I don't have either rose, but I found this from Help me find:
The Persian Yellow rose is very distinct from the Harrison yellow. The former is a cupped, double rose, beautifully formed, and a third larger than the latter. The Harrison rose is semi-double, and expands so as to be nearly flat when full blown. The Harrison has an upright, and Persian yellow a spreading, rather drooping habit. The Persian Yellow is a very beautiful free flowering variety, of a pure deep chrome yellow.
The Harison has a slightly higher cold tolerance, but both should be hardy here.
I bought a Harison's for a friend the last time I went crazy with an order from High Country Roses and she said it's a great rose.
Hope this helps.
Barb

I did a search on Persian Yellow and it appears to be a very early wild rose that has been used for rose hybridization for hundreds of years. One article said that it is the cause of black spot in today's modern roses.

A very pretty rose.

another rosa foetida to consider which also is a single season bloomer and one which if it likes it ....will fill a large area ....so plant accordingly ....for it is unprepossesing to say the least the rest of the year...is the austrian copper quite a show while it lasts ...I dug the suckers which became my rose from an abandoned early 20th century farm yard at about 5600' in solidly( to put it mildly as I write this heavy snow falls today and -15 is predicted for tuesday and wed) zone 3 SW Montana....it covered an area of over 10 yards , still does. I contained it by placing on a boulevard strip street corner between sidewalks...a brief but literally traffic stopping show of orange and yellow. The plant throws both orange and yellow flowers and the back of the orange petals are yellow...it will make a yellow believer out of even non yellow gardeners ;-)..at least for a week or so.

I have the Harrison rose along my back fence, When it blooms it is Awesome! and perfumes the whole block. It blooms for about 3 weeks. After that it is a very good screen. It does sucker freely but I keep them dug and give them away. A tuff rose as we have had temps as low as -35 here, never had winter kill. Comes back every year. I cut it back to the ground about every 5 years. I got the starts from my Grandfather 35 years ago. It is drouth and heat tolerant as well.

I've grown both. The Harrison is still alive! Very nice!

I appreciate all the feedback! Both types sound very nice. There is a street median a mile or so from me that has a huge planting of yellow roses. Don't know which kind they are, I might have to take a closer look, but when it was in full flower, it was just stunning!

kvencat,
I was looking through my 2004 edition of Xeriscape Colorado and there is a photo on pages 160 and 161 of Austrian copper planted with Persian yellow. It's a striking combination. I think Harison's would look similar paired with Austrian.
I'm looking for a yellow as well and it's tough to pick between the two. I have mostly pink roses, so will need to make a new bed for the yellows and oranges. I'm considering Graham thomas and Prairie sunset as well. I do like some repeat bloom, but appreciate the hardiness of the once bloomers. I put in a new bed last spring, floribundas, Angel Face, Gene Boerner, Cinco de Mayo and Burgundy iceberg. I planted my Austrian Copper in November, between Gene Boerner and Cinco de Mayo. I think it's going to look funky there when it blooms. Will have to see if all survive the winter before I decide to move anything.
Let us know what you pick!

The Austrian Copper is lovely and I am considering that one too. I will have an awful time trying to narrow down my rose choices since the yard at our new house will be just miniscule. (Gotta have some space for veggies too!) Just got the new David Austin catalog and have been lusting over some of those as well.

Which ones are you considering? The only Austin I have so far is Mary. I got 2 from High Country Roses last spring.
It's a nice smaller rose. I've got Gertrude Jekyll and Ausblush on my wishlist.
Who do you order roses from? I'm considering ordering from Chamblee's in Tyler Texas this spring. I've been getting my roses locally from nurseries and High Country by mail. High Country is a great source. I've gotten healthy plants quickly from them, usually 2 days in the mail. But, I have to say they are getting pricey. Chamblee's is at least a third less and I think they ship gallon pots as opposed to bands.

I am new to roses but I've seen so many yards with them that I am inspired to try some myself. As for low-maintenance ones like the Harrison's, Persian Yellow and the Austrian Copper, I was thinking of one of these for the corner of the back yard. I might choose something more refined for the front of the house. Maybe at the corner of my driveway, something like Red Ribbons, Smoke Rings or The Fairy which are short. I would love a climber like Strawberry Hill, Tea Clipper or Port Sunlight to go up a porch post but not sure if it would get enough sun there. Another thought would be a big urn near the front walkway with Princess Alexandra of Kent, Sophy's Rose, Tamora, or Perdita. See? I am overwhelmed with possibilities!
:-) Too many roses and not enough yard!

without reservation the best source for northern grown roses is Pickering nursery from ontario far far superior product to all of the above mentioned suppliers some roses can not be shipped to the states because other nurseries hold a US production license but by far most can

mtny,
Thanks for the tip on Pickering. Holy Toledo, do they have a selection! I ordered Bonica, Elina, Gertrude Jekyll and Margaret Merril. They'll come bare root in mid march.
Then, I ordered 4th of July, Climbing Iceberg, Graham Thomas and Sunsprite from High Country. High Country sends potted, so you can't really compare them, but it'll be interesting to see how the plants are in 3 years or so. I think that's enough roses for this year unless I stumble across Gruss an Aachen and Ausblush. I'm not likely to find those at the local nursery.
kvenkat, I know what you mean about getting overwhelmed with the choices.
I've bookmarkedthe CSU ext. service "Selecting and planting roses" on my computer. It's fact sheet #7.404. It has a recommended roses for Colorado list. Many of the new roses aren't on the list, but I know the ones on the list should do well here. So, I'm gradually working my way through the list while trying a few new ones.
I have never tried growing a tea before, Elina will be my first. I've stuck to the floribunda's, old garden roses, shrubs and climbers. I wish us luck!

yes, i am very partial to bare root planting... gardening in my climate...just be sure to take care of bare roots prior to planting and per the supplied directions from pickering...sometimes bare root roses can benefit from sweating...tuscan and prairie dawn another couple hardy beauties.... and another reliable northern source for bareroot nursery stock...lawyers

I was looking at some own root roses, to be winter-safe. However, there aren't as many choices for those. I don't know what sweating is but I will look that up. I'll take a peek at Pickering. Thanks for the tip!

treebarb......I have 2 Gruss an Aachen's,. Both are happy & I found both of them at big box stores. The last one was from Walmart, about 3 yrs ago...

I've grown both Harrison's Yellow and Persian Yellow for about 20 years. Harrison's is more vigorous and invasive. It's actually become a problem over the years because of it's ability to sucker and pop up all over the place so I have about 20 feet of it.
Persian Yellow is single and a deeper yellow. Harrison's is lighter and semi-double to double. Neither have much fragrance.

I have a few hundred old garden roses, all on their own roots. Most were started from cuttings. If you're interested, you can take cuttings from my yard.

Bar far and away the BEST local source for local, own root roses is Harlequin's Gardens in Boulder. They have many hardy old garden roses as well as modern shrub roses that are well tested here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Harelequin's Gardens

I looked at the Pickering site and have it bookmarked. I had heard about it before and had it saved on my old computer but somehow I had forgotten about it. Thanks for bringing them back to my attention.

cnetter, your comments were very helpful, that is the type of info I was looking for. I was worried about the suckering propensity. Since I won't have much yard space, it looks like I might have to go with something smaller and more well-behaved.

Harlequin's has a great website. I also enjoyed their blog about vegetable gardening.

I am in no hurry to get some roses. We won't move into our new house until Mar-April so I've got some time before fall planting.

Nicole,
That's good to know. I've not seen them in my area, but I'll be on the look out. What size are yours? I'm curious how big they get. The roses in my yard don't seem to get as large as the sellers claim, but I don't have ideal conditions here either and all are under 5 years old.
Cnetter,
Yay! A rosarian in our midst! Thanks for the tip on Harelequin Gardens. I've never been there, but will visit this spring. A few hundred roses? You've been at this a while?
Kvenkat, sorry for the side discussions on your topic. I'm just thrilled about this thread! The rose and antique rose forums are good and the folks are very helpful, but their growing conditions are so different from ours. There are so many roses they grow that wouldn't be happy here. I'd much rather get feedback from growers in the Rockies that get our dry climate and crazy weather/temp. swings.

No problem, treebarb. I'm delighted too!

Howdy folks,

Normally I hang out on the Oklahoma or Vegetable Gardening forums. I've been looking for Harrison's Yellow and frankly, have only found it as a special order item at Horsford Garden's. Apparently they don't just have it in stock. Anyway, anyone here know of a reasonably priced, domestic source for this rose?

Thanks!

George

I have no experience with the Persian Yellow, but I had a Harrison's Yellow in my yard until I finally had to dig it up. I planted it somewhere I shouldn't have - this rose does indeed go wild so need lots and lots of room. I am still removing the bits that keep coming up in about a ten foot radius from where it used to be - it refuses to die! Anyway, as others have said, make sure you plant it in the back 40 because it is indeed a very vigorous rose that requires pruning to keep it under control. Also be aware that you probably don't want it near a walkway - it has thousands of needle-sharp thorns that completely cover the stems.

I loved this rose, it was absolutely hardy here, needed no special care at all and it bloomed profusely with bright yellow blooms for several weeks each spring. The roses have a wonderful, strong scent. The foliage is also quite nice so the rose continues to add interest to the garden even after the blooms are gone. I highly recommend it to anyone who has the room to let it grow naturally.

Holly

Pickering in Ontario Canada has it. High Country roses is Utah has a special waiting list for it. I don't know of anyone closer who does. I just tried a search for it and it looks like you have a hunt on your hands. It's out of stock most places I checked. You might try a nursery in your area and see if they will order it for you.
Good luck!
Barb

Hey Folks, I was just able to order Harrison's Yellow from High Country Roses. Thought I'd let you know in case someone else has been looking and wanted to purchase within the U.S.A.

Sure thankful for this thread. This is how I was able to track Harrison's Yellow down.

George

Here is a link that might be useful: High Country Roses Listings

macmex, that's great news. High Country is a good source. Good luck with your new rose!
Barb

Can I train a Persian Yellow to climb?

What a great thread! I am also looking for a yellow rose, so it's great to hear from those with experience. Has anyone ever grown (or know where to find) the rose "Aicha", which is a pale yellow rose that repeat blooms? I saw it mentioned in Lauren Springer Ogden's "Passionate Gardening" book as a hardy rose, and the pictures I've seen (from a Google search) are gorgeous. It's not on Harlequinn's list of roses, and I can't find much info on it, so would love to find more info and a possible source for it if anyone knows of one.

Vintage Gardens lists Aicha but it is only available as a custom root plant.

http://www.vintagegardens.com/roses.aspx?cat_id=34

The repeat is listed as "occasional".

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/l.php?l=2.83.1

I have a Harrison's. Ditto for all the comments above, although mine hasn't suckered--yet. It doesn't get much water. It also has aphids in early spring when in bud, so I have to manage that or the blooms suffer.

Morden Sunrise--a Canadian rose--is in the yellow family. It blooms all summer and changes color as it ages. It is a prolific bloomer and bone hardy in my Littleton garden. It is spectacular right now.

Harlequin's is a great place to shop for roses!

I have what looks like two different versions of Harrisons Yellow. Both are beautiful. One blooms just after the other stops. The later one has a tiny tiny ting of pale orange in the center and is not quite the pure yellow of the first . Very close but not quite and the scent is not as strong. Both have scented leaves strongest just before the blooms come out full.
They have probably been on the property since the house was built in 1908. I posted photos on here long ago. Not sure how to hunt them up. :D

harrisons yellow in full bloom today-austrian copper planted with persian yellow in background

Just stunning!

Wow davids10 those are very pretty. I really like the Austrian Copper rose. I have one but it hasn't bloomed yet.

I found a picture of my Austrian Copper from a few years back.

here in reno the bloom period is quite short but worth it-they are growing in narrow bed between the driveway and the wall of an irrigation canal-very hot and dry-tough conditions keep them under control

Early in the thread it was posted that the Persian Yellow rose was a parent of Harison's Yellow, but we have read that the Persian emerged in 1838, While Harison's Yellow was known in 1824. Is there more info floating around about this? We have a stand of some 120 canes of Harison's Yellow that originated circa the civil war in Texas, and was bought by a slave family who had it as a family pride for decades, until one member came to Indy in the 1890's, and brought a segment with her. After establishing the plant, she gave a section to my grandmother circa 1900, who had done her a great favor, and it thrived at several family households in Indy unto the 1970's when we, and the plant, moved to Illinois.

It's been here for four decades and is thriving, and part will go back to San Antonio in October, unless it has become a noxious weed there... We figure the plants to be some 140 years old...

What a wonderful family heirloom, vincekoers45! A rose that moves and lives where ever your family relocates. Thank you so much for the story about your family's Harison's Gold.

There seems to be contradictory info about the origin of Harrison's Gold. According to this site:

"Fun Facts:

The original plant was discovered in the garden of amateur hybridist George F. Harison in Manhattan in 1830.

Suckers of it traveled west with the pioneers"

Wikipedia says 1830 was when it was marketed and also indicates it was a hybridization between Rosa foetida (Persian Yellow) and Rosa pimpinellifolia (the burnet rose - haven't heard of that one before.) I didn't read the whole article but I didn't see anything about when the rose was actually "discovered;" if it wasn't marketed until 1830, could be that it was 1824. Here is a quote from the site:

'Harison's Yellow', also known as R. × harisonii, the Oregon Trail Rose or the Yellow Rose of Texas, is a rose cultivar which originated as a chance hybrid in the early 19th century. It probably is a seedling of Rosa foetida and Rosa pimpinellifolia.[2][3] The cultivar first bloomed at the suburban villa of George Folliott Harison, attorney, between 8th and 9th Avenues on 32nd Street, north of New York City. The site of Harison's villa is now just south of the present General Post Office. The nurseryman William Prince of Long Island took cuttings and marketed the rose in 1830. 'Harison's Yellow' is naturalized at abandoned house sites through the west and is found as a feral rose along the Oregon Trail.

Whenever it came into being, I think it is a very desirable rose cultivar and would have it in a prominent place in my garden, if only I had the space to let it grow unchecked. :-(

By the way, suckers from my Harrison's Gold continue to come up years after I removed the original plant. As I mentioned a few years back in this thread, I had to remove the rose because it was too big and rowdy for the area in which I planted it and, sadly too big and rowdy for my small yard in general. I usually let one or two of the suckers go into bloom because I love the look and smell of the flowers, but then I force myself to cut them down.

Holly

Holly: Thanks for the kind words... I am a tyro about roses in general, and I do not know the true story - only that there are several versions, and that they directly conflict with each other....

One source indicates that the flower, while "found in Harison's garden in 1824, and named for him, it was actually cultivated by Harison's father, or those working for him, some time earlier, which is how it came to be in the garden in the first place.

There are at least two plants claimed to have been "the Yellow Rose of Texas," and one seems clearly "bogus" in that it is not really a rose at all. Both varieties were clearly in Texas, and the claim for the non-rose is more or less a marketing ploy.

Clearly, there are spurious claims of the source materials some attribute the plant's origins to. One "source" is said to have developed in 1838, and if that information is valid, this plant couldn't possibly be the original stock used in the breeding, done some time before 1824. Science knows so much more today about the hybridization process, and we suspect that if someone really made a project of it, all of the "speculation" about the breeding and origins of the original "Harison's Yellow Rose" could be elimiated.