Great topic! I think it’s hard to separate strength of fragrance from fragrances you like or dislike - all the ones I thought of when I first saw your post are ones whose fragrance I like, but then I realized later that I wasn’t counting ones whose fragrance I don’t like (myrrh).

My favorite fragrant roses are all ones that I think you already have, 2 of which made your “tier” lists - Evelyn, Bolero, Munstead Wood, and Twilight Zone.

Pope John Paul II

Neptune

Oklahoma

Savannah

Firefighter

Neil Diamond

Auguste Renoir

Beverly

Pink Peace

Souvenir de la Malmaison

And others not pictured are Francis Meilland, Tiffany, Sunsprite, Kathleen Harrop, Double Delight, Big Momma, Lemon Spice, Mme Ernest Calvat, Orchid Romance, and La France. A couple of newer ones that I think will be are Rouge Royale and Munstead Wood.

Ohhh such a nice thread. My most fragrant roses are:

earth angel

Summer romance

Mary rose

Princess Anne

Orchid Masterpiece

Benjamin Britten

Raspberry cream t

Jude the Obscure, the only one for me who's scent is always very strong whether its November or June.

Thanks everyone for the great choices and pics!

Sara_Ann,

I totally forgot Beverly, which is the rose I routinely recommend to people who ask me for a very fragrant rose. I figure they wouldn’t spray and pamper the way I do, and Beverly is the most carefree rose on my list. Neptune is indeed super fragrant, too.

Loving all the pictures to back up the fragrance lists! So many pretty ones here. Strongest fragrance in my garden comes mostly from the Austin roses I have. So off the top of my head - Munstead Wood, Othello, Gertrude Jekyll, Benjamin Britten, Charles Darwin & Falstaff. Another two contenders are Princess Alexandra of Kent & Moonlight in Paris (not an Austin) - mine are new this year, but everytime they have a bloom, I can smell them.

The first that comes to mind of mine is Francis Dubreuil aka Barcelona. It consistently knocks my socks off.

Ken, Beverly is a good one to recommend, not fussy at all.

I noticed your Papa Meilland, it’s gorgeous! How do you like it overall? I love the older reds

Sara_Ann

Papa Meilland is a smaller plant than the other old reds, but it blooms quite well, very good hot weather rose . I think it’s the most beautiful among them...the truest black-red, and a classic form. But Lincoln is a much stronger plant, and Firefighter the most free blooming. I’ve also heard Papa is the most true pure rose fragrance among them, I think they all smell great.

Cyndita,

I agree, strength and preference are very different. My least favorite scent is a straight-up myrrh as well (Mme Anisette, Sceptre D’Isle). But I think the more complex scents with a note of myrrh (Double Delight, Tahitian Sunset) can be wonderful.

Dianela,

Does Earth Angel repeat well for you? Mine is great in spring, then gets quite big and sprawls.

BenT it was wonderful in the spring and has always a few blooms on it but not spectacular. It was planted own root from a band last spring tho so I am giving it more time. It is almost 100% black spot free and blooming right now so it gets to stay in my garden. The blooms have gone from almost white to to a definite soft pink consistently so I have hope. Will update if it improves.

Dianela, I think these Kordes OR need time, as in years, to show their stuff throughout the season. I recently saw a group of EAs in a regional garden and they were covered in bloom except those that had been recently pruned. This was well past the Spring flush and well before the Fall's. It's a lovely rose with great fragrance. I had not considered it before, but now it's on my radar, especially as you mention it's clean in your humidity

Almost all my roses are fragrant, but the strongest and most consistently fragrant are Lavender Crush, Cl.Crimson Glory, Cl.LaFrance and its bush form, Scepter'd Isle, Dream Land, Bordeaux, Munstead Wood, Summer Romance and Eglantyne. If Houzz cooperates, I'll post some pics.

Vapor thank you for telling me about EA. If it turned into a consistent bloomer it would be a glorious rose. It has the beauty, the scent and the health of a perfect rose. A very clean rose.

Thank you BenT for the info on Papa Meilland. I apologize for calling you Ken, you both grow beautiful roses, but I do know the difference!

Sara Ann, you have some amazing roses! are Nepture and Firefighter healthy or do you need to spray them? thanks!

Well, I think I will add two more. Belinda's Dream's opening bud is intentensely fragrant as are the blooms on Felicia. Does anyone else find BD strongly scented? Prior to transplanting I think I only saw one bloom last year, so I forget if it was or not. : ((

Thank you, Mas, my Neptune is new this year, it’s very healthy so far. I’ve had Firefighter for several years, it’s never been a big bloomer for me, but it’s fairly blackspot resistant. I want to plant one in another spot. I have a PJPII in the same bed, it has also struggled and has never been vigorous.

i discovered this evening that Rouge Royale is very fragrant! What a lovely scent!

Vaporvac, Belinda’s Dream is a favorite of mine, but unfortunately not very fragrant for me, wish it were!

Belinda‘s Dream is strongly fragrant for me.

Belinda’s Dream is only moderately scented for me, and took a long time to establish, but now it blooms very well.

It doesn't get any stronger than New Zealand
Carla in Sac

With Pippacovalent's recommendation, I'd love to smell a Francis Dubreuil.

The most consistently fragrant in my garden are Alnwick Castle and Marie Pavie. It should be noted however, that visitors to my garden don't necessarily share my opinion, but I can tell these roses are blooming even before I see the buds or open blooms, from around the corner. There are some roses that are stronger once you get your nose in them, and there are roses that are more fragrant than these when they are cut and in the house, but in this dry windy climate and to my nose, I can't count on them being fragrant at all times of the day (or night) and in all sorts of weather as I can with Alnwick Castle and Marie Pavie.

Hi Vapor,

How interesting that Belinda's Dream is super fragrant for you! I was admiring my Belinda's Dream just earlier today because she is one of my very few roses that still have most of the leaves on the bush. At this time of the year, the majority of my roses are badly defoliated, even Kordes and Easy Elegance. But, alas, at no stage of her bloom do I detect a strong scent from Belinda's Dream. There is something special with the combination of your location/temperature/humidity, etc :-)

--Lin

For me, it is Munstead wood, earth angel, PJP II, Abe Darby, PCDM, pink peace, first crush, Francis Meilland, Brother Cadfael.

Thank you for this thread Ben and everyone else for contributing. I love to hear about most fragrant roses. Here I am pining away for Lavender Crush. Munstead Wood got so many votes another rose to consider.

My ‘Category 2’ Roses: As fragrant as they come, I just wished they bloomed a bit more.

Sutter’s Gold

Neptune

Sugar Moon

Dolly Parton

Well Being

I love that picture of Sugar Moon, Ben. Other than not blooming enough, how do you like it otherwise?

Sara_Ann

Sugar Moon is a keeper for me. The blooms are very nice , the plant is healthy, It is decidedLey more fragrant than either PJPII or Bolero, which is extraordinary, since those two have very good scent. Both those two are heavier bloomers that repeat far better. My main local nursery chain in my area stocks up on Sugar Moon and Neil Diamond every spring...the manager said they are so consistently wonderful scented that people smell them and they sell out.

Sugar Moon close up.

And Neil Diamond close up

Those are all some great recommendations some I have and some I don't but for me the most fragrant bar none is Memorial Day

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

Munstead wood is always a winner

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

Beverly is a wonderfully fragrant rose

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

My favorite rose is still Olivia Austin

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

One of my new favorites is Crimson Glory

kristine_legault's ideas · More Info

Ben do you have a bush shot of neptune? And how old is your N? If you say it is as fragrant as can be....is its fragrance intensity similar to lavender crush?

HI Katya

Yes, Neptune can be as intense as Lavender Crush, and is consistently fragrant. But Lavender Crush is 100% consistently intense (never had one that wasn’t heavily scented), and Neptune is consistent too, but not 100%. Neptune also isn’t the most profuse bloomer, but when it gets its right, it’s really impressive.

In the photo below, Neptune is the second to the right, with the big lavender blooms.

And here’s a young plant of Lavender Crush, before it starts shooting out climbing canes.

Ben,

Thank you for the info on SM, it’s gorgeous, I think that one is going on my list, I’ve wanted to try it anyway.

Kristine,

I love Memorial Day, and it is very fragrant. I replaced the one I had that was on fortuniana, and it’s doing okay, just hasn’t bloomed much yet, so I didn’t include it. I love your Olivia Austin Rose.

Seems like Beverly can look so different, and I love it no matter what, mine has a few pretty good size blooms right now. I took this picture this morning.

So many lovely rose pictures here! A feast to the eyes. Too bad we can't smell them too.

Kristine, thank you for posting Memorial Day! Although I don't grow it, I was going to add it as it's ALWAYS fragrant whenever I smell it a the Columbus Park of Roses and elsewhere. Another one whose fragrance I'm always impressed with, but don't grow is George Burns. I smelled the open bloom of BD today and it is very fragrant, but not as scented as the opening buds. However, it's 95% today and lower humidity. The day it was so crazy fragrant was in the 80s.

Katya, I mentioned LC above, but want to say BenT is 100% correct that it is always fragrant. I can't wait til mine grows up and looks like his!

Sara-Ann, Please get SUGAR MOON. It's one of my absolutely favorite roses for scent. It will transport you to heaven. Seriously! And such a beautiful rose. I didn't include it above because mine died this spring of root canker and I initially only commented on those I currently grow. It was a BS mess in my garden, but I would gladly spray for this rose. You have much lower humidity and rainfall, so I think it would work well for you. If Houzz cooperates I'll post a pic of it's open flower.... my favourite stage exposing its gorgeous red stamens. I really miss this rose and hope to put it in a cutting garden someday.

I wanted to ask opinions on Heritage. I had the opportunity last week to see it in Columbus and was smitten. I've heard it blows quickly, but so gorgeous and fragrant. Is it a constant bloomer that would make up for passing so fast?

Vap,

You are so right about Sugar Moon. One whiff, an you will forgive it any and all shortcomings, and want one. It has a powerful scent of expensive perfume.

Several of my friends got Lavender Crush on my recommendation, and everyone raves about their little purple perfume factory. The fragrance is always ‘ON’.

Both Sugar Moon and Lavender Crush sound wonderful!

Right now my Aloha has been producing some gorgeous blooms, even though it really needs some attention, the blooms have been fragrant, but they’re not always, I love it when they are!

I forgot, I have been wondering how fragrant Twilight Zone is for others? Mine has never been very fragrant, just wondering. Love the blooms at their best!

Twilight Zone is only modestly scented for me too. It also takes a long ‘bloom vacation‘ during the hot summer. But I agree, when it’s good, it is very beautiful and unique.

I see your flower bed and Neptune! It looks quite good in full bloom there. having a fragrant pale mauve rose sounds exciting! All your roses are blooming at the same time. Thank you so much for sharing the photo. Do you grow ebb tide too? I certainly want to get ebb tide but maybe also twilight zone. Its because of your and Vaps comments in other threads I am going to plant sugar moon and lavender crush. Its still probably four years before I smell them! Thanks Ben!

Katya

I did grow Ebb Tide, it had nice color in spring and had very good scent. In summer it would turn a lurid shade of magenta. For my area Lavender Crush is a much more beautiful rose, I know one is a climber, the other a floribunda, but for me it’s a choice between two purple roses.

As far as fragrance :

Twilight Zone - moderate

Ebb Tide - strong

Lavender Crush - amazing!

Ebb Tide (spring purplish color)

Lavender Crush

Oh Thank you Ben. I want LC more than ever. I hope I can find it...I think I am going to get all three ...

That's the spirit! Lol! :-)

Out of curiosity, is there any reason no one has mentioned Fragrant Cloud, Granada, Fragrant Charm, Perfume Delight, or any number of old roses, particularly the damask, autumn damask, and Portland groups? These all have good fragrances.

They were saving that privilege for you? ;)

I must have forgot about Perfume Delight, mine hasn’t bloomed much recently, it is very fragrant, and I love the blooms, even if they don’t last long on the bush.

BenT where would you place your Dream Time..... I see it doesn't make any of your tiers.... I am planning on getting it from your pictures alone, but so glad it is fragrant.... however, I can only hope to smell it

I have Fragrant Cloud which everybody raves about and my husband loves it.... but I can't smell it.... mine or others... it won best fragrant at our rose show... but nada for me..... I also have Double Delight which I like the scent, but it is not overly strong to me.... but others who visit say WOW..... so I think there must be something wrong with my nose.... but that being said....

Neil Diamond one of my top scented roses... I have two because the first one I thought was a dud and grew backwards... now the 2nd one is doing the same.... so sad because I just love the fragrance and the rose itself but a terrible terrible bush for me... they are declining one stick wonders.

Sugar Moon a WONDERFULLY powerful rose scent... but it too has problems. I have two of these bushes because one was mismarked as PJPII. This rose isn't a one cane wonder, but it does get canker easily.... I get lots of tropical winds and the canes seem damage very EASY .... other bushes of same size not so much.... but I sure love the scent.

I won't remove SM because I love her scent.... and I debate on getting ND.... but you know the saying Fool Me Once... Fool Me Twice..... but maybe I am just an addict to Neils scent, because it is SO HARD to walk by him at a nursery.

Sharifa Asma is my strongest scented David Austin.... I have Jude and Evelyn though neither seem to be super strong....

Outta the Blue is my strongest scented mauve.

Nahema is also one of my top contenders.

Sharon,

Dream TIme belongs with Category 1: Great garden performers, very fragrant, but not quite as powerfully scented as the Top Tier. Overall while Beverly is a bit more heavily scented, I find Dream Time far more beautiful.

Here’s all of Category 1:

Dream TIme

Just Joey

Barbra Streisand

Bolero

Granada

Tahitian Sunset

PJPII (white rose in the pic...doesn’t actually grow sideways as posted by Houzz!)

Peach Swirl

BenT..... your pictures just make me want to swoon.... those are BEAUTIFUL..... I got back from vacation to see all of my rose yucky.... I sprayed for blackspot before I left but I guess the hurricane that passed by dumped just TOO much water... and of course the winds and feeder bands damaged the leaves. I wasn't here to wash the salt off of them so they are dry and brittle... but thank God it turned north before hitting us... we are just 58 miles east of the Bahamas... my heart goes out to those live there.... been through it and it is just awful..... makes me feel little just complaining about my garden.... but I sure enjoy your pictures. Thanks for sharing them.

Sharon,

I’m relieved that you were not a part of all the weather craziness, I hope all our folks in the South east were able to avoid it. Thanks for the nice words.

I am glad too you are safe Sharon! I followed the news and heart just broke for what horror happened to those islands..

Ben your pictures and posts make me very happy too!