For most of the Twentieth Century, Antique Roses have been overlooked by gardeners in favor of their more modern cousins and possibly because there are so many different types of roses to choose from. But lately Antique Roses have experienced a resurgence in popularity, and are fast becoming a necessity in every garden. Time-tested survivors with an unlimited versatility, they combine historic interest, vivid colors, unforgettable fragrance and unique form in one package, and, as such, Antique Roses are becoming indispensable to modern gardeners.
Wide Array of Opportunities
Antique Roses offer gardeners a wide array of opportunities for creativity. They are versatile, and practically limitless in their prospective uses…they can be used as the background for a flower bed, or to form its backbone or even to form massed presentations of color in the front of the bed.
Their versatility allows them the ability to be used with other plants and flowers in a garden making a captivating experience. They can also survive easily for those growing roses in containers and don’t have the space for a garden. Antique Roses can climb, ramble, trail and form bushes of any size. They can be steady bloomers over the course of several seasons, or bloom spectacularly in just a single season.
Many Types
There are many types of Antique Roses for the prospective gardener to choose from. They come in dozens of forms, colors and functions. Below are several examples of some of the more common species.
Species
Species Antiques are those commonly found in nature. Vigorous and disease resistant, they can flourish with only minor care. Some varieties of Species Roses are the Cherokee Rose, the Swamp Rose, the Mermaid Rose and the Yellow Lady Banks Rose.
China
China Roses, descendants of the Asian roses brought from China by European explorers, have an amazing longevity and can grow quite large, with the proper care. Easily able to tolerate heat, Chinese Roses are a favorite with Southern gardeners. Some varieties of Chinese Roses include Old Blush Roses, Archduke Charles Roses, and Mutabilis Roses.
Noisette
Noisette Roses can be called the first truly ‘American’ breed of rose, and are normally graceful repeat flowering shrubs and climbers, with elegant, fragrant blossoms. Some varieties include Lamarque Roses, and Crepuscule Roses.
Hybrid Bourbon
Created on the French island of Bourbon, the hybrid Bourbon Roses have an old fashioned pink tinted quartered bloom. A husky bush, Bourbon Roses have a strong fragrance, and are heat and drought tolerant. Some varieties include Souvenir de la Malmaison Roses and the Zephirine Drouhin Roses.
Tea
Tea Roses have a distinctive, green tea like fragrance and are upright bushes with bronze-red foliage. Their blossoms are spectacularly colored, coming in pink, red, yellow or white. Some varieties include Sombreuil Roses, Duchess de Brabant Roses and Mrs. Dudley Cross Roses.
Whatever variety of Antique Rose you choose for your front yard landscaping ideas, garden or home, you can rest assured that it will be a vigorous, durable addition to your collection, and will flourish rain or shine, winter or summer. There are a variety of species to choose from, each with its own peculiarities, but all of them share the common Antique Rose traits of beauty and resilience and will be a boon to either your garden or home.
