I saw a really nice looking Reine des Violettes just a few days ago in a Home Depot so I may go back to get it tomorrow IF I don't get snowed in by the 15 inches of snow that is predicted. My roses are leafing out, so snow has to be better than just freezing weather and cold wind. HD had a much better selection on the Magnifiscents last year. I'm really sad I didn't get more of the old garden roses. I bought Baronne de Rothschild and Comte de Chambord and they both are terrific...although thorny. I did buy Helen Hayes at HD, and she's a smooth lady! Passed up a climbing Iceberg, and I may go back for it too. I'm loving all these great suggestions. Wouldn't it be cool to have whole flower beds full of thornless roses? I'm going to dig out my barberries this year. They just don't provide enough beauty to put up with their mean little thorns. The pyracantha has bagworms in addition to its thorns, so out it goes, too. Very sorry about the birds who nest in that monster. The thorny quince and gooseberries can stay, as they earned their keep. I buy thornless raspberries and blackberries. Senko, my Crown Princess Margareta has a few thorns near the bottom of the bush, but none at all on the octopus canes. It's one of my best growers, and it's in a spot that gets shade in the afternoon and way too much water. My thorniest, nastiest rose is Falling in Love, and it died over the winter. I'm going to have to find a really long handled shovel to get that one out. In my mind, a rose named "Falling in Love" should not be covered with vicious thorns, but then i see irony in my "Ronald Reagan" breaking dormancy earlier than others. I know...I need to get a life outside of the garden... Cindi

Are you sure you want antique roses for this job? I ask, because constant rebloom, vivid colors and glossy foliage aren't a combination you'd be likely to find in Europe at an early date, regardless of thorniness. My thornless, or nearly thornless garden roses, dating from prior to 1925, are: Chloris (matte foliage, once bloomer) Complicata (once bloomer, single, not very fragrant) "Dr. Peck's"/Charles Lawson of US commerce (once bloomer) Duchesse de Brabant (some thorns, less fragrance) Duchesse de Rohan (matte foliage) Empress Josephine (matte foliage, once bloomer) Gaspard Monge (once bloomer) Gloire des Rosomanes (not glossy, and a little thorny, but otherwise fits) Mme Jules Bouche (some thorns, cream colored flowers) Mme Plantier (once bloomer) Musk rose (matte foliage, reblooms for me, but wouldn't in Chicago, single) Perle d'Or (some thorns, otherwise fits, but not cold hardy) "Pickering Four Seasons" (matte foliage) rosa macrantha (once bloomer, single, not very fragrant) Sydonie (not all clone lines are thornless, and the little flowers aren't very strongly scented) Out of the rebloomers above, I'm doubtful whether the early Polyanthas, Hybrid Chinas or Hybrid Teas would make it through a Chicago winter, even with protection. Duchesse de Brabant is supposed to be good to 5b, but is the thorniest on the list, and my nose doesn't find it worth bothering over (your nose may vary). Of the others, Sydonie is the only one supposed to be cold hardy enough for the job, and it's far from being a constant bloomer. Good luck with your quest!

Some years ago, I consulted with a local botanical garden on a selection of small roses for a Children's Garden. I asked them whether thornlessness was a priority. They said, no. It was not. They felt, in fact, that it was best children learn early that some plants have thorns or prickles. I was reminded of my younger brother, who learned the hard way that you should not insert toy knives into electrical outlets. Jeri

Hi Merideth, I cannot say I am not interested. Are these the only two thornless repeat bloomers you have? I looked at ALL your rose, and they are pretty much awesome. Are they all repeat bloomers? Can you send "rooted" clippings? Please see my list below; though, I have a LOT more! Including a monster "found" rose (in the forest, of all places!) Please contact me via tropicalgardener@gmail.com Thanks so much! Frank :) Frank’s Plant List (Haves) 1. Chinese aaPerfume Plant, Aglaia odorata Given to me, as a clipping, as a gift by Chinese man, lemon-jasmine scent during day, but especially at night. Flowers tiny, but powerful, this is a must have for any scented garden person; warm weather only! Very little care, no disease. My plant at one year is bushy, about five feet high and three feet wide. Healthy! Blooms a lot. Wine and Milk Lillis, Crinium Zaylanicum Amazing bulb I grow in both Texas and Puerto Rico, flowers twice a year, scented, doubles every couple of years. Collectors bulb, willing to trade. Easy to grow, no care 2. Spider Lillie, Amaryllidaceae Hymenocallis caribaea Grows in almost any soil, even sand at the beach, as long as it's warm, repeat blooms, carefree, multiplies fast. Wonderful scent, especially at night. Problem-free plant. 3. Soursop, Annona muricata Leaves used for relaxing tea; fruit used to make goodies, jam, even ice cream. Disease free. 4. Bamboo Orchid, Arundina graminifolia (purple) All over the island in disturbed areas; likes sunny head, and wet feet, likes hiding in tall grass on incline, where water can run off. Not a boggy plant. Easy to grow. 5. Bletia patula, Flor de Pasmo Usually seen wedged between rocks on a slope in disturbed rainy hillsides in PR. Lithophyte. Little care once established; gorgeous, not for temperate garden, or newby. Blooms off and on, no disease. I have it growing in cinder blocks, wedged in with gravel. 6. Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, Brunfelsia pauciflora A star in any garden. No real scent on this variety, but a knockout plant really, head turner! Easy to grow once established. White, purple, and purple-pink flowers on plant at same time. Established plants are car stoppers. No disease, full sun, little care. Brunfelsia Portoricensis, Dama de Noche, Lady of the Night This Puerto Rican native's Spanish title says a lot: this flower is tempting, and can cast a spell. Easy to grow, scented in the early evening, all night, and early morning garden. A real star; one of my top five favorite scented plants of all time! The scent in clean, fresh, but distinct. If you are into scented plants, this is a must have. Have one at both house entrances; that should tell you something. Blooms regularly, no disease. Caesalpinia Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Pride of Barbados I have the standard orange bush-tree, and the pink-orange one, too. Have seen the yellow one out on the island, will get it. This plant is so easy to grow, it flowers a lot, and the leaves are interesting. Carefree, except some thorns. No problem if you already grow roses with few thorns. I love this plant, and have lots of pods to share! Canna Lillie, Canna I have the yellow with orange spots, the Giant Red, and the orange. I need pink and white and will trade! Carefree, mulitply. Day Blooming Jasmine, Cestrum Diurnum Grows under almost any condtions, but requires heat; flowers a lot; flowers smell like jasmine-chocolate! Rare. Found on side of road. Grows 12 feet in two years. Lots of seeds and lots of birds. Often in bloom. Only jasmine that is as powerful in the day as it is in the night. If you are into scented plants, this is a must have. No disease. Tahitian Gardenia, A real star in the scented garden; yes, they makes lays of of these things in Tahiti! Leaves are thich and healthy; place in morning sun and afternoon shade because the white, highly-scented flowers burn brown at edges, really disappointing. Easy to grow once established Butterfly Ginger, Hedychium coronarium This is a highly scented star in the garden; blooms like white butterflies. Easy to care for, needs sunny head, likes wet feet, no disease. A favorite, corm doubles every year. Also comes in yellow, with a different scent. Butterfly Ginger, yellow, Hedychium coronarium flavum This is the same as the standard white, only it is yellow, and the scent is differnt, wonderful HibiscusOnly have rare ones, large ones, strange ones; only intrested in rare ones...sorry![please see pics] Spanish Jasmine, Jasminum grandiflorumThis has a heady smell, day and night, not for everyone, but I love it! Gets really big, 12 ft., and blooms nonstop! No disease, just water in warm weather. Will not grow in cold. Angelwing Jasmine, Jasminum Nitidum Wonderful scent, can grow in sun or shade, more in sun. Few problems, can be trained as a vine. Sacred Jasmine, Jasminum sambac This is the Queen of all Jasmines. Highly scented, leys are made from these, also tea! I gather a small basket and they scent a large room! Need sun, air circulation. Can get Sacred Jasmine, Jasminum sambac (Duke of Tuscany) This is the king of all jasmines! The flowers are extremely scented, like heaven! The flowers look like little white roses, or warped like little cauliflowers. This plant needs full sun and lots of air circulation! Otherwise, can get mildew or other problems. Curry Bush/Tree, Murraya koenigii This is the great undiscovered (in The West) herb from The East, I use it on rice, eggs, everything. Like basel, it has changed my life man! If you do not own this bush, you NEED to own it. Only grows in warm areas. Easy to grow, though, got ten seeds from some guy in NJ; nine of them grew; but, seeds must be very fresh, not old! Pinapple guava, acca sellowiana This is an evergreen small tree or large shrub reaching 16-25 feet tall and as wide. It produces oval shaped leaves that have a silvery-white underside. In late spring to early summer appear the showy flowers with the inside of the fleshy edible flower petals a shiny pink while the outside of the petals are white. Rose Many culivars, will post pics. Also, have a rose I found in rainforest of Puerto Rico! Cup of Gold, Solandra grandiflora This is a massive vine, with massive scented flowers, like little trumpets. Why is is not grown more often, I do not know, but it might have to do with the size it can grow, invasive. Can be trained as a bush in tub to control! Heavenly scent at night, huge blooms, requires heat! Very hardy. Cre Marigold Tree, Tithonia diversifolia Found this in the hills, grows like bamboo, huge yellow daisy like flowers in cooler weather. Night blooming Cereus