -- test-drive the shape/habit of the plants, their fragrance, and their color. Unless you want to spend all your time tending the roses, look for ones that are easy care and disease free. Looking at the Roses of Yesterday catalog reminds me of looking at tomato catalogs: the descriptions are enticing, but if you know some of the plants, you know that the qualifier in every case is "at its best" and "in ideal conditions." You just know that the nursery is describing their favorite children, so they are loath to reveal any faults (or are blind to them). I knew a lot of the hybrid teas on that list and, yes, occasionally the fragrance or color was as stunning as described, but more often the bush was plagued with problems or had some idiosyncratic growth habit that did not work well in the garden. Often colors changed with the weather, or got faded out in midsummer. Some roses never opened at all. So anyway, find a big public rose garden in your climate and go visit and ask questions. Here's one: http://www.hartwoodroses.com/index.php Last edited by habitat_gardener; June 22, 2013 at 02:37 AM.

June 21, 2013	#2
Dak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: CA Posts: 494	Try rosesofyesterday.com

June 21, 2013	#3
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	Roses are generally cloned. Sometimes on their own roots, sometimes on Dr. Huey. Which is a vigorous, climbing, lovely color in the heat, rose that has only one drawback - it only blooms once a year. The different rose forms are diverse and all have proponents. I grow floribunda because I like the flower shape, the growth habit, and the way they bloom practically year round here. But I don't think they could be considered heirloom. Actual heirlooms: https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/ I also like these, but they are not heirloom as we define it, just beautiful and frilly. http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/Advanced.asp The one kind I don't care for is the hybrid teas -- too fussy and too few blooms for me. But I somehow ended up with three anyway.

June 21, 2013	#6
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	Have you checked out the rose forum at garden web?