Apothecary Rose, since it was grown in herb gardens.

Tidy polyanthas would look good with herbs, for example Katerina Ziemet.

Any damasks, hybrid teas or DA's that you would recommend for zone 5? Would like something that stays 5' x 3' or smaller and fits the Mediterranean theme. I want to get her the roses for Christmas (gift certificate) so would appreciate any ideas :)

Sunset 5 or USDA 5? Not nearly as many Washingtonians in USDA 5 as Sunset 5, so I suspect that is what you mean. USDA 5 is also a bit brisk for hybrid teas.

Sunset 5 corresponds to USDA 8 for those who don't know the Sunset Climate Zone system.

We live five miles from Idaho, so it's USDA zone 5. While there are a lot of people that live on the more temperate, west side of the state, there are still a lot of us who garden over here on the east side :)

The dilemma is not which to choose but how to chose just one -- or two. I would choose Autumn damask and Comte de Chambord for old roses that rebloom.

For scent -- Ispahan is unbeatable along with Petite de Hollande (once bloomers). Rose de Rescht is very good as well and reblooms.

For authenticity -- apocathary gallica, already mentioned. Or rosa mundi.

For hips -- a rugosa, or rosa canina.

For charm -- Katherina Zeimet already mentioned. I also find the English rose James Galway very charming.

The problem is, I could go on forever.

Here is a link that might be useful: James Galway

I don't know these roses that well, but the Portlands come to mind. They include roses that are fragrant, reblooming, old-fashioned in style, compact, hardy, and have flowers in nice shades of pink that go pleasantly with herb foliage and flowers. I confess that there's some confusion in my mind, as well as in their classification, between Portlands, Hybrid Damasks, and some early Hybrid Perennials. I grow some, but with some confusion as to their names and classes.

I know the area, spent some semesters at WSU. After I get back to the other place I'll look at what old garden roses Searles, The Garden of Joy recommends for the intermountain area.

North of Seattle I have a recurring problem with some of the old European roses shriveling instead of going through a full cycle of opening, even aborting while still buds. I figure it's because by June the soil is becoming dry enough to produce this effect. So I wonder if some of them would be hard to manage in the hotter and drier interior region.

You might consider one of the moss roses. Quatre Saisons Blanc Mousseau, a white sport of Autumn Damask has recurrent blooms, very fragrant of foliage as well as flower.
Damasks as a group can become very large, and quickly out grow their space. Of the Damasks, Celsiana would work well for the area you are describing. Very large, clear light pink-flowers and a manageable form. Also, I second the vote for Autumn Damask, it is manageable as well.

I forgot Celsiana, Graybird. In their wonderful book "The Fragrant Year", written in the 1960s, old rose experts Leonie Bell (illustrator) and Helen Van Pelt Wilson mention this one first of all for fragrance and Bell gives it a full-page illustration. It was the first one I chose to plant in a friend's garden, where it got eaten by deer and rabbits -- or something (could it be that it got caught by a late frost) -- but I have seen it and it is beautiful in every way. It is a once bloomer, semi-double, with large (for an old rose), four-inch flowers , that change to white on the bush. I wonder why it is not mentioned more often.

Here is a link that might be useful: Celsiana

Thank you for all the responses! I've been looking at Celsiana too, but more for my garden. I put in some Fantin Latours last year and I think Celsiana would look very nice on the other side of the bed.

Mom likes repeat bloomers, so I'm thinking the hybrid perpetuals, portlands, or even David Austin might be the best choice. I appreciate all the input. If you had to choose between Rose de Recht, Jacques Cartier, Gertrude Jeckyll, Winchester Cathedral or Yolande d'Aragon, any preferences? Any other suggestions? Thanks :)

Autumn damask is a repeat bloomer -- just to add to your dilemma. The buds have marvelous long sepals. Attached picture shows it with herbs (artemesia). Doesn't show the sepals, unfortunately.

It's authentically Mediterranean, too. The Crusaders brought it back from Damascus, and it's also known as the rose of Castille.

Here is a link that might be useful: autumn damask

For the space you have 5' x 3' I'd suggest 'Mlle. Cecille Brunner'
It is a most exquisite pink rose, that re-blooms abundantly in Autumn. Other virtues include;
- pretty foliage, that would look good among herbs.
-few thorns, so it would be easy to gather herbs from around it without getting prickled. This is an old rose, introduced in 1881, that is nicknamed by some as Cecil Brunner, but it was named after a 12 year old French girl of the same name. It will remain a petite size in your climate, when I lived in Seattle ours stayed at an inch or two above 4 and 1/2 feet tall, x c. 3 feet wide.
pickeringnurseries.com , a Canadian nursery sells it, and ships to the U.S.
It will need winter protection.
I love roses and herbs together, they make for a
high beauty-low maintenence garden.

Luxrosa

It isn't a heavy rebloomer, but (rare among mosses) the moss rose Salet is remontant and I strongly suspect will be hardy enough. (I can't speak to its rust resistance because I've never gardened in an area where rose rust was an issue.) Its flowers will be perfect for an herb garden!

Searles mentions dryness when describing Portland roses, I've also noticed mine may not have the same problem with shriveling as other old European types here.

And they do continue to bloom after the main time in early summer.

A freeway intersection planting north of Seattle that contained various non-bedding roses included several plants of a Portland rose. Site appeared to get little attention except some weed control, not even irrigation yet the Portland rose would have plenty of flowers well along in the season.

Some years ago the whole area was cleared and re-planted in Douglas firs or otherwise made like the rest of the corridor. If I had know this was planned I would have at least tried to get some cuttings.

I would recommend the portland damasks Rose de Rescht and Indigo for your mother's garden. These will stay under 4' tall and rebloom, and the purplish-crimson color would look great in front of a yellow house.

'Comte de Chambord' is a good idea. You will get powerful, sweet fragrance and as good rebloom as most Austins, but in a true OGR. Rose de Rescht as well.

Thank you all for the great recommendations. I've decided to get Mom a gift certificate to Northland Rosarium and we're going to go out there next June and let her look at all the choices and then decide. Right now, she's really eager to see Rose de Recht, Jacques Cartier, Autumn Damask, and Salet (she loves the idea of a moss rose) and a few David Austins. Thanks again for all the input!