Class: Damask Perpetual

Rose du Roi Photo © 1999 Geneva Botanical Garden David & Crenagh Elliott, used with permission

"This group was the only repeat-blooming one known to the Europeans until the advent of the China roses. It had indeed been known seemingly in at least one variety ('Bifera') since Roman times. Another cultivar ('Tous-les-Mois') appeared in the 17th century, and breeding work in earnest began on them in the 1810's. Vibert and his successors in his firm had a very great interest in this group, and introduced by far the greatest number of them, the last one ('Rembrandt') of their long-pursued line coming out in 1883. They typically have stocky, healthy, decorative bushes, with the often exquisitely double, fragrant blossoms nestling in the leaves. There are several races of them: the Biferas, with tall, arching growth; the Portlands, showing Gallica influence; the Tous-les-Mois, the typical sort, bushy and compact with tight blossoms; and the Trianons, tall, vigorous, Hybrid-Perpetual like growth with clusters of flowers. The colors range from white through all the pinks to deepest red. 'Jacques Cartier', `Yolande d'Aragon', `Portland Rose', `Rose du Roi', `Joasine Hanet', `Marbree'."
- Brent C. Dickerson odinthor@csulb.edu, author, "The Old Rose Advisor"

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