Charles de Mills

Monsieur Tillier

Licorice Tea

Oneto Home Saffron

Old Blush

The Reeve (which I no longer have nor can get:( )

Mutabilis

Very nice choices, Brandon. I've had Oneto Home Saffron (gopher), Mutabilis (got too large for its spot, Monsieur Tillier (fried in the slightest heat) and Old Blush (different location). What do you like about Licorice Tea? It sounds nice.

Today -

SDLM

Mrs. B.R. Cant

Felicia

Lamarque

Mrs. Dudley Cross

Blush Noisette

Maggie or Archduke Charles - can't decide

Oh this is easy! Because of my impending move, out of all my roses I only have my favorite 7 left.

Tipsy Imperial Concubine

Catherine Mermet

Fake Perle

Archiduc Charles

Perle d'Or

Sophies Perpetual

Francis Dubreuil

If only picking my favorite Frangipani were that easy...

Ingrid, I like Licorice Tea because of it's color first and it's vigor second. It is one of the few non pink roses that I have. I would describe the color in my yard as a light yellow turning whitish with a little yellow towards the center. I have had it for less than a year and it is already about 7.5 feet tall. Of the two Teas that I have by Paul Barden this is the one that I would buy again.

SDLM still excellent after 17 years of excellence has proven itself time and time again. My favorite OGR.

Mme Jules Bouche

Little White Pet

Marie Pavie

Penelope

Vif Eclat

Mme Plantier

Comte de Chambord

In no particular order,

Lillian Gibson

Harrison's Yellow

Nymph Egeria

Prinz Hirtzenprinzen

Gerbe Rose

Edmond Proust

Gem of the Prairies

I'm new to old garden rose growing so note that I only will be growing 2, Radiance and Mrs. B. R. Cant, of my list:

Florence Bowers' Pink Tea
Mrs. B. R. Cant
Perle d'Or
Radiance
Snowbird
Buff Beauty
Lady Ann Kidwell

If old-fashioned hybrid teas are excluded then Niles Cochet and William R. Smith are welcome to take the places of Radiance and Snowbird.

I don't know if this group are roses that grow well here or roses that are well-grown by those tending to them. I am spoiled since I have been to the Sacramento Historic Cemetery rose garden once and the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden three times this year. The roses I listed all explained to me what "free-flowering" means with their abundant blooms. These appeared healthy, well-branched, and made a landscape statement that defined each as a "rose to remember." There were several more in Sacramento whose names I did not catch. I was caught up in the dizzying, rainy day glory of wandering amongst the old roses. Several on my list were putting on a show even on 2 visits bookending July this year.

Justin

I'm not sure I can come up with 7, and not all OGR's so I'll start with my OGR's and then add a few more to make 7.

SDLM

Felicia

Louise Odier

Baronne Prevost

Duchesse de Brabant

Leveson Gower

MEL'S HERITAGE

Pretty close. Six OGR's and one ORG of the future:) Lisa

Edited to add: I misread the title. Somehow I had it in my head to list my 7 most fragrant OGR's. Oh well, that's my list in order of fragrance preference. The only reason MH is at #7, is the OGR thing:) These are my 7 favorites anyway, but I would have listed them in different order if I hadn't had fragrance on the brain:) Lisa

As a newbie, my favourites have yet to stand the test of time, but here's what I like so far!

Mme N. LeVavasseur ... always in flower

New Dawn ... always in flower and NO BS (I know. Not an antique, but getting there.)

Yvonne Rabier ... flower city

Cl. Clotilde Soupert ... no balling yet and those blooms!!! So many on such a small plant, not to mention the fragrance. No BS either. : )

Felicia ... loving my first flowers, its growth habit and better than average disease resistance.

Maggie ... the colour!

Cl. Crimson Glory and/or Gruss an Aachen may join this list, but it's too soon to tell.

I wish Parade could be included. It's a winner with an old-fashioned form and colour similar to Zepherine Drouhin.

I tried in good faith to answer this appealing question, but when I listed "all the Gallicas collectively" as one of my seven, I knew it was time to concede defeat. There at too many roses that are beautiful in too many ways, and even if some may have fewer flaws or be more consistent than others, it doesn't mean that those others don't bring me equal joy. For me, unanswerable.

I could write a favorite list of top roses I don't have and probably never will have: Mme Pierre Oger would probably top the list for sheer beauty. Banksia rose and Mermaid would come in there. Desprez à fleurs jaunes, Ivory Fashion, Souvenir d'Alphone Lavallée, Buff Beauty, Souvenir de la Malmaison, and Paula Vapelle -- for starters.

One can't have everything and that is probably all to the good. I am happy that these roses are still being grown somewhere, though; and that I and others may run across them in real life as well as in book and pictures.

I love the way everyone has very distinct individual favorites although some have made it on to more than one list. Justin, I'm glad you listed Florence Bowers since that's a rose I've admired tremendously, and I'm thrilled that I will be getting mine later this year. Licorice Tea is a rose I would consider since I don't have a tea rose of that color, although my Mlle. de Sombreuil, although not yellow, might be close. Mel's Heritage is a rose I'm still considering strongly. Felicia and Mrs. Dudley Cross are two roses that I would add if I were expanding my number of roses instead of contracting them.

Melissa, you were the main person I had in mind when I said those with many roses would not be able to make any choices. Totally understandable; you'd probably have a hard time naming your favorite 50 or 100.

Currently:

Tuscany Superb

Ellen Tofflemire

Marianne

R Alba Semi Plena

Queen of Denmark

Duchesse de Brabant

The Prince

I love reading threads about favorites! Thanks, Ingrid. Carol

Varies from time to time with me. Cl Shot Silk and Cl Crimson Glory, both older climbing hybrid teas, would make my list. I'm very fond of Crepuscule. Several teas show signs of developing into being favorites, but I'm waiting for the test of time. Oh, and Rambling Rector. I really like that rose. That makes either fewer than seven or way more, so I think I'll leave it at that.

Rosefolly

This year, in no specific order...

Gloire de Ducher

Baronne Prevost

Annie Laurie Mc Dowell

SDLM Rouge

Comte de Chambord

Maman Cochet

Larry Daniels/ Hume's Blush Tea (a tie because I cannot decide between the two)

In no particular order-

Crepuscule

Winecup

Marie Pavie

Sweet Chariot

Prairie Sunrise

Mechanicsville Beauty (a found rose)

Lady Hillingdon/Maggie

Ken, I'm curious about your Mechanicsville Beauty. If you could tell us more about this rose and possibly show us a picture that would be wonderful. Your favorite roses sound just right for your area. My Maggie is having to live in more difficult conditions but I hope this young plant will be willing to grow here. The few flowers were small in the heat but still quite beautiful.

Sorry, I wasn't keeping up with this thread. Ingrid, thank you for your interest.

Maybe I should have explained about Mechanicsville Beauty. It is a made-up name for a found rose that I've had for 20+/- yrs. My husband was a mail carrier who had a walking route in this neighborhood. He used to walk by an old deserted church building that had several roses around it. One day the city came in and bulldozed the lot in preparation for some project. Several weeks afterward, DH walked by and noticed something growing in the now-vacant lot. A small root of one of the roses had survived and was trying to grow. He went over, gathered it up, put it in a sandwich bag from his lunch and brought it home to me.

About the rose itself- It seems to be a shorter rose that was originally grown on its own roots. The foliage does blackspot some but recovers. The blooms are a double medium pink with a darker reverse and moderate fragrance. It blooms in flushes but hasn't been a heavy bloomer so far. I wonder if that's my fault; it hasn't always been in the ideal setting. It doesn't like cold weather and it's not a fan of being pruned. In spite of being a survivor, it seems to be slow to grow. If I had to guess, I 'd say it's a china or china hybrid in the Old Blush family. I wonder if it may be related to Mme Laurette Messimy somehow. The blooms and bush shape look similar to Souvenir d'Aimee Terrel des Chenes but the leaves seem a little different. The church and surrounding neighborhood were working class in the best of times. I doubt that it is anything exotic. I think that it could have come out of the garden of someone in the congregation.

I don't have a picture and am not tech savvy but the next time it blooms, I'll see what I can do.

Kes, thank you for the interesting background. It's heartwarming that you took in this little foundling and gave it a home. I hope one of these days you'll be able to post a picture.

If I could list eight, I'd add Salet! It's been a trooper during our record breaking heat wave. It's also disease-free, and it reblooms all summer with maturity and deadheading, It's deliciously scented, and it decorates its floral display with all that lovely moss. Today's small bouquet photo below. Inside with AC is the place to enjoy my roses! Carol

1. Alba Semi Plena, it has the full trinity of beauty; for beauty of blossom, foliage and growth habit. I love how the fewer petals allow for the golden boss that contrasts so cheerily with the milky white roses, and what a fragrance! Refined in strength and divine in heavenly scent notes.

-blue green foliage, that shows a greater saturation of blue towards the base of the plant.

shapely growth habit

all that plus bonus points for those marvelous flagon shaped orange-to red hips, as ornamental as jewelry.

2. Mlle. Cecille Brunner

3. Marachal Niel

4. Mrs. Dudley Cross

5. Westside Road Cream Tea

6. Etoille de Lyon

7. Mme. Antoine Mari

Lux

P.S. I collect Tea roses.

I'll have to include some Austins on my list, or I'll quickly run out of selections.

Ghislaine de la Feligonde (sp?)

Boule de Neige

Buff Beauty

Felicia (except mine up and died in the middle of summer. Will replant it next spring)

The Fairy

Munstead Wood (DA)

Molineux (DA)

I would have included my hybrid perpetuals, both Mrs. John Laing, on the list, but they are having trouble surviving this summer. I don't know why--and I probably won't replace them since they are my least BS resistant roses. I will miss them, however.

Kate

What a lovely bouquet, Carol. Your interior shots always look so romantic.

Thank you, Ingrid!

I want to respond somewhat to the spirit of this question, and say what it is I find beautiful about some of my roses, without going into which are the best, or my favorites, or similar considerations of ranking.

R. gallica 'Splendens'--big, healthy hearty rose (it has one of the best spots in the garden), with odd top-shaped hips in abundance, glaucous plum-colored new growth, and vivid fall color. Flowers are nice, too! not overly full, with stamens, a rich color.

'Ypsilante'--a Gallica, also growing in a favored spot, in fact it and 'Splendens' are neighbors, and perhaps it needs the good conditions, because it has only just started suckering after a decade. Great big velvety flattish double scented blooms that fill the hand, like powderpuffs, pink-mauve-lilac-gray.

'Etoile de Lyon'--everybody's favorite: such a good grower, such beautiful blooms: butter-colored, from yellow to pale, hardly ever pink highlights (I don't like that common Tea combination of lemon yellow and pink), though occasionally it has tints of honey and apricot. Sumptuous large blooms, double as can be, but never gross; waxen petal texture and a long-lasting flower. It is impossible to overstate this variety's combination of vigor, health, toughness, and beauty.

'Mme. Zoetmans'--quite a Gallica habit, but pale; a near-white of buff, cream, palest pink; waxen petal texture, fine form, very fragrant: an elegant, well-behaved rose.

'Old Blush'--known to all, as are its faults: a tendency to disease (mildew and blackspot), the flowers often falling short in form, color, and scent. Okay. All true. But there is no rose fresher when it makes its new growth from fall through spring, including off and on during a mild winter, with its polished leaves and smooth growth and dainty buds; and it's a great survivor; and in favorable growing conditions it can make surprisingly large, full, shapely flowers, delicately veined; and the scent, though not strong, is definitely there and pleasant, particularly in November or March.

That's five roses, picked at random, some famous, some not. After fourteen years or so of growing my roses you'd think I'd know them well, and I don't, but a lot of the joy of growing them is taking the time to get to know them. I could go on and on about others: 'Mme. Antoine Mari', 'Blush Noisette', 'Spray Cecile Brunner', 'Belle Amour', 'De la Maitre-Ecole', 'Centifolia', 'Dupontii', 'Archduke Joseph', 'Venusta Pendula', 'Crepuscule', 'Etoile de Hollande, Cl.', 'Souv. de Mme. Leonie Viennot', 'Hume's Blush', 'Awakening', and so on and on and on. They're all marvelous. I think the main point of this is that there are many beautiful roses and they're not all famous. I want to encourage people to try some of the less well-known ones.

I would love to hear about "spray Cecile Brunner". I don't know if you read it, but a year or two back, I posted a thread titled "Saving Roses for your Family ". After years of investigation, I believe my grandparents rose may have been Cecile Brunner. I definitely don't have the space for the "pink garage coverer" that my grandparents grew and wonder if "spray CB" might be a smaller, everblooming substitute. My Aunt is currently finding a photo of this rose, although it may be in black and white. Sorry for straying OT. Lisa

Edited to add: I think if my grandparents rose was CB, then it was the climbing form, as it was enormous. So the regular CB is small, and the "spray" is "in between "? Any other differences other than size? Thanks, Lisa

Oh my goodness--I was just looking over my earlier post when I realized that I had omitted one of my best roses: Mystic Beauty (a Bourbon very similar to Souvenir de la Malmaison). How could I forget this beauty--one of my best bloomers also!

Now the tough task of kicking one of my earlier selections off the list of seven. Hmmm--not sure.

Kate

Kate, you don't need to kick anything off your list; we'll call this gorgeous beauty your bonus rose. I can never see much difference between this one and SdlM - perhaps slightly darker / It's a lovely photo.

Marianne, that second shot made me swoon. You have the soul of a true gardener.

Melissa, you are a natural and gifted writer. You've convinced me to put Etoile de Lyon in my garden as soon as I can pretend that one of the roses I have is not nearly as good. Sometimes I wish the tea roses were smaller so I can fit more of them in, but their size is a large part of their beauty.

Lisa, I've had the middle-sized Cecile (also knows as Bloomfield Abundance I believe) and it bloomed most of the time. The flowers were identical to the other two Ceciles. Mine looked like a short but fairly upright climber and I imagine could easily be grown as a large bush.

Thanks, Ingrid. Did it do well for you, there? Lisa

Irene ford , Florence bowers pink tea, grandmas hat, elisabeths china, Barbara's pasture, seltzer noisette, and golden celebration.

It did fine, Lisa, and I thought it was rather delicate and romantic. I wouldn't have Cecile Brunner again because it's just too common around here and I'd rather use my limited space for a rose I haven't seen and grown before, but I know you still have areas of grass so you're good to go.

garden nut, I'm glad to see Florence Bowers on your list since I'm excitedly waiting for mine to arrive in October. I don't know if it can possibly be as beautiful as what I envision in my mind.

Carefree Sunshine - clear yellow that stays yellow and always in bloom

Jadis aka Fragrant Memory: early to bloom and quick rebloom, perfect form, and that fragrance. One bloom fills my office with fragrance.

Westerland: love the color

Sombreuil: love the fragrance, can smell it across the garden

Pink Peace: love the color and the fragrance, my favorite rose

Red Smith's Parish: love it, because not many have it, mine leans more toward red than pink

Tropicana: one of my first roses, love the color and fragrance and is the only rose that I have ever had multiples, maybe it is my favorite.

Pat Austin: does not bloom much but every bloom makes me say oh, because the color seems so delicate!

I'm going to include Mrs Oakley Fisher. She is new for me, but I already love the color and the blooms

Thank you, Ingrid. If I could just see CB in person, I could be sure about whether or not this is the rose my grandparents grew. Thanks for the info. I sent you a message yesterday. Lisa

Lisa, I previously received notification in my e-mail that I had received a message, but not this time. I had to go into houzz and search around, and discovered that there were several messages from other people dating back to April that I never saw. It really is irritating that they change things for the worse. Are you supposed to go into houzz and click on your image just on the off chance that there might be a message? That's what you may have to do to find my return message if it doesn't show up in your e-mail.

Ingrid, Florence Bowers' Pink Tea will be the right rose for its place soon. That is what is most important. The beauty will already be there, in part, by guiding the garden toward your vision.

countrygirlsc, Tropicana has always been in the yard here. Thanks for the reminder of its charms. I am fond of its flushes of coral color. The dark green leaves and bright flowers together remind me very much of the mid-century period. Somehow the color clicked even more for me reading Hazel Le Rougetel's A Heritage of Roses: she mentions that Tropicana (as the overseas name Super Star) was one of the most popular roses in China in 1981. So, in the country where many roses originated from, this rose was embraced by gardeners.

Justin