Portland is full of roses at this time of year! Have you purchased a home with roses in the yard but now you find that they don’t have that beautiful rosy fragrance?? You’re not crazy- some roses have strong fragrances, while some don’t. In this short post, I’ll try to set your garden on the path to fragrance wonderland.
As you visit local rose gardens, or your own yard, and rose fragrance is lackluster, you are not alone. Home gardeners choose roses based upon the features that are important to them, just like we do with houses. While some home buyers may want a 2 car garage, some may not care at all. Similarly, the previous owner may have chosen roses for qualities they prefer. These can include thornless, shape, color, hardiness… not always fragrance.
Even within the subject of ‘fragrance’, you’ll find different types. Myrrh, Old Rose, Tea, Fruit and Musk are typically the five different categories of fragrance. The best way to determine what you like is, of course, to smell some roses, and take note!
The very first rose that I fell in love with was along a sidewalk where I frequently walked. It smelled so good, people would stop and smell them, and remark upon it. Finally I ran into the home owner, and they shared the name of the rose with me. It was Jude the Obscure, bred by English breeder David Austin. This started a pandemic-era deep dive into roses. There was a time when I didn’t want to plant anything prickly in my garden, but these roses won me over. They’re worth it.
Want inspiration?
I’ve added a few photos below of a few of my favorite fragrant roses! And guess what? Many modern roses are bred to be very easy to grow. With a a few simple tips you will be a success: most roses prefer at least 6 hours per day of sunlight, and an occasional deep watering once established. Also, most rose farms and growers will offer resources to help your success right on their website.
A good few good resources are: Heirloom Roses, Menagerie Flower Farm and David Austin Roses. If you’re into flowers, you’ll want to know about Floret Flower Farm too, although they don’t sell roses, they have amazing resource pages, including blogs about roses.
When to buy roses
You’ll find the best selection of roses at your local nursery in the spring. Springtime, after chance of frost has passed, but before roses have put out their new growth is the best time to plant and let your plant get established before the hot months of summer. Now is the perfect time to check out other gardens, do some research and pick your favorites for planting next spring. Fall is also a good time to plant, at least 6 weeks before frost, to allow a new plant to get established before winter.
Wishing you a good Portland rose season- and some good bouquets from your future roses.
