Old-fashioned roses :
Once flowering shrub :
Damask, Alba, Gallica , Centifolia & Moss
Our collection of true old-fashioned damask, alba, gallica, centifolia & moss varieties that have been treasured by rose growers, great and humble, throughout Europe and the world, for hundreds of years. These grow in bush, shrub or short climber forms. Most flower just the once in late spring to early summer, but because they spend the whole season building up to the show, it is a magnificent one. Making flowers is very hard work for plants, so only having to do it once means they can thrive with less food and water than the greedy repeat flowerers. Most of these roses have very attractive foliage and hips which keep them interesting when not flowering.
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Anais Segales (1837)
Gallica. Charming old-fashioned purple flowers cover this vigorous bush in early spring. One of the first roses to bloom. Very easy to grow, beautiful perfume, and suckers freely, so plenty of bits to give away ! small plants available soon
Antonia d’Ormois (1835)
Gallica She makes a sprawling bush or short climber, with multitudes of very double tissuey soft pink and white flowers with a divine scent in early summer. A once flowerer, but certainly worth the wait. sold out
Belle de Crecy (1836)
Gallica. I always really enjoyed this rose as a grafted bush in Auckland. It was a tidy bush under 1m with very few thorns and lovely violet purple flat blooms. Strong gallica perfume. Since I moved to the Waikato I’m growing a cutting from the original bush Already after only 1 full season growing it is a lanky arching shrub of 1.5m. Oh dear, need to make the garden bigger…sold out
Botzaris (1856)
Strong but lax growth. Beautiful, pristine white flowers with full petals that recurve. Damask fragrance. available now
Cardinal de Richelieu (1847)
Slatey purple gallica. About 1.5m sold out
Charles de Mills (before 1786)
Gallica. very flat red/purple flowers in early summer on a suckering shortish bush. Suckers madly! suckers available again autumn
Chloris (1815)
There is some confusion/argument about the bloodlines of this rose. It is listed as an Alba, and is certainly very pale for a Gallica, but I find it’s growth habit (madly suckering and not too tall) also lack of thorns, as more typical Gallica. Whatever she is, she is really lovely!!!Available now
Complicata (old)
Gallica. Giant arching shrub or small climber with masses of beautiful , huge single pink and white blooms. It has distinctive yellow stamens which really set off the flowers. It is very fast growing. available now
Damascena versicolor (ancient) aka York and Lancaster
This is one of the original damask roses with flowers of pink and white on the same bush (acutally more just pale pink). Arching growth, delicious scent. sold out
de la Grifferaie (1845)
This rose is a gallica x multiflora rose and has definitely inherited the best traits from both it’s parents. A plant that is almost thornless and grows like a weed but to all intents and purposes looks and smells like a gallica! A wonderful sprawling bush studded with superb lilac pink very double flowers. Can be prone to blackspot after flowering available now
Duc de Cambridge (1840 )
Damask. This shrub is a vigorous grower and produces strong pink flowers with the usual delightful swirled form of most of the damasks, The duc has a special signature though…often he produces blooms that are missing a “bite”of their circle. Technically deformed of course, but I prefer to think of them as character blooms! David Austinn’s William Shakespeare 1987 does the same thing. available soon
Duchesse de Montebello (1824)
Low growing gallica with divine powder pink flat flowers. Glorious scent as with all gallicas. You would be hard put to find a more lovely rose. small plants available soon
Fantin Latour (old)
Centifolia. Large shrub, nearly thornless. Flowers late spring. Lovely mid pink flowers, gorgeous scent, great to pick. sold out
Ipsilante (1821)
Gallica Large flat flowers of a beautiful lilac pink .sold out
Ispahan (pre 1832)
Damask. Big lax shrub, around 2m, that covers itself in clusters of clear pink lovely smelly roses! Longer show than most oncers, 6-8 weeks sold out
James Mason (1982)
A modern gallica bred by Peter Beales, James Mason makes a big splash in the garden when he arrives in early summer. Big sprawling bush of about 1.5m plus. sold out
La Belle Sultane (circa 1795)
An unusual gallica in that has small single flowers with mottled purple petals. Huge yellow stamens and the most outstanding scent you could imagine in a single rose. small plants available soon
La Rubanee (1845)
Centifolia. Sprawling, prickly bush that is not very attractive in itself but is worth growing it for the delicate beauty of its flowers – tissue paper petals of delicate pink and white stripes with delicious scent. It is a once flowerer in early summer. small plants available soon
La Ville de Bruxelles (1837)
Damask. This rose makes quite a big bush and flowers in mid/late November for quite an extended period.The flowers are very tight packed rosettes with a button eye in a strong slightly salmon pink. not available this season
Leda (1827)
Damask. Delightful Picotee effect .small plants available soon
Louis Gimard (1877)
Moss Typical lax growth of the Moss roses on this great old rose. Very full flowers of dark lilac pink and the inevitable delicious fragrance. small plants available soon
Mme Hardy (1832)
Damask. Pure white flat rosettes with a green button eye. A very beautiful rose but quite vicious! One of my favourite ever rose quotes about this one…Jack Harkness , I believe, once said “I would rather have 1 bloom of Mme Hardy than a whole field of Iceberg” A little hard on Iceberg I feel, as it is a lovely rose!! sold out
Mme Plantier (1835)
Alba. Flat double pure white flowers with beautiful perfume open from fat red tinted buds. A big lax shrub or can easily be persuaded to climb. Very few thorns and very hardy. Seems to tolerate some shade better than most. Once flowering, but her attractive foliage and growth makes her an asset in the garden.. sold out
Orphelline de Juillet (1836)
Another very interesting Gallica, makes a big mound. Flowers are a real mixture of shades of pink and purple. Blooms quite small, but not compared to some! not available this season
Pompom De Bourgogne (c. 1664)
Centifolia.Miniature. Only about a foot high, this lovely little rose is covered in purple, old fashioned, pompom flowers in late spring. It has few thorns and is suitable for containers or the smaller garden and even as a low hedge or feature.
available now
Robert le Diable (pre 1849)
Centifolia or Gallica A bit of a mystery rose….doesn’t know what breed it is or what year it was born, or who indeed bred it. Apparently named for an Opera of this name which arrived on the scene about then. It makes a lowish straggly bush with gorgeous shades of violet flowers in the early Summer. Glorious scent as you would expect.small plants available soon
Rosa Gallica (ancient)
The original apothecary’s rose. Low growing and freely suckering. This cute old rose has deep pink flowers and the full gallica scent. sold out
Rosa Mundi (pre 1581)
Gallica. This is one of our favourite gallicas. It is a low shrub with pinky, red and white striped, double flowers. Every flower is different, making a charming effect. Although it is a once flowerer, it suckers happily and the new suckers often flower as soon as they have grown, surprising you with lovely flowers later in the season. This is one gallica that really thrives in our Auckland climate. grafted plants available at nursery
The Bishop (1790)
Gallica / Centafolia cross. Medium large bush with attractive arching branches. Flowers vary from pink to dark purple. Usual beautiful gallica scent. Flowers early in the season. sold out
Tuscany Superb (pre 1800)
Gallica. The flowers truly are superb. This has all the normal gallica features on a tidy bush with only minor bristles. Seems to do well in Auckland compared to some of the others which prefer a colder climate. available now
