I've been unpacking my rose library and thought some might enjoy reading what Roses of Yesterday and Today had to say about Susan Louise back in 1952 (before I was born!)Kim Susan Louise. This is the truly ever-blooming form of the beautiful climber, Belle of Portugal, and in our opinion, one of the most valuable and delightful roses in existence, regardless of color, form or age. For the novice or the professional, at the beach or the desert, Susan Louise gives happily and constantly. Buds are very long-pointed, deep pink, excellent for bouquets, the open flower is semi-double, flesh-pink, charming and graceful. Robust grower to five feet or more and truly everblooming This, friends, is a ROSE! "Susan Louise, a truly everblooming beauty, still at it when a November freeze put an end to her scintillating display." --Mrs. George W. Childers, Covington, Kentucky. "Of Susan Louise, I'll say little, simply because once started, I could never quit...this much and no more, --she is one of my ten most beautiful flowers, --an unsurpassed darling...Mr. Tillotson's all-out vote for Susan Louise should assure every customer that when he says "this is it", it really is." Sarah Lakey, Tulsa, Oklahoma. ("Mr. Tillitson" blushes with becoming modesty, secretly deciding to re-check some of his other effusions, to be sure they are "it") 3 for $3.65 each $1.35

the first couple wouldn't swallow a house but perhaps one side of a garage 'Crepescule' can grow to be 20 feet tall and more, and unlike many climbers it has excellant re-bloom. It's an apricot-golden color with red at its' base and quite fragrant. The foliage is attractive. If you love yellow roses; 'Marechal Niel' is a marvel to behold and deeply fragrant. It re-bloom well and is in full bloom today on April 5th. I'm growing mine between two purple 'Royal Robes' it blooms more often than an average Hybrid Tea, here. R. gigantea odorata at Berkeley Botanical garden in California blooms in early spring with several hundred charming saucer sized pale golden rose blossoms, , it is climbing a tree with great enthusiasm. I've espaleried a Mermaid to keep her within bounds, against a wooden fence in my back yard. I have an Albertine too, and it has splendid large pink and salmon blooms and c. 33% re-bloom in the autumn on mature plants. For Ramblers, I'm devoted to 'The Garland' with its millions of palest pink, tiny dainty roses with pert squared-off petals that offered a sweet pervasive scent that surrounds the plant like a cloud of bliss. I'd love a 'Silver Moon' but where to plant it? my neighbors backyard on a moonless night? White Lady Banks is one of my 3 favorite white roses, I once lived where the rose garden was surrounded by a low fence where those beautiful white roses bloomed all over it in spring. Oh what joy. there is such a variation between bloom shape and character between white roses, and this one thrills me down to my toes. I was at Berkeley Horticultural nursery today and took a whiff of 'Snowflake', another member of the Banksiae and was pleased with its' sweet and moderately strong scent. I don't know how big this gets. Lux

Thank you all for helping me! I will abandon the idea that this is 'Belle' and consider it Duchesse de Brabant. One question, though, about the climber. Would there have been a climber at the turn of the 20th century? The first cutting of this rose (this is its great-grandchild) climbed to the second floor of our house in Fresno, CA. I took a cutting of the rose at the Guthrie-Bianchini House in Cambria, CA. I do not recall it being a climber. But I took two cuttings that day, 25 years ago, so I may have forgotten a lot. It definitely looks like the rose you all describe. And it is a rebloomer.

Étoile de Portugal its Rose bush created by french botanist Henri Cayeux, then responsible for the Royal Palace Botanic Garden of Lisbon. His meticulous work resulted in five rose bushes: “Belle Portugaise” and “Étoile de Portugal” in 1903; Amateur Lopes, Lusitania and Palmira Feijao in 1905. Unfortunately, with the exception of Belle Portugaise, they all disappeared in Portugal. Could you please tell me if you are aware of any roseries that sell to Étoile du Portugal to bring this plant back to my country? I thank you infinitely. Miguel d’Jorge