New Roses

I just barely have room for two more roses in my garden; heirloom roses of course, because I have very little use for modern roses.  They aren’t cold hardy, they get diseases, they too often sacrifice “perfect” shape for scent.  I’d rather have a true old-fashioned rose shape, and a scent that can fill a garden, than a rose version of an anorexic blond supermodel.  🙂

So this year I scoured the internet (and I mean scoured – no one seems to sell this rose!) until I found a nursery that sells “Leda”.  She’s a damask rose, originating in England around 1827,  and here’s what my rose book says:

“At first the buds are a deep black-red, but they open to full white flowers whose individual petals are delicately caressed with a filigree of fire red, giving the blooms a hand-painted look.”  (Taken from ‘100 Old Roses for the American Garden’, by Clair G. Martin)

My second rose is one called “Mme Zoetman’s”.  I needed more white roses in my garden (I’ve only got one “Wild Spice”), so I was on the lookout for an old-fashioned white.  The internet says:

“A Damask rose from 1830. Scented like sandalwood, this rose inspires like the loveliest, most desirable layered-up, creamy, silk organza (hue of the flower is described above) with buds that appear modeled at the tips of young, tightly held petals in antique aubergine covered mostly in cream. The newest, just opening, buds are almost lime green.”