Thank you, Randy. Bellegallica, to me the fragrance is predominantly like fresh raspberries, with a hint of Old Rose. The fragrance is intense. I forgot to mention the names of the roses in the background in the first pic. On the right is Marchesa Boccella, and on the left is The Mayflower.

Annabeth, scent detection varies tremendously from person to person. The way I understand it is that we each start out with a set chemical receptors and we don't all have the same ones. (That's what the sense of smell is, the detection of chemicals.) In addition, experiences such as smoking, illness, or plain old age can decrease the strength of the receptors we have. That is apparently why some people can detect scents that others cannot. A person with a superior sense of smell might end up as a perfume expert or wine expert. I would never be able to do either job. As for me, I simply cannot detect much of the tea scent in true tea roses. On the other hand, I pick up distinctly unpleasant notes in some beloved fragrant flowers when they are brought indoors and the concentration builds up. Paperwhites are one such flower. I love them outdoors and in the house find them unendurable. Roses said to have powerful scents are presumably pumping out lots of chemicals that lots of people are able to detect. It may well be this is simply a scent that doesn't work for you. Rosefolly

Glorious rose and a wonderful picture. I don't have one right now, and despite the need for winter protection here in Indiana, and some mildew, it was worth all the work when I grew it at our old house. Big, fragrant blooms from every bud when pegged. Thanks for sharing! Bob

I have Sombreuil along a wrought iron fence. It is a pretty white rose and repeats well. Not troubled by disease. Growth habit is dainty for a climber--canes are thin and flexible. The only thing I dislike about it is the petals don't fall cleanly--the old blooms hang on, brown, withered and dry, until you deadhead them, and it's hard to reach them! I've had Mme Isaac Pierre for 7 years. Her big attraction is the gorgeous blooms; dark raspberry pink and cupped full of petals. Downright romantic. And the fragrance is one of the best of any rose, it's especially wonderful in the big spring flush. Madame also blooms intermittently throughout the summer and fall. But she has a two serious downfalls for me. One is her size--she throws out huge arching canes over 12 ft long in this mild climate. She wants to rule the yard and I have to keep her pruned all the time. Definitely out of scale with the rest of my roses. But if you have the room, that's not an issus. The real problem is she is so disease prone. Tons of rust every spring with the cool nights and fog. And then when it warms up, you get powdery mildew everywhere when the summer nights are warm. You have to really spray and drench it to bits with fungicide, and I'm tired of doing that.