Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Need Input for Strong Old English Scented Roses

sehmbigsehmbig Posts: 4
in Plants
Hello rose experts,
I am a novice rose grower. I am looking to remove unknown rose varieties in my garden, and replace them with roses of a strong old English traditional scent as near as possible.
I have just bought David Austin Gertrude Jekyll and Gabriel Oak, and Lady of Shalott( more for colour). I don't have a very large garden, so space is a premium. 
Which are the most fragrant roses in your opinion, that I should be looking at? I live in London, so mild conditions.
«1

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    If you are replacing roses you need to consider this
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/replant-disease
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I've had many roses over the years and Gertrude Jekyll is by far the most scented of the ones I've grown. I had 4 in my front garden and was often asked its name due to the amazing fragrance.
    I did have Souvenir du Docteur Jamain which was also strongly scented, but it didn't perform very well despite being in a slightly shady spot. A shame as it was a beautiful rose.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited February 2022
    What type of roses are you most interested in? Climbers, shrubs, hedging, carpet?

    "Old English Scented roses".

    Do you mean roses with an 'old English scent'? I'm not sure there are 'old English roses' as the parentage ultimately comes from alll over the world - gallicas, damasks, portlands & bourbons. Other will correct me if I'm wrong. David Austin coined the term "English roses" for his own creations - modern fusions.

    There's type of scent that is strong when you stick your nose in a bloom, and the type of scent that wafts. It kind of depends what you are looking for.

    It's also probably best to buy really healthy roses when starting out. There are some ones with gorg scent that need a lot of work and get ill a lot, so not great when starting out. Gertrude Jekyll is often cited as one of the ones with the most powerful scent, so you have start off well. If you get a chance in May/June, maybe visit some rose gardens and try out the scent of a lot of roses and see which ones you love most. It can be quite personal - each person can detect different notes.

    As B noted above, there are often problems with planting a rose right in the spot where one had been before.


    Welcome to the forum.



  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I wanted to replace an old Iceberg rose with the same .I dug up the old one and then removed all the soil to a few feet around, barrowed the soil to a different part of the garden and swapped the soil. Not sure if it was the right thing to do as it seemed drastic at the time but the new rose thrived and no rose sickness. I sometimes think if other plants such as some shrubs are replaced with the same they can also struggle.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • sehmbigsehmbig Posts: 4
    Fire said:
    What type of roses are you most interested in? Climbers, shrubs, hedging, carpet?

    "Old English Scented roses".

    Do you mean roses with an 'old English scent'? I'm not sure there are 'old English roses' as the parentage ultimately comes from alll over the world - gallicas, damasks, portlands & bourbons. Other will correct me if I'm wrong. David Austin coined the term "English roses" for his own creations - modern fusions.

    There's type of scent that is strong when you stick your nose in a bloom, and the type of scent that wafts. It kind of depends what you are looking for.

    It's also probably best to buy really healthy roses when starting out. There are some ones with gorg scent that need a lot of work and get ill a lot, so not great when starting out. Gertrude Jekyll is often cited as one of the ones with the most powerful scent, so you have start off well. If you get a chance in May/June, maybe visit some rose gardens and try out the scent of a lot of roses and see which ones you love most. It can be quite personal - each person can detect different notes.

    As B noted above, there are often problems with planting a rose right in the spot where one had been before.


    Welcome to the forum.



    Yes I do mean roses with an 'old English scent'.

    I have noted the issue with removing old roses, so will recondition the area with compost and fertilizer. I am only going to pull out one red rose with no scent, and am going to plant 'near' another one rather than pull it out (if that works). The others are in pots.

    I am initially concerned with the scent more than whether it is a bush or a climber, and would prefer those that give a scent that wafts out (so many options!).
    I get your point about choosing healthy hardy ones that are less work. I think I will grow Gertrude Jekyll as a climber right outside the kitchen door to the garden.

    Thanks a lot.
  • gjautosgjautos Posts: 429
    If its old roses you are after, Trevor White roses are specialists. They list by category too. 
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    Eustacia Vye is a favourite of mine for scent colour and health. She is a DA rose, if you want a white try Desdemona I love her. 
  • owd potterowd potter Posts: 979
    There is another issue that many of us here have been affected by. 
    They are addictive, and there appears to be no cure.
    Beware, you have been warned.
    Just another day at the plant...
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I have chosen my roses for scent and colour mostly (rather than healthiness, habit, blooming capacity etc). My scent favs are Creme de la Creme (which still makes me swoon after ten years), Ena Harkess for the roses on one day one of opening, and Dr Jamain (green aple, very complicated) a rose that is pretty hard work. But none of those I find to be wafty, so I don't smell at all them when in the garden, only when my nose is right inside the rose. I have planted Munstead Wood this winter and have high hopes of that. I also have Deep Secret and Papa Meilland, but can't comment on those yet.

    I read recently that scented reds / dark roses are more known to reliably pack a scent punch than other colours (which is not to say there are not many other colours of scented roses out there).

    I also grow roses as cut flowers. A wafty rose is more likely to perfume your home if  bring them in - like freesias do.
Sign In or Register to comment.