Single Roses on the Rose Garden

1st December 1997

The Rose Garden

	Single Roses
	by Lloyd Chapman

Roses that have five petals are called single. This is the way all wild roses bloom. Single roses are sometimes mistakenly described as those having only one bloom on a stem. Not so. Being borne singly is not the issue. Five petals are. In considering single roses, I have with regret ignored those that have a few more petals, sticking to the true definition. Thus the beauties with 7, 9 or more petals must lapse unappreciated. These are a few of our favourites, photographed in our New Zealand garden this spring.
R. Brunonii 1823 One of our favourite tree-climbing monsters. The 'Himalayan Musk' is a rampant climber with interesting long grey-green foliage, hooked thorns and vast heads of blooms that look like daisies. Initially pale creamy-yellow, they fade to simple white. Named after the celebrated botanist, Robert brown.
R. Laevigata China 1759 One of the first roses to flower in the spring, the Cherokee rose is a big shrub with glossy foliage and wicked thorns. The blooms are large and fragrant. It reached the USA in the latter part of the eighteenth century and became adopted as the state flower of Georgia. In our climate it is evergreen.
R. Dupontii pre-1817 A manageable shrub with ample grey-green foliage. Thought to be a cross between the Musk rose, R. Moschata and the Gallica. Exquisite white blooms with a hint of pink at the edges, pronounced stamens, nice fragrance. Nice hips.
Mutabilis China An ancient and mysterious wonder. Like many of the roses from China, this is a must-have. The contrast of young blooms of buff-orange with the older crimson and carmine, together with blooms of all manner of shadings is one to behold. A big shrub that can be grown in many situations, Mutabilis is always in flower, always capable of enchantment.
Old Blush China The more common double form, Parson's pink china, or the monthly rose is one of the four stud roses from China that bore the repeat-flowering gene and revolutionised rose-breeding last century. This is the single form that exhibits all the same qualities. Silver-pink, subtle and alluring. No scent.
Rugosa Alba 1870 That rugosas are fabulous roses is not in dispute. They are our toughest most durable shrubs, with great foliage and fragrance. Many of the best rugosas are single, whether there's one to beat Alba is arguable. Great foliage, elegant buds, purest white blooms, good fragrance, recurrent, big tomato-red hips…what more can one say ?
Scabrosa Harkness 1960 Huge rich pink blooms followed by the biggest hips of any rose. Superbly healthy, nice vigorous shrub, good repeat. You can always expect to see blooms and hips together on Scabrosa. One of the best rugosas.
Fru Dagmar Hastrup Hastrup 1914 The huge refined silver-pink blooms are breathtaking. Good fragrance and hips, quite a low-growing bush.
Lady Curzon Turner 1901 The untidiest of the family, an arching shrub that defies tidy management. Spring blooms of the softest iridescent pink with sweet scent. Can grow to 3m wide, 2m high. If you have the space, she is worth growing.
Bloomfield Dainty Thomas, 1924 Mr Thomas must have been a busy man. In California over 10 years from 1920 he produced over 20 roses bearing the Bloomfield name. Half of these were Hybrid Musks. Most of his roses have disappeared, but Abundance, Courage and Dainty remain. Bloomfield Dainty is a delicate little plant that needs the best of conditions, but rewards with the finest long pointed orange buds that open to clear yellow blooms that are fragrant. They fade to an elegant white. Quite recurrent. Quite worthwhile.
Heideroslein Lambert 1932 'the heather rose' is a typical hybrid musk - healthy fragrant shrubby, reliable. This is not particularly well-known but we like it a lot.
Sally Holmes Holmes 1976 A well-known and admired rose. One of the healthiest roses in our garden and certainly one of the most vigorous. Hard pruning keeps it within bounds, but it can be left to climb just as well. Buds have a soft apricot blush which shows well as the flower opens. Soon turns to ivory-white. Huge heads of big blooms betrays its hybrid musk parentage. Individual blooms can exceed 10cm. (4")
Mrs Oakley Fisher Cant 1921 One of the most perfect and spectacular single roses. never showy or flashy, she is as close to perfection as you will find. Being a tea rose, she has shapely pointed buds, but when they open to a rich apricot bloom with prominent stamens, the real worth is revealed. Good dark foliage, nice wood, tidy bush.
Radway Sunrise Waterhouse 1962 When Masquerade was introduced in 1949 she was a revolutionary, with her flashy bright colours, beginning yellow, changing to orange then to a spotty red. We wince every time we see her. Not so Radway Sunrise. The single relative of Masquerade shrugs off the flashy excesses of her parent, emerging swan-like and quite beautiful. She retains the fascinating colour changes, but does so with grace and style. Healthy bush, recurrent and worth a place in your garden. Ignore this rose at your peril.
White Wings Krebs 1947 While Dainty Bess is better-known, this relative is infinitely superior and better-behaved. Huge (12cm) blooms with prominent stamens. Capable of reducing a grown man near to tears. Pure white blooms with pronounced chocolate-brown stamens. Bushy growth.
Fruhlingsmorgen Kordes 1942 With its spinosissima parentage it's not surprising that this is an outstanding rose. One of the first to flower in spring, its large cheerful blooms are a joy to behold. Healthy shrub.
The Balmain A rambler from the Balmain gardens, Sydney Australia. In its first season this rose has impressed us greatly. Soft, subtle, thornless, vigorous and apparently healthy
Sparrieshoop Pink Kordes 1953 One of the most reliable shrub-climbers. Large blooms are fragrant, free-flowering and recurrent. Glossy healthy foliage. A bit flashy but dependable and worthwhile.
Sparrieshoop White 1962 A more subtle sport of its better-known parent. Large ivory-white blooms have delightful stamens. Much admired.
Copyright Lloyd Chapman spring 1997