I'm growing Oklahoma, but I just got it late this summer, so I don't know yet how it will do. However, I can tell you that, so far, it's doing very well, its bloom (it had one in bud when it arrived) is a GORGEOUS color, and if its fragrance doesn't reach you, you should probably see a doctor.

Super fragrant, dark red, my healthiest Hybrid Tea here on the Gulf Coast. Deep Secret. Should do good there.

Patrick

Hi, Linda -
Why isn't Gloire des Rosomanes (Ragged Robin) on your list? Do you consider it a China? In Sacramento, it's one of the earliest to bloom, and is in full bloom now. It blooms if it's deadheaded, and blooms if it's not (and has gorgeous hips). It's absolutely healthy for us and so very fragrant. I took a bouquet to a Master Gardener talk that I was giving, and its scent filled the room. This was rootstock (before Dr Huey) and doesn't get the respect it deserves. I think it works well for Jeri, and I know it is fabulous in San Jose. A wonderful rose. And very few prickles, too, which I know is an issue for you....

Clothilde Soupert balls and mildews for me, a nasty, nasty performer. Pink Soupert does much better but I think the fragrance is about half as good.

I don't know how Bourbons and Damask Perpetuals will do for you. Portland from Glendora is so fragrant. We have 'Baretta St. Bourbon' which is like a double Gloire des Rosomanes - we'll have some for sale at the Open Garden on April 18th, and it's fragrant and wonderfully healthy.
Anita

Secret Garden Musk Climber?
Masha

Radiance and its sports (I've heard they're disease resistant)

*** You could fill an entire garden with Radiance and its sports, and they are simply disease-proof. Well, they are in SoCal, anyhow.

Bourbons don't much like Southern CA.

Most roses which are both red AND fragrant have inherited a weakness for powdery mildew, and so are unsuited to the SoCalif coast.

Jeri

I know you're not interested in listing tea roses, but just wanted to be sure you've sniffed 'Duchesse de Brabant'.
It is a tea that is wonderfully fragrant to my nose.
And it's healthy (at least it is here).

Randy

Of the tea roses I have, in addition to Duchesse de Brabant the only other one I can smell (and the scent is slightly less strong) is its relative, Mme. Joseph Schwartz. And, it is in bud and bloom right now.

Another vote for Deep Secret.

Colleen

Thanks everyone for all the good ideas. Anita, I have Gloire des Rosomanes and the Portland from Glendora. The former wafts its gorgeous fragrance on a good day all over its section of the garden. The latter is still a baby, but I have hopes!

I think I'll break down and try Duchesse de Brabant - thanks Ingrid and Randy. I've avoided her although I think she's absolutely gorgeous as I've seen her with mildew in various places up and down the Calif. coast, but if she's doing well for Ingrid in Ventura, I'm hoping she'll do OK here as well. Mme Joseph Schwartz is new to me - sounds like I should give her a try! Deep Secret gets two votes from Colleen and Patrick, so definitely have to check that one out as well. And I definitely have to listen to Jeri about the Radiance clan.

Masha, I'm really interested in Secret Garden Musk Climber - where's the best place to order that one? I get most of my bands from Vintage and they don't seem to carry it.

Organic Tosca, I'll be looking forward to hearing how healthy Oklahoma is for you as it matures.

Etoile de Hollande and Crimson Glory are tops for fragrance. I don't how they would do for health in California, but if they survive here I suspect they'll do even better on the west coast.

Since this *is* the antique rose forum, you should consider some antique roses with superb fragrance such as Mme Isaac Periere, Souvenir de la Malmaison (bourbons), Rose de Rescht, Jacques Cartier (Portlands), Queen of Denmark and Felicite Parmentier (Albas). I think the Albas have the most refined fragrance of all.

Lori Elf, I've been meaning to get Etoile de Hollande so thanks for enabling me there. And thanks for reminding me about Crimson Glory -- I had it on my wish list at Vintage. Bourbons and Albas don't like our weather here (wish we could grow them!) but I have Jacques Cartier/Marquesa Boccella and love her scent.

We will have some Secret Garden Musk Climbers for sale at the Open Garden - can I lure you to Sacramento on Apr 18? We also will have quite a few Baretta St. Bourbons.

I like Mme Joseph Schwartz a bit better than Duchesse de Brabant. I think it may get less mildew. DdB does mildew in Sacramento, not terribly but it's noticeable spring and fall.
Anita

DdB mildewed for us in Camarillo.
Not severely, but pretty much all the time.

Have you considered Yolande de Aragon?
She's disease-free here, very fragrant, and pretty much thornless.
You should be able to order SGMC from Rogue Valley Roses. And we will have at least one to sell at the Cemetery Sale.
It is small still, but growing well.

Jeri

I got my SGMC from Rogue Valley Roses. I also ordered Souvenir de Claudius Denoyel from them, very fragrant and apparently healthy. There is a thread about it somewhere on this forum.
Masha

Well as Lori said, Etoile is tops. After the first year, mine is squeaky clean and produces blooms even on a cold winter's day. Crimson Glory is rust prone, but I strip the leaves and that works.

I don't spray and most of my roses do well. The ones that get rust get stripped and the next set of leaves that appear are generally rust free.

A large climber that you do not have on your list is Orfeo. This rose astonishes me. It was nothing much for three years, but it produced blooms almost nonstop from the end of April until I pruned it last month. It has beautiful old rose form with excellent fragrance. It is becoming a favorite, but beware, it has lots of thorns and seems to like to reach out and grab.

Carol

More great posts! I've noted all your comments on my shopping list. Etoile de Hollande sounds like a winner. I'm sorry to have it confirmed by Anita and Jeri that Duchesse de Brabant is mildew-prone. She's so gorgeous. And thanks for the names of new roses for the list. I'd forgotten how beautiful Yolande d'Aragon was (I saw it at the Stagecoach Inn garden in Newbury Park).
Thanks everyone!

Carol - There aren't any photos of Orfeo on HMF - could you add some? Sounds lovely!
Anita

Of the super fragrant roses that cause me no pain in my unsprayed garden"
Teas of good rose scent, not tea scented are"
Souv. de Claudius Denoyal
Mme. Lombard
Francis Dubreuil
Devoniensis can get a little mildew but she is so beautiful.

Compte de Chamborde-Portland
Grosse Choux de Holland-hybrid Bourbon

Austins--
Golden Celebration
Gertrude Jeykyll
Jude the Obscure

Hybrid Teas
New Zealand
Yves Piaget
Crimson Glory
Oklahoma
Sutter's Gold
Barcelona
Cameo Perfume
The Radiances
Lemon Spice
Spice s' Nice
Compassion--climber
Tiffany
Sombreuil-climber
Margaret Merrill
Irene Churucca
That is my list of the super smelly reasonably healthy roses.
la

An English rose I like a lot for health, fragrance, and toughness is 'Sharifa Asma'. It's extremely fragrant and doesn't get disease that I've ever noticed. Mine has been through several droughts with no supplementary water without distress, and it's a compact rose, not one of the David Austin octopuses. The color is pale pink. Speaking specifically of scent, it has one of the best fragrances of any rose I know.

Melissa

Anita, I always find it hard to capture reds. I'll try again next year and post or you can come and visit on your way to El Cerrito and take a picture.

I'll second Luanne's Compassion and Yves Piaget and add in Baronne Edmond de Rothchild.

Carol

Luanne - great list! My only comment is that I think some folks believe that Francis Debruil and Barcelona are the same rose. What do you think?

Thanks Melissa for mentioning 'Sharifa Asma.' I've always admired pictures of her but was afraid she wouldn't be disease resistant, as so many of the Austins seem weak in that department, at least in our area.

And Carol, thanks for the vote for 'Baronne Edmund de Rothschild.' Now that it's gotten so many recommendations, I have to take a serious look at her.

Most fragrant roses in my coastal southern CA garden;

1. Crimson Glory (mildews, but I ignore it, use Messenger, or hand wipe the leaves. No spray of fungicide or pesticide garden)

2. Chrysler Imperial, very trouble-free

3. Papa Meilland, Mister Lincoln, Oklahoma, Mirandy, Deep Secret, Erotica (different variations of the Damask red rose fragrance, all powerful)

4. Sweet Surrender (one of the best, should have an award)

5. Sweet Afton (also one of the best)

6. Tiffany

7. Pope John Paul II, Julia Child

8. Fragrant Cloud, Double Delight, Perfume Delight

9. French Lace, Peace (surprisingly fragrant)

10. Melody Parfumee, Angel Face

1) 'Souvenir de Claudius Denoyel'
2) 'Tiffany'
1) 'Radiance' and its sports, although I do not find these to be as strongly scented as the first two on my list.

Paul

Lots of good suggestions here. Maybe I have not read the post thoroughly enough...but I don't know that anyone has mentioned Grandmother's Hat. I find it extremely fragrant, and a plant that is more beautiful each year...even to the foliage. Thorn free and disease free.

Jerome

Jerome said:

"I don't know that anyone has mentioned Grandmother's Hat. I find it extremely fragrant, and a plant that is more beautiful each year...even to the foliage. Thorn free and disease free."

Well, that depends where you are growing it. "Grandmother's Hat" is well known to be a near perfect rose for the drier California regions, but I can attest that it is far from Blackspot free in my climate, where Spring rains are frequent and go on and on for weeks. In fact, it is often completely defoliated by late May. Its all about location, isn't it?

Paul

Paul, you are right...because not only am I in Southern Orange County, but rather far inland. Blackspot doesn't exist for me here...(except on Glamis Castle...but I digress), but I do get problems with powdery mildew. Because of this, I could not grow Souv. de la Malmaison...although Pat Henry's "Mystic Beauty"...a sport of SdlM is doing very well, oddly enough.

I see the original poster is near the coast...don't know how Granny would do there. Here, inland, it's great.

I see the original poster is near the coast...don't know how Granny would do there. Here, inland, it's great.

*** OP is located not all that far from me.
Grandmother's Hat is fine here. Despite being coastal, we are also semi-arid.
You can almost tell by looking around you.
If the surrounding terrain is covered with evergreen trees, thick grasses, and other plants that demand a moist environment, GH might not be good for you.
If the surrounding terrain grows prickly-pear, sycamore and coastal oaks, and other plants that tolerate drought, she's going to be great.
:-)

Jeri

Hi. I can't check in here as much as I'd like to but I had to hop on a fragrant rose discussion! :)

I do not care for the tea fragrance myself - I prefer damask rose and sweet rose fragrances. Our climates are different - BS is the plague of my humid Maryland garden.

I grow the following HT's on your list and you've picked some fantastic fragrant HTs but I can't comment on disease resistance in your climate. You should order them anyway - just to smell. : )

Halloween - more fruity than rosy
Papa Meilland - super rosy - must get!
Radiance - smooth rose A+ for disease resistance, but can ball
September Morn - powdery rose
Sutter's Gold - fruity
Talisman - fruity
Oklahoma - Papa's fragrance is stronger and better IMHO
Alec's Red - spicy rose
The Doctor - this one is not grown much but what an amazing scent - yowza mega fruity rose, but very prone to BS in my garden

MMe. Jules Bouchet is doing very well in my garden - Vintage says she's a doer in every way - you might want to consider this rose and see how it does no spray. Amazing fragrance.

Regarding marie pavie and brown leaves - My MP did the same, but I discovered it was spider mites - they really like MP. Blast the suckers off with water and watch the plant thrive. Maybe the thread discussing this is still searchable?

Have fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: Jules

Moonsprite and its sport Apricot Moon horrific rust on those, with spraying--I had to shovel
Apricot Nectar quite clean, but super fragrant it is not

Deep Secret of the modern roses.
Marie Pavie of the older roses.