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Ok, Molineux, how's this? It is as purply as I have that meets your specs. It NEVER gets sprayed in my jungle/butterfly garden NE Florida garden. It seems to flourish in all it's glory though and without pampering. It is called Sweet Chariot and is listed with the miniatures. However, it is 3 1/2 foot by 3 1/2 foot in my garden. The miniature refers to the individual blooms. It cluster blooms from spring through fall. I believe it has some hybrid musk in it's lineage. It has a very sweet odor that reminds me of Stanwell Perpetuals (Spinomosima)scent. It is very breath taking. I got mine from a antique rosarian that runs the Hagan Ace Hardware Nursery on Blanding Avenue in Orange Park Florida - Her name is Linda Hertz. You may find a local vendor on Help Me Find roses. She gets me some oldies but goodies sometimes. She also roots them herself in her own greenhouse.

Hope this helps!

Lois

{{gwi:300515}}

Here's another angle

I'm not particularly impressed by the "purple" of International Herald Tribune in the warmth of summer, nor of 'Indigo' (although I beg to differ about its disease resistance!). I've been scanning through lists pondering your question, which seems difficult to answer, but you might want to ask around about one called 'Violet Hood'. It doesn't get much press but it looks and sounds fabulous, and from its pedigree I'd be surprised if it has much trouble with disease even in this climate. It's a polyantha/shrub so it should fit well, and it's a few shades darker than the other roses you've probably been considering. Sweet Chariot is a great rose as well, perhaps going a bit pink during the summers here, but it'd be my next choice if my hunch about 'Violet Hood' is correct. It's worth a look.

Ok, I looked up Sweet Chariot. Chamblee's is suppose to have it. It's parents are Little Chief and Violette and it has hybrid multiflora genes. It's smell is damask and strong. Gees, that's the other parent of Stanwell, so I was close there. My nose isn't great. I don't know if it is the heat in my garden or what, but my color doesn't change. It is always purple for me in the tone you see in the photo.

I think you are a dear to help with your mother's garden too!

Lois

I'm surprised I haven't mentioned Violet Hood before. It is purple. It is fragrant with a strong multiflora fragrance. It is supposed to get to about 4 x 4, but hasn't gotten there yet here. Disease resistance is acceptable. It would probably be better in an area where chlorosis was less of a problem.

Of the purple, cluster flowered roses, it isn't merely the best one I've grown, but has the more impressive credentials of being the best I've ever seen.

Don't hurt me, but I'm a born again rugosa lover. After this summer of extreme early freeze, then the excessive and prolonged heat and drought, I'm about to give up on all the primadonnas in the garden. The rose winners in my garden - Rotesmeer - a lovely magenta/purple rugosa of the proportions you require, for a light lavender, I suggest Schneekoppe, another of the outstanding low growing rugosas of which I am sure you are already familiar with. And I didn't think I'd say this so soon, but my new acquisition this year (although not a small shrub rose) is Night Owl, a climber, which has proven so far to be completely disease free, and very vigorous with many laterals, even in this disastrous summer. It has bloomed twice, not the nice dark purple depicted on the Wayside catalog cover, but quite a nice deep magenta/purple, similar to Rotesmeer. I have them both now in one bed, hopefully they will complement each other well. I don't detect a strong fragrance, but my nose is flawed in that area. I don't usually care with climbers - they are there in the background to cover large areas and highlight their neighbors in the foreground.

As as side note - I bought three Sweet Chariots from Uncommon Rose before they went under this season, and am duly unimpressed. I also am a seeker of purple - roses or otherwise, and had hoped for more. I'm not giving up yet but if anybody has the answer for growing these on, please advise. They are weak at best and I'd like to give them a fighting chance. They were hard to find and are one of the few minis with the color and fragrance I long for.

Sweet Chariot is lax, and looks nice grown over a planter or even as a cascading tree rose. Give it a chance - mine is a decade old, and about 3 x 4 ft (wider than tall). I don't get a truly strong fragrance, though - more of a whiff.

How about Excellenz von Schubert? Disease resistant - hardy - a wonderful rose - listed as "lilac-pink" but much more mauve than pink in the Sacramento cemetery.

I don't like International Herald Tribune's color in our hot summer sun - Jeri says it looks great at the coast -
Anita

Geez, I think you may be doing too much. Or possibly it likes the heat. I have never sprayed mine with anything, and it's lucky to get a shovel of horse poop in the spring shoved its way and a dash of 10-10-10 with all the other lovelies. As you can see, the garden isn't fussed over much! There is a Bonica bloom slipping out from under my purple porter's weed that has gone way over its boundary. And a loop of New Dawn - petaless, but proud - slipping over the trellis. It originates four foot back on the fence.

My chariot is in it's second year and I did trim it back in the spring. It got it's height of 3 1/2 foot either way by the end of last year. Maybe this is a Florida jewel. Or maybe, I've just got that touch - hahahahaha! Whatever!

Happey gardening1
Lois

If SWEET CHARIOT is anything like its sister VINEYARD SONG then it is definately not a candidate for a no spray Virginia garden.

SCHNEEKOPPE is worth considering and no I wasn't already familiar with it. This bodes well, sinch I've got another rugosa (MOORE'S STRIPED RUGOSA) growing in mom's garden and it is doing very well in her sandy soil. I looked Schneekoppe up at HELPMEFIND ROSES and the cupped flowers would blend in beautifully with the rest of the OGRs. The only thing I'm worried about is the color. Helpmefind lists it as white not lavender.

Here is a link that might be useful: Schneekoppe at HelpMeFind Roses

Well, I don't know of its sister. However, in humid Florida it hasn't been sprayed and you can see it has no disease. My butterflies detest chemicals. Now, it blooms all but 3 or 4 months of the year here. Now, if I'm not mistaken a rugosa won't do that. But if you like it better, you should do that. I suggest you try both. The only problem I detect with Chariot is that it won't get as big in cooler climates. At least you have alternatives.

Patrick, though I've not grown this one..yet..I did see it in the Tyler Rose Garden a couple years ago and it took my breath away with the color, fragrance and health, especially in that hot climate. It's the Rugosa, Magnifica..worth looking at. The pictures on HMF may be typical of other climates in other seasons, but the link below is the exact color the day we were there..May, 2005.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:300510}}

what about Reines des Violettes? She gets kind of ungainly, but could probably be kept clipped to a manageable size and shape...

REINE DES VIOLETTES is the most disease resistant purple rose that I've ever grown but it is definately NOT a no spray rose. I want clean or mostly clean foliage and RdV gets black spot late in the season if not sprayed with a fungicide. It is also way too big for that flower bed. The one I have from David Austin Roses is so vigorous it is constantly threatening to overwhelm the iron tuteur it is growing on (and it is a big tuteur). Repeat bloom is also spotty at best. Mine didn't repeat at all until this year (its third). Granted I've only just started growing the Chinas and Teas but from what I've seen so far the growth habit, foliage and plant profile is completely different.

This is a very frustrating search. What I really want is mauve China or Tea rose. Given my choices I'll investigate the mauve rugosas. If they don't pan out I'll just sack the idea altogether and keep it as an all yellow bed.

Thanks,

Patrick

I grew Sweet Chariot in a hanging basket up north and the flowers really turned purple as they aged. I could never detect a strong fragrance from this rose but my sniffer is pretty lousy.

Lois, do you grow SC without spraying in FL? If you do I may get it again and put it in that basket of mine...

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Not very purple, but definitely a mauve blend, LaVesuve is all China and allergic to any sprays. Don't ask me about scent, I have a newbie this year that I planted after the heat was on and I'm just glad she is growing and doing well.

She has absolutely NO disease and never will. You will have to pull her up to kill her and even then it will take a while.

I saw this one growing in Brenham Texas at the Antique Rose Emporium and it was truly the best specimen they had! It was love at first site and I had to have it.

Take a look, but nothing compares to this baby when she's in the garden. Nope - she makes the most beautiful 4 to 5 foot rose bush in every direction that you can imagine. Of course, she'll be a tade smaller in Virginia, but not much. Oh, and she does bloom her head off with some big china roses as well. I just love her.

Peggy, she never gets sprayed. I have a butterfly garden and I can't risk it.

what about baby faurx? It's a cute mini/polyantha that repeats ... purple ... I like it and have yet to spray it in 2-3 years... repeat blooms nicely too.

-Bonnie

Why not try Midnight Blue? It has Sweet Chariot in its genes, as well as Int'l Herald Tribune. I wasn't impressed with its description myself until I read Paul Barden's take on it, and I just had to have it. I've owned it for 2 mths now (container grown) and it has been definitely been impressive and then some. It did have BS when I found it, but I sprayed it with an organic solution and it is totally clean now. The fragrance is strong and pleasant, even for my weak nose.

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/pl.php?n=44180&tab=1

http://www.rdrop.com/~paul/modern/midnightblue.html

Dart's Dash might be the ticket, but I have no direct experience with it.

This is my pic of Midnight Blue. I do have it located in an area of partial shade, and this is the color I've noted so far. I also wanted to say that I do live in a very hot and humid area where BS is king.

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I haven't had to spray 'BURGUNDY ICEBERG' and it looks perfect with my chinas and teas.

Thinking of the Iceberg sports, I've been very pleased with Brilliant Pink Iceberg. (Not purple, really, but fuschia shadings...)

Graceful in appearance and blooming constantly, it's been a great rose for me.

It can some blackspot late in the season, but still blooms well.

ICEBERG = BLACK SPOT

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Now, not necessarily.

I live in the same neighborhood where the original Tarzan was filmed which translates to true jungle zone, and this is my Iceberg with ABSOLUTELY no spray. The secret is to get a bush grafted on Fortuniana. It makes a big difference. The plants are exceedingly more healthy in the South (especially Florida). I have no rose that can compete with health or bloom (and rebloom) than my Icebergs. Of course, a little black pok-a-dot here and there doesn't send me back aghast either. No one can see the pok-a-dot for all the gorgeous blooms and overall health.

Now, with all that said. I don't know one thing about the Burgundy one, but I plan to look it up and check it out all the same.

Patrick is gardening in MD. Here ICEBERG=Black Spot. Own root, multiflora or Dr Huey grafted. I had no success with Fortuniana rootstock in my garden. All plants eventually died after cold winter.
Olga

Beautiful pic, grnthumber. I love that hue. Brandy

The rose you seek is 'Excellenz von Schubert,' a poly-musk rose. No disease, ever. Continual sprays of these little mauve flowers. Wonderful scent and just about thornless. The arching bush is 6 foot wide and four tall for me.

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'Excellenz von Schubert'

Make sure you get the mauve one which is scented and not the pink imposter.

Rugosa does well + purple = Purple Pavement?

Also, SCHNEEKOPPE (snow pavement) is not white, but has a tinge (lavendar?). I've started growing it & darts dash this year - absolutely no black spot on either.

For a mauve, perhaps moje hammarberg? No black spot there, either.

John, actually Excellenz von Schubert is not resistant to BS in my MD garden. It is a close relative to Vineyard Song. The flowers look almost identical. I have both and both are not resistant here.
Olga

Thanks, brandy. In my garden, Midnight Blue's color is definitely consistently darker than Burgundy Iceberg's, which often takes on a rosy hue in full sun. Burgundy Icerberg unfortunately gets BS very very easily.

Don't try Ebb Tide because it is the exact color of Sweet Chariot, which btw, to me has no fragrance. Hmm, Violet Hood is interesting.
Good luck Patrick!

Carla

Excellenz von Schubert can get HUGE... it needs a bed all to itself...

Olga, his mother's garden is in Virginia and coastal. I think it is zone 7b if I remember correctly.

Hi Patrick -
I'm sure you've already made your decision but I just came across this post again and had to again recommend Schneekoppe. I found this photo I took at my home in Indiana. The foliage is dense and it could be used very effectively as a hedge. The bloom has lavender tones on a white base which gives it a certain sweetness, it really is my favorite rugosa. (Note: don't place it close to a walkway like I did here - it will outgrow its alloted space (it will get at least 4 feet high and wide) and scratch passersby, but keep it near for its intense fragrance.

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I wish "Excellenz von Schubert" was that color in our garden, in our garden and other warm climate regions, it's blooms are edged with a red that I dislike.

Lux.

I've decided to forget the mauve rose and go with an all yellow bed. Too much headache. The bed is edged in lavender so that should provide enough contrast.

SCHNEEKOPPE is definately on my list of must haves for my TWILIGHT'S BOWER garden. I really like the delicate lavender tinged white color and the loosely cupped flower form is better than with most Hybrid Rugosas. Besides, we actually get a winter here in zone 6 so it should be happier. I'll make sure to amend/replace the soil to improve drainage, and carefully place it so that it won't maul visitors.

Thanks for all your suggestions,

Patrick

How does Outta The Blue do back there? It's a knock-you-socks-off performer here, but we have no blackspot to speak of here in California's wine country.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:300511}}

If you view this link with a color-managed browser or image editor, you can see the fuchsia-aging-to-poiple of Outta The Blue today. Without color-management, it is too blue. I don't use those browsers...

It's a {{gwi:300512}} It's the best looking rose in my garden today.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:300513}}

I sure love Outta the Blue. Here it is with Mock Orange. It is not a no spray rose here. Not a BS magnet too. Just usual resistance (or lack of it).
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If Patrick wants OtB, I can give him my bush. It is going to leave my garden as I move to no spray.
Olga

Too bad but good to know, Olga. Thanks.