Reine des Violettes in my Swedish zone 5b garden. The toughest of my remontants, not that I have many.

I love that smokey mauve color! Lisa

I made sure to order my Reine des Violettes from ARE, after looking around here, that's the place that for sure is the reblooming one. Unless they changed it, I think the HCR one is the once blooming. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, if anyone knows.

O dear, what can I say? Both are SO beautiful...

I don't know about MIP but I believe RdV prefers acidic soil. It may not be a factor for you or it may be a small matter to correct it for you.

Kes is correct. 'Reine des Violettes' demands acidic soil. I think, where you are located, that's not a problem, but it is one element to consider.

Do you spray? Because 'Mme. Isaac Pereire' was one of the few roses that blackspotted horribly here, if not sprayed regularly. If blackspot is a problem for you, that's another element to consider.

I was always leery about MIP and its sport, Mme. Ernest Calvat, since some people had horror stories about their propensity toward disease. I imagine it depends very much on location. I like the color of RdV but seem to remember that it's not a profuse rebloomer and doesn't do all that well in hot gardens. Of course, the same may be true of MIP for all I know.

Yes, MIP gets black spots here too. I spray her once at the first BS onset and this seems to be sufficient in my garden as she's healthy for the rest of the season. But it's definitely not a rose for a no-spray garden unless the place never experienced black spots. I find it impossible to capture her gorgeous color, it's much more pastel-hued than on my photo. I can't wait to see my RdeV next season.

Ingrid, RdV was a profuse bloomer for me in the spring (but of course, my conditions are nothing like yours). It bloomed very little in summer, and had a rather small fall flush.

It grew here for precisely 20 years. Then, it broke out all over with RMV, and died within days. (It came from ROY&T.)

Its disease-resistance was quite good, but in my conditions it would go so chlorotic that the leaves were a greenish-ivory in color. But I loved the bloom. And in our cool climate, it really was a swirl of shades of lavender.

'Mme. Isaac Pereire' was a cranky b*tch, prone to every possible disease. She bloomed heavily in the spring, and adequately in the Fall. She was incredibly, viciously covered with monstrous prickles. I came to hate her, and she is long-gone. We grew her sport for a while -- 'Mme. Ernst Calvat' -- and found her a better plant on the whole.

'Mme. Ernst Calvat'

Thanks everyone!! I don't know why I thought mip was disease resistant. I don't regularly spray , I could I suppose . My lavender lassie needs it routinely so I could get in the habit for a couple. Sounds like for the fragrance it's worth it ! The photos are so beautiful. I think I like mip coloring the best . Is there another super fragrant rose I should look into?

:)

Oh my gosh jeri I am laughing at your description of mip. Too funny! Ok maybe I don't need a diva in my garden . I'll keep looking :) but I'm a glutton for punishment so I may try it after all . You can say you told me so later :)

That's a tough question. Both are beautiful and extremely fragrant.

You have seen Fragrancenutter’s Mme Isaac Pereire over on the general Rose forum, haven’t you? I’m not sure if she sprays or not. She’s in a hot and dry climate and I believe hers in in some shade, trained against a fence. Last spring it bloomed so well, for so long, it was incredible. I’d never seen a MIP to rival hers. I haven’t checked this year, but it’s probably almost that time in Australia again. I also recall someone else noting that MIP’s blooms were smaller than she had always imagined they would be.

They’re both beautiful roses, just looking at the blooms. What a difficult choice! I’m with whoever said “both”. Order both and give them a chance to show you how they’ll perform in YOUR garden. Then keep the better one. That’s the only way you’ll ever REALLY know:) Lisa

Yes Lisa that is exactly why I was wanting this one !! I'll have to ask around the Nashville area if anyone grows it . I'm sure someone does .

Cathy those are beautiful photos as well , thanks !!

I have RdV here in a large pot. After a year or so she started getting chlorotic leaves..probably about the time the roots grew out the bottom of the large pot. I tried Miracle Grow acid like I use on my acid loving plants ..didnt work. I tried Ironite...didnt really do anything...tried Milorganite which greens up about anything it my yard..nada! Finally one day, I just dumped a bunch of fresh rabbit manure and straight out of the bag Miracle Grow potting soil. Well she perked right up and turned green and started to bloom again. Go figure. So now when she acts up, that's what I do. In fact that combination seems to work on a lot of roses and other plants just as a 'pick-me-up'.

I don't have MIP or MEC but I may try them. They are both so beautiful!

I bought MIP from ARE but I haven't planted her in the ground yet so I can't comment on her yet but I decided to try her because you never know how a rose is going to grow in your yard unless you try it and life is too short not to try. I live in a high black spot area so I know if MIP is bs prone she might get it but most of my roses have done well with very minimal bs. I'm excited to plant her and to see how she grows for me!