Diane, your photos of Evelyn are so amazing. This variety is definitely on my want list. I am just holding out to find a good own root version. And yes, it has been very hot and humid in these parts, but I know many of you would laugh about what I consider to be hot. It has been approaching or slightly above 90F quite a few days here with high humidity, so the heat index has been quite high as well. My roses are grown next to a lot of pavement and an unshaded brick wall so they also get a huge amount of radiated heat.

Carol, I am so impressed with Lemon Spice so far. It is a very elegant plant and flower, and the fragrance is unique and delicious. My partner crinkles his nose at most roses saying they smell like “old lady,” but now seeks out Lemon Spice. After the first bloom faded he asked several times “Where is my yellow rose?“. The only other roses he has expressed interest in are Life of the Party and Double Delight. Here is the same bud from Lemon Spice I posted yesterday as it looks this morning:

I love Crimson Glory when the blooms are fully expanded. The intense damask fragrance diminishes but the golden stamens emit a clove perfume similar to ‘Souvenir de St Anne’s’ but less strong. The bees go crazy for the pollen and the blooms last for several days like this on the plant in perfect condition, impervious to rain or heat.

And Barcelona continues to pump out intensely fragrant, velvety flowers. They are probably less than than half the size of Crimson Glory but are just as charming. Even with the radiated heat from the wall the blooms have been holding up very well this season with very little frying:

Beautiful, Chris. Lemon Spice is just exquisite, and your red roses are perfect--no heat damage. I'm impressed. I think it's the very dry air here that does the damage more than the heat. It's particularly hard on red roses (except for Ascot). The payoff is no black spot, so it's a wash. "Smell like old lady" is an even older canard that we rose lovers must retire. I'm an old lady, and I'd pay every nickel I have for a perfume that smells exactly like Evelyn. Crabtree & Evelyn's perfume, Evelyn, smelled nothing like the rose (or an old lady, for that matter). They are no longer in business, though the secondary market has gone crazy with their products. I loved Gardener's Hand Therapy, but a couple of hundred $ for hand cream is way too rich for me. Diane

Wonderful to read about all your fragrant roses. My strongest rose is Marie Pavie planted by the patio so I can enjoy her wafting fragrance.

Stephanie: What a nice arrangement for planting your flowers perfect for MP! Is that Sweet Chariot in the upper tier? MP makes me happier and Happier!

Is a tie :) Always and Forever Rose. first and it has yet to open all the way. It is this hybrid tea rose they use as cut flowers for Valentine's day in the florist shops. Well I think I paid less for my entire plant at the Lowes garden center near me almost 4 years ago--than what one would in say a dozen one of these cut at the florist on Feb. 14th. Can't get any of mine on that day but that is ok. I swear I will never ever buy cut roses from a florist or these grocery stores again. Should go out and cut one of the coral dawn. Have a green vase I can stick it in.

Always hasn't opened up all the way yet. Bet it will tomorrow. Take camera can get out that other door now!!! Great!!! And for 2nd I would say the Chinook Sunrise. When I was stood out there early this morning I swear I could smell the perfumed scent from the lemon drift and the chinook sunrise. Smelled so beautiful.

Chris seeing that comment about the bees reminded me of a humorous incident this morning when I was stood near the campfire rose a big bumblebee came and went into every opened flower on it and when finished flew away. HAh didn't go to the Shield one next to it or the lemon drift one on the opposite side to it. Just it!!! :D

Diane: I got several butterfly bushes for the first time this season. They are still in pots because my garden is in some kind of limbo right now. But they are very fragrant. Not wafty but if you come close you can smell this heady, and to my nose, very lovely scent. Even when the flowers turn brown and dry they are still very fragrant.

Whenever I see your Ascot my pulse rises. I got an Ascot this spring too. The flowers, the petals, the shape, are gorgeous, just like in your photo. But the color is so red barely any blue. What am I doing wrong? And I wonder how big mine will get...seeing yours and what it might become, I cant figure where to put it!

Every picture you post of your roses is inspiring. I got Ebb Tide and Twilight Zone based on your pictures too. It seemed a novel and cool color (as in less stimulating) that I would love to add. But wouldn't you know it, they are both blooming a blazing hot magenta!

Ebb Tide is very fragrant though!!

Chris: some of the things you are saying here and there ring true for me too. (At the same time, all of your comments and musings are a wonderful read for me, don't want to forget saying that!)

I realized this spring how much it is that I actually love to grow plants rather than throw a large plant in the landscape and have a garden. I love watching them take shape leaf by leaf and the habit slowly become evident. Spend time just looking and doting over them every morning and afternoon. It really does feel like bringing up your own child rather than someone hand you a person in their late teens: here, this is your off spring, we took care of most of the mess, uncertainty and pain. You know what I mean? :) All this to say I am noticing that I am having way more fun growing the roses that I got as bands than the big grafted bare roots that look almost like shrubs already. I feel so much more connection to the tiny rose twigs, now handsome, albeit little, plants. Unless unavoidable, will opt for bands. I am glad you shared this thought and feeling.

This spring I have jumped into the deep end of growing roses. I do think I bought too many roses, although I am not supposed to say that. I think I miscalculated three dimensional space quite a bit. Maybe I wanted to miscalculate, so I didnt do it thoughtfully? I realize whenever a view in the garden looks appealing to me there are other plants along with roses that make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Like you say, I don't want a garden just stuffed with every rose that I find pretty..... that is not the emotion I want when entering the garden. Well over the next few years....

And I have to thank you for sharing so much about fragrance on this thread.

Just a question if you have experienced this. All the roses seem decidedly less fragrant this year. Even the roses that I have in my garden for years and know very well just smell a lot less. Why is this happening? Am I doing something wrong?

Ann: I just love growing roses from bands, as I was saying above. here is a thread showing a little bit about growing roses from bands that I started, if it interests you. I will be adding more to it .

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5928233/deuil-de-dr-reynaud-again-and-a-band

Chris and Katya, you are right that growing bands is more fun than buying a grownup. You do get really attached. My Ascot is redder than Diane's too, Katya. I think it is her soil and climate.

Chris - I love all of your roses....but I would love to get Lemon Spice...if its fragrance can convert your partner's dislike of rose smells to where is my yellow rose...that's good enough for me! :)

Katya - no one can get that color except for Diane. We all want to get that color...but...

Diane, I can’t agree more about how silly, dismissive and inaccurate the cop out phrase “smells like an old lady” really is. Living with a non-gardener can be trying at times. Lol. I didn’t know that Crabtree and Evelyn were no longer in business. Omg, hundreds of dollars for hand cream on the secondary market?! Ouch! And I have to agree with everyone else that all of your roses are huge, beautiful and truly spectacular. They look well loved.

Stephanie, what a beautiful bed of Marie Pavie! I have grown this one in the past and loved its sweet fragrance. I almost bought it again this spring but decided to try ‘Souvenir de St Anne’s‘ at the last minute instead. I also want to echo Katyajini’s question: is that Sweet Chariot in the photo as well? Sure looks like it. That one also has a beautiful wafting fragrance for me.

Karen, your roses are looking great! Your Always and Forever and Chinook Sunrise look so happy. Isn’t it wonderful to be able to smell roses on the air in your own garden? And it is so much fun when bees and other wildlife join in on the action too. (Except deer and rabbits...those two need to stay away, lol.)

Katyajini, thank you for the kind words about my rambling musings :). I do view most of my plants as my children in a way and get intense pleasure from tending them and watching them bloom and grow. Growing from a band does provide a special extra sense of accomplishment. The next step for me would be to hone my skills in striking cuttings. Or even to learn how to graft.

Sheila, yes you do get attached. For me that is sometimes a problem because I have a self-imposed rule that if I bring in a new rose, then a current one has to go. Sigh.

Rosecanadian, I think in some older threads you talked about enjoying Tiffany. Lemon Spice reminds me so much of Tiffany—long stems, elegant buds and incredibly sweet, pure fragrance. They both have that unmistakable mid-century charm. If you get the chance, you should definitely try Lemon Spice!

The rose that has captured my attention today is again Souvenir de St Anne’s. The petals are like translucent silk and the fragrance of a newly opened bloom is rich, powerful and sweet.

Katyajini and Chris, yes good eye, that’s Sweet Chariot on the top bed. I don’t smell much fragrance from mine, but it’s probably just my nose not picking it up. If I put my nose in it I smell the faintest spicy fragrance. Marie Pavie, on the other hand, bowls me over if I get in close with a very lovely musky, vanilla, spice fragrance.

DIane, a number of years ago, I bought Crabtree and Evelyn's hand cream, and was so disappointed that it smelled nothing like the real thing. I thought it didn't smell much like a real rose, but a synthetic version of someone's idea of a rose, or maybe a rose based perfume. I've been dreaming of having varietal rose essential oils. Can you imagine? An essential oil made with just Mister Lincoln, or Madame Isaac Pereire, or Evelyn, or Abe?

Stephanie: That is such a shame you dont sense much fragrance from SC. I was going to get it but now am going to give it a second thought. Erasmus also said he does not get much fragrance from SC either...with my luck, I will be one of those rare people that cannot smell SC! Maybe it will change.

Sheila and Carol, is that a little family secret that no one told me about? Diana and her purple roses? ! :)

Chris: Thank you for introducing Souvenir de St, Anne! I had not heard of this rose before but it promise to be amazingly wonderful! How big is yours?

Noseometer: I love your idea of an varietal rose essential oil. I’d totally buy it. Which has me thinking... have any of you tried making your own hydrosol or rose water? It’s actually not too complicated. I adore rose hydrosols and use it to spritz my skin, my bed linens my room, my car... and when ever I’m needing a little fresh pick me nup. You can also just buy it if you don’t want to make your own. There’s a brand called Heritage Store Rose Petals Rose Water that’s lovely and has nothing artificial in it.

Chris, thanks for your thoughts on the phrase we shall not mention--ha. I first started seeing the old lady reference on some web sites devoted to perfumes and their scents, often when when someone was describing a flowery perfume. To me, so many modern scents smell like the labs they were created in and seem harsh. Several years ago, I wanted and received some good old Shalimar perfume (like I'd worn in college), and was disappointed to find the scent more like men's aftershave and less like the mysterious scent I knew with vanilla undertones that the old Shalimar had. Then I read later that the old classic perfumes are constantly being "updated" to appeal to modern sensibilities. I was so disappointed to read that. I love your Souvenir de St. Anne's. What a delicate beauty. I can just imagine its scent. I grow Dainty Bess, and if ever there was a rose that should smell wonderful, it's her. Nothing. So disappointing. My Rouge Royale is having a beautiful flush (after most of my roses quit during bad weather). Now that the weather is perfect, RR's gorgeous blooms don't show any damage, so I made a nice bouquet for the little table next to my special chair. Heaven! That rose has a beautiful scent, and it's too bad you can't grow it in your climate. Is it too cold? Someday, I'll have photos, but that's another story.

And now for the rest of you scent freaks (sorry), especial Nose: have any of you tried Jo Malone's Red Rose perfume? I've heard for years that this is the one that smells like real roses. It's a British perfume, and as expensive as all get out, so I don't want to order it without smelling it first....and one last perfume story--in the 1970s (I wasn't an old lady then), there was the most perfect smelling rose perfume by Houbigant called Roses Roses. I wore it and people went nuts over the scent. It wasn't even expensive. For some reason, it was discontinued, and I started searching for it again about 25 years ago. No luck, Then, about 10 years ago, one bottle turned up on the secondary market. The bottle was partially used up. The Price: $300. Blast and !@#$. And it was probably stale, too. If only they'd make that perfume again.

Katya, thanks for all the nice things you said about my roses. I'll try to answer your questions about purples at some other time. I did notice that Ascot's red seemed brighter after all the rain we had. And now that it's drier, the color seems the same again. That doesn't make much sense, but I did notice that color change. Diane

Stephanie, rose fragrance is such a fickle thing at times. Do you have low humidity in your area? I notice my Sweet Chariot is always fragrant but it is strongest in cooler, humid weather whereas my Marie Pavie used to carry more on the air in dryer heat. I am always curious about fragrances that I, and others, cannot detect.

Katya, I overlooked your question about roses seeming less fragrant than previous seasons. Yes, I believe this is quite common. So many variables can affect rose fragrance—temperature, humidity, presence or absence of strong sunlight, nutrient availability, etc. one never knows quite how the fragrance will turn out from year to year. And not to mention that aging, allergies and congestion can all play a significant part too!

As for Souvenir de St Anne’s, mine is very new this year. It came as a rooted twig (maybe 6 inches tall) from High Country Roses this spring. It was delayed by the USPS and arrived with yellowed foliage which promptly dropped off. It started growing again only to be attacked by spider mites. Now, after spraying with horticultural oil, it seems to be doing quite well. I don’t know how it will do for me long term but it is reported to grow into a rounded shrub 4-6 feet in all directions. It is a semi-double sport of the famous old bourbon rose Souvenir de la Malmaison.

Noseometer, essences of certain rose varietals is an amazing idea! I think we would all love to have some of our favorites bottled up.

Ann, I have made both rose water and rose petal jam in the past. I use the rose water for cooking and not for cosmetic use. My favorite variety for this use has been Crimson Glory harvested in the partially open bud stage. CG is also a favorite of some Eastern European friends for the same use. It produces what I would call a pure, sweet, classic essence of rose. Someday I would like to get a bush growing of a true damask like Kazanlik to compare.

Diane, I have always loved single and semi-double roses. It is a shame your Dainty Bess is not more fragrant. Since the fragrance doesn’t come from the petals, Souvenir de St Anne’s is far more heavily scented than I would have expected. As for Rouge Royale, it just never grew for me. I tried two different bare roots in two different seasons and neither actually sprouted or lived. I find your musings and remembrances about perfumes to be fascinating!

My Life of the Party is starting another flush today. After reading BenT’s comments about this rose and seeing his photos, I knew I had to try this one. I am so glad I did. This fragrance is POWERFUL! Today I smell ripe apricots with a slight but very pleasant sourness along with fresh-squeezed orange juice. The fragrance seems to change as the blooms mature.

Brindabella Purple Prince has an amazing, strong, lush fragrance.

Noseometer: do you make rose petals jam often? Is there a favorite recipe you’d recommend?

I was at Rogers Gardens a couple of weeks ago and spotted this crimson glory... in all its glory.

I was so taken and distracted by its beauty that I forgot to go and smell it. Now I need to go back and smell it.

Ooops! I just realized it’s crimson sky and not crimson glory. Hmmm... I wonder if there’s any relation.

But the rose is still so beautiful... I feel a need to share... because seriously... who here doesn’t want to see more roses. 😉

And here’s a few more of crimson sky...

Apparently... based on the sign description of crimson sky... it only has a sight fragrance.

Without question today this one in the hybrid tea rose Always and Forever. Been with me going on 4 years now and always puts out big red blooms 3 or more!!! Could take out my little footstool and sit down on it and sniff her all day.:) I dedicated it to my late mother.. Too bad she never got to see it or smell it. I am sure she would really like this one. This one has been my top smelling rose for 4 years. The strike it rich has the orange showing thru its 4 buds. Encouraging it to open. the scent on this one is supposed to something else according to the ones whom sell these not to mention how beautiful it is.

Diane, I did smell Jo Malone's Red Rose perfume (and a ton of other ones at the store). I think it smelled pretty nice at the beginning, but if I remember correctly it was a bit too sweet and with a sharp high note that seemed out of place. Also after some time, as the fragrance faded, it smelled distinctly synthetic. I got a number of samples from the store because I loved a number of them as freshly sprayed (the Pear and Freesia was sublime), but they all changed as they faded in ways that I didn't like. Definitely sniff before you buy. I find that the case with many "rose" scented fragrances that they add other fragrances to make it a "signature" fragrance, or to improve silage, and it just doesn't work for me. Andalou naturals products (1000 roses) have a nice rose scent to me although it doesn't make me think "ah, that's Evelyn". Weleda used to smell just perfect, but the last face moisturizer I got from them wasn't up to par.

Ann - I've never made rose jam! Maybe one day I'll try it. I haven't tried making a hydrosol, but I did try to make my own attar many years ago, and it was too much work and used up too many roses that I worked so hard to grow. I've bought a Rosa alba essential oil that was better than anything I could have made, but it was about $50 for about 15 drops, so it was gone very quickly. The standard rose water that I get from Natural Grocers smells like a real rose to me, but of course it doesn't last long. I've made rose water meringues with it, and it works much better than rose extract.

Well, I goofed. I decided to track down the elusive 1970s rose perfume, and it turns out its name is "A Rose is a Rose", rather than the awful Avon "Roses, Roses". senior lapsed memory. Ebay has three used bottles at good prices, so now I've got to find out if the scent has gone bad, and the sprayers work. I'm thrilled and surprised. Meanwhile, I'm getting my photo files organized from this spring, and the following photos are from a couple of days ago. I just posted them on another thread I'm so excited. I've never been able to get a good photo of Rouge Royale because it grows on the edge of a steep slope that goes down to a gully below. At my age, I have to be careful. RR is surrounded by big plants and only gets northern sun exposure. The color darkens to black red in a vase. I need to photograph that. The smell is luscious. The other photo is Evelyn--this is my idea of a bouquet--a plonk with a bunch of roses squeezed together in a tight bunch. I'm lazy.

Nose, I was glad to get the low down on the Jo Malone perfume. Now I won't worry about missing out on a special sent, and I saved a bunch of $ with this knowledge. Thanks. Diane

There are so many comments here... :)

Diane - Love, Love your pictures...especially your Evelyn!!!

I've often thought of making rose petal jam or rose cooking oil, or something like that...but I've never done it. Something I saw in a book once was an ice wreath with rose petals in it...for a party. You just get a circle-shaped glass/plastic form, pour water in it add rose petals and then freeze. You can use it to keep shrimp cold or whatever.

Does rose petal jam taste good? Just alright...delicious??

Ann - that Crimson sky is amaze-balls (who did I steal that phrase from?...someone on this forum)...and the trellis is huge and I love it! :)

Karen - I love the rose that you planted in honor of your mother! It's a beautiful red rose!!

Chris - Life of the Party died twice on me...I'm not sure if I'm going to try it again. I've never smelled this wonderful fragrance everyone raves about. :) So I may be foolish enough to try again. LOL Yours is really pretty!'' I love how your described the scent!!

Katya - yes, somehow Diane gets colors that no one else can.

Chris, yes dry here in inland Southern California. Humidity almost never gets higher than 50% and can be as low as 5% if air is pushing from inland out toward the sea. So interesting that Marie Pavie fragrance known to do well on dry air. I certainly smell her a lot. Sweet Chariot is a blooming machine as the buds for next flush form when previous flush at its peak. I would call it a continuous bloomers worth keeping even if fragrance is not something I detect here.

Wow, so many wonderful posts on this thread!

Diane, those photos of Evelyn and Ascot are truly amazing and beautiful!

Lemon Spice continues to bloom at a steady pace, this time with some subtle orange and buff tones. This one is SO FRAGRANT at all times of day, regardless of heat, hot blazing sun, shade, age of bloom, etc. The open bloom is slightly bruised on the edges due to constantly sniffing it.

Life of the Party continues to put out exceptionally fragrant flowers:

This bloom on Bolero was remarkably powerful this morning:

And, last but not least, Souvenir de St Anne’s continues to pour out vast quantities of heavenly clove perfume:

My beautiful Strike it Rich Rose. Scent reminds me of my Mandarin Orange Spice Herbal tea by Celestial Seasonings!!!!

Chris - great fragrant blooms!! I have to get Bolero

Karen - is it a strong fragrance? Lovely bloom. :)

Well have to get down and sniff it. :) Oh and my coral dawn like wow, wow and double wow!!!! Went out there this morning and counted 6 or 7 buds on it!!! Must really like growing there. Didn't expect it to take off like it was doing so look for more pictures of it. And my lst blaze rose is really close to having the flowers opening up on it. Not much smell to them only when they first open up According to the websites on the Strike it Rich it does have a strong fragrance. I would have bought another one. But have yet to see anybody selling them this year or last year. Will see next year. https://www.gardenia.net/plant/rosa-strike-it-rich

Well I definitely have to add a new wondrous fragrance. Strawberry Hill! It does not smell like rose either. DA says myrrh but if Bathsheba and Wollerton are myrrh then I barely smell any myrrh in SH. If I can compare, then Strawberry Hill smells like Clethra alnifolia and maybe also flowers of Styrax japonicum. And it is very rich with the fragrance.

Katya - Strawberry Hill's fragrance is da bomb! LOL

It's 92 F today. Most fragrant in high heat is Princess Charlene de Monaco (intense rose and pear nectar, pure heaven. Next is Dee-lish (strawberry guava) Some bouquets picked this week: I like Princess Charlene de Monaco's scent the most among my 140+ fragrant roses. The new band of Parfum de Paris comes in second. Below dark pinks are Dee-lish, upper light pink is Princess Charlene de Monaco.

Below is first bloom of own-root Parfum de Paris, bought from LongAgoRoses (shipping is excellent, $11 for 4 roses). It stands up to high heat, abundant buds, and the scent can easily compete with Comte de Chambord. It has bush beauty: deep green & glossy leaves. It's going to be a strong contender for Dee-lish for high heat.

Look at those glossy leaves!! Straw, you're making me excited to see how my Parfum de Paris smells...if it blooms this year. Beautiful, beautiful blooms!!!

StrawChicago: thank you for the recommendation… I now must add Parfum de Paris to my wish list. I also adore the fragrance of Princess Charlene de Monaco.🌸 Although for me Dee-lush has a slight musky stink as it’s finishing fragrance note that I find really off-putting. I’ve tried smelling it on about 6 different plants… and they all have that slightly off-putting musky stink to them. I wish it smelled as you described it… strawberry and guava. Is your dee-lish ownroot or grafted?

Ann - I never liked the fragrance on my Dee-Lish roses either...they smelled green. LOL

Ann and Carol: My Dee-lish is own-root (I have 140+ varieties of fragrant own-roots). I find own-roots to smell better than grafted. Rose-parks (Cantigny and Chicago Botanical Garden) have the same varieties (grafted-on-Dr.Huey) and they have less scents, except for their Bolero.

The fruity scent is more intense in my alkaline clay, versus the old-rose note is more intense in rose parks' less alkaline soils. Except for Strike-it-rich, just slight-fruity, not impressive in my soil. In below bouquets of fragrant roses, Golden Celebration is #1 in fruity scent, Pink Peace (own-root) always smell like butter-creme frosting, Evelyn (buds) is strong peach, and Yves seedling (dark pink) is red-wine and grape juice. Best and strongest scent in reds is Barcelona (small red), I find its scent to be better than Firefighter, Crimson Glory.

StrawChicago: I love hearing you describe fragrance on roses. I can’t wait to experience stronger fragrance from my roses after adding pea gravel + alfalfa pellets + soil. It’s fascinating that your ownroot roses have a better fragrance. I am definitely going to have to add more ownroot roses to my garden.
🌸
I have another question for you… Have you ever experimented with banana peels to add potassium to the soil? And if so did what benefits did you see?

RoseCanadian: I’m glad I’m not the only who has found the fragrance a bit off putting… I was really thinking it was just me… because everyone seems to adore the fragrance. I wonder if you transition it into becoming an ownroot if that would help to improve the fragrance.

Straw - such beautiful roses!! Oh my!! :) :) My favorite is the peachy one that's nestled on top of the 3 peachy-pink roses on the left. What's that one called? Your Barcelona has the best fragrance! Wow!!! I sure wish I could smell it! Pink Peace, to me, always smells of fruit loops!!

Ann - I left mine outside to die over winter last year. Hiding my head in shame. :) :)

My best fragrance today was Parade Day!! There wasn't much competition. LOL But I also had Soeur Emmanuelle, Jacques Cartier, Memorial Day blooming. I love all of their fragrances!! SE reminded me a bit of cherry nibs with myrrh. I love it!

Golden Celebration on DH roots is probably my most fragrant, but unlike straws, mine is heavy on the myrrh so it’s myrrh with fruit. The other is Marie Pavie, which isn’t as strong as GC per flower, but a bush of them wafts 15 feet, easily, on a warm day. MP is my favorite fragrance, which is musk. Lemon Spice is also very fragrant and is sometimes a spicy lemon fragrance and sometimes smells exactly like lemon pledge. My Cl. Crimson Glory is a baby and only had a few blooms this spring, and one of them was extremely intense old rose, but the other blooms had little to no scent. I am sure it will be more reliable once mature.

Carol: The peachy rose in my bouquet is Summer Samba floribunda (fruity scent).

Stehapnie: My own-root Golden Celebration smells like cupcakes from the oven, it makes my house smells like a cross between a florist shop and a bakery (YUM). One bloom perfumes the entire kitchen.

Crimson glory (hybrid tea) smells good on the bush, but the scent is gone after 1 day in the vase. I prefer Firefighter's scent that lasts until petals drop. For quality of scent, I place Gruss an Teplitz's spicy scent over Firefighter. Gruss is drought tolerant & likes heat. It blooms best when the weather is over 90 F. Gruss grows wild in Pakistan's hot & dry and alkaline sandy soil (learned that from Khalid, who used to post in Organic rose forum).

Gruss an Teplitz is the father of Dr.Huey-rootstock, but the blooms are much prettier with amazing spicy scent (almost as good as Barcelona):

Below is Gruss an Teplitz, a 10th-year own root in my zone 5 garden:

Straw - wonderful GaT!!!! Mmmmmm :)

Straw, Adding Parfum de Paris to my wish list. You missed your calling. You should have worked for a Perfum company describing fragrances. 😂

Firefighter is on my wish list. I have Gruss an Teplitz but it gets the worst mildew with our misty cool nights. Even so, it has been pumping out the blooms which are 2 inches and bright red. Mine is acting like a short climber and yes the fragrance is wonderful. My other mildew wreck is Mrs Dudley Cross, but she is also giving a ton of blooms this year so mildew doesn’t seem to reduce the blooming.