‘Life of the party’ is very fragrant.

If they are for a care home, I think you should add long vase life to the must haves!
Of that list, definitely Oklahoma and PJPII.
I would add Firefighter and Elle too.
And my STRONGEST smeller is New Zealand, but it is classic Rose, not fruity. It will fill a house.
My second strongest would be perfect, but I'm the only person I know who has it--Purple Passion. It's extremely lemony and gorgeous (photo of the 1st one in 2021)

Carla in Sac

Some of my favourites for a more cutting purpose and generally good performance are 'Fragrant Cloud' and 'Chrysler Imperial'.

I love 'Papa Meilland' for his rich colour, heady and classic scent, and excellent form. Probably wouldn't be the prettiest plant though.

'Tiffany' is another classic with excellent scent.

All of these roses are also the James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Award winners, too.

https://www.rose.org/single-post/2018/04/28/the-james-alexander-gamble-fragrance-award

Steven

My favorite fragrance so far is Oklahoma. It lasts quite a while on the bush but I never cut a bloom to bring inside. My second favorite strong fragrance is probably Marchesa Boccella. What a beauty! I love that rose. I recently had Covid and am anxiously awaiting my sense of smell to return. I don’t know what I’ll do if I can’t smell my roses!

I'm praying your sense of smell returns soon. I think that as much as anything else kept me cloistered. I hope you are recovering in other regards and weren't too sick.

Laura - I don't know if I would grow roses (certainly not as many) if I couldn't smell them. I really hope that your sense of smell returns!!! :(

@LauraLG Z5b-NwPA - thank you! I wish the best for your recovery and return of the sense of smell for all covid patients - afterall, we need more noses to sniff on these wonderful flowers.

Best wishes on getting your sense of smell back, Laura. I lost my sense of taste but not my sense of smell. It did come back though, and I hope yours does also. For me, losing my sense of smell would be devastating, since it is such a big part of my interaction with the world. And best wishes for your other half to recover, and recover completely.

Yes, get your vaccine, everyone! Since the vaccine helps about half of those with Long COVID, I wonder if it will help with the loss of smell? We don’t know at this point.

I hope for you both a complete recovery from this awful disease. I'll be thinking of you in the coming weeks. I've had both shots since February, and what a relief. My granddaughter got her first shot yesterday. From what I just read, we're in for a fourth surge because new variants are becoming dominant. And the victims are becoming younger. I hope we all stay safe. Diane

I hope you recover fully soon.

I got it March 2020. I didn't get tested because with those symptoms, I didn't need to. I've never experienced something that felt like ozone poisoning, unable to get relief breathing, heavy and syrupy feeling air, and shortness of breath.

You would NEVER mistake those symptoms for regular influenza (which I thought it was due to the symptoms of initial on-set). Truth be told, I still feel like I'm not breathing properly, but it is what it is, it wasn't really that bad because my health isn't as poor as most people's seem to be, and I will not be getting any rushed "vaccination" that has such low effective percentages and requires two doses. No thanks. I'm not participating in an experiment for something I've already had and I don't have any obligation to participate with anyone's hysteria either.

Steven

Laura - that's so disturbing that COVID would strike down a healthy young man. It must be devastating for you both. Do they have any idea when he'll be able to come home? I'm so sorry for you both!

Steven - I'm really glad that, like Laura, you survived COVID! You really suffered with it.

Here’s my top 3. I’m one of those people who has to smell every roses it see. My all time favorites... by the way I love sweet fruity rose fragrances: Bolero (Lychee which is a Tropcial Fruit + rose)... Gertrude Jekyll (Sweet Ripe Fruit + Rose) it’s the best and strongest fragrance on a David Austin rose I’ve ever experienced... Sweet Mademoiselle (sweet ripe summer peaches + pear)

Ann - I can't wait to smell my Bolero blooms (it's coming in spring). For it to be one of your all time favorite rose fragrances...I'm so excited!!! Yes!!

Hi,

Meilland International has a Jardin & Parfum collection of roses that I am in love with. They are amazingly powerfully scented and make great perfumes, too! I have ordered a few I love the fragrance: (However... there are sooo many fragrant other roses I love...may mention another time.)

Francis Meilland , Old rose scent, Classic very large 5” diameter blooms, very classic rose.

Yves Piaget, Strong rosy-cirrus scent

Cream Yves Piaget (Classic Woman)

Princess Charlene de Monaco

Meilland Roses:,

Cream Ives Piaget (Classic Woman), strong Citrus rose scent.

Princesse de Monaco, powerful old rose fragrance.

Kitty,

I‘ve stayed away from Classic Woman because I thought I read it had low fragrance but if yours has good scent I’m in-what a lovely bloom!

Oursteelers,

I just ordered Classic Woman (Cream Yves Piage,” and have researched it extensively! The Meilland Jardin & Parfum Collection are the most fragrant of all Meilland roses breed for their Perfume scents and targeted to sell to florists... so they are the best! I am focusing on ordering from that collection...love their fragrances!

Check out the Meilland Jardin & Parfum Collection for these very fragrant roses!!!!

I also like “Meilland’s Orchid Romance Rose,” another show stopper for it’s perfume scent!

I think the most fragrant rose I have in my garden is Twilight Tryst..... It is seems to be healthy. Mine is not quite a year old.... but it did make it through my flood. I am surprised that it is not more popular. There doesn't even seem to be many pics of it on helpmefind.... but it is pretty, holds nice in the vase.... It seemed twiggy at first, but it is starting to put nice thick canes....

Thanks for the well-wishes. We really appreciate it. It’s a wicked virus and one I hope we get under control.

Steven - I can certainly understand your hesitation and I hope I didn‘t come across as inciting hysteria. I (and my boyfriend) felt the same early on. Twice Covid has devastated my family now though so I can’t deny the seriousness of it. My sister was diagnosed with EGPA (a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the lungs) after her Covid infection and it’s brought her life to a halt. I’ve researched the science behind the vaccine and feel confident in it. Everyone is entitled to make the best decisions for themselves though and I do understand where your concern stems from.

Laural, I'm so sorry to hear that about your family's Covid- 19 experience. I hope your husband recovers too. It is such good news the vaccines may further aid recovery down the line. You are right to urge everyone to get vaccinated. If people don't care about themselves they could at least do it to help others avoid what your family has been through.

Steven, it would really be wonderful if you could learn to experience some concern for others beside yourself. You will also get older and more vulnerable in time and you don't want to look back on too many insensitive and ignorant remarks that go on your permanent record.

As a Physician and a person, I saw many people die and it was especially hard if it was preventable and before their time. Their families suffer greatly.

Kitty - Yves Piaget and Cream Yves Piaget are incredible looking roses!!! Drool-icious!!

Well said, Sheila. :) And I so agree with you about vaccinations. I thank you for your service in your profession...I can't imagine the difficulty you have when patients die.

Sheila, as a fellow physician, I couldn’t agree more. You are my hero.

Sheila, You are such a kind and compassionate individual and I commend you on your work in the past as a physician Helping others.

Roseometer, You, too! I am so privileged to share company with such kind and thoughtful people who are dedicated to helping others.

Carol, Thank you. I am excited about receiving my Meilland rises order soon! All zone 6 roses. Can you grow zone 6.... with mounding soil & burlap-maybe? These are my favorites of all my roses, so far!

FRIENDS, I feel very blessed to know all of you and spend a little precious time of my day with you, family and gardens! I see such quality in thought and gracious thoughtful kindness to others, thank you for sharing your days with me and all of us!

Happy Gardening!

In the past year, 'despair' was redefined many times. Members of my family had Covid and suffered. Some others lost jobs and had to feed their young with unemployment claim. The rest 'lucky' ones live on with years to heal from the horrid show we saw. When people say 'oh but the fatal rate is due to the old people', it sounds as if either they will never grow old/sick, or their family will never grieve if they suffer. It's just never what it is - because no one is entitled to suffering - even the old, the sick and ones with existing conditions. For no reason it's okay to take away their days of enjoying their little garden and hugging their sons and daughters from them. Not one day. When you wear a mask and get vaccinated, you are giving time to the vulnerable group to sniff on a beautiful rose, like you and I are doing now.

@LauraLG Z5b-NwPA I pray for your loved one's recovery. Wish I could say I feel you, but I know I can't. People hurt in similar ways but the pain is never the same, so I say, let's hope the flowers will bring back smile on our faces, once again.

Dear Laura,

Wishing your family blessings and your husband good health, again. Praying as warm weather comes he will enjoy it with you! And your family will return to healthy normal snd your sense of smell will return to enjoy the delicious roses! Your family deserves the best! Our nation really deserves recovery and joy again. Praying for rebirth of a nation as well as our gardens.

Tess, Such heart felt loving kindness to everyone. Bless your heart. You are a gem!

Such an amazing group of people here. Thank you so much for the well-wishes...it means a great deal.

Tess - I couldn’t agree more. I was one of the people who thought I could wait to see the side effects of the vaccine or wait for more trials before I put my children or myself through it. Now I won’t hesitate to get it when it becomes available to me and the kids. You never know what kinds of lessons life is going to teach you but I’ve been humbled by it recently.

I would really prefer the rose boards be the one place we don't bring politics!

This is worse than politics. This is incorrect information that risks people's lives. Joey and Steven, this is not accurate.

Get the vaccine please. it is a kind and honorable thing to do and it just might save your own life.

DeeLish is so fragrant and holds well in a vase. It’s similar in color to Yves Piaget which is also fragrant. A nice fragrant single rose is Lyda rose, mixes well in a bouquet.

good luck with your project and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Sheila
I know we all have very strong opinions on this subject. I myself have EXTENSIVELY researched it.
But I love this board, it's seriously one of the last places in America where people can just enjoy the shared love of something, without getting into a fight.
I wouldn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable sharing roses with me because my research/knowledge conflicts with theirs.

PLEASE can we save the innocence of the Rose Board???
Carla in Sac

Innocence is so much better than ignorance.

Kitty - yes, I can overwinter zone 6 roses. :) :) I have blankets/sleeping bags (old ones), etc. that I cover my roses with. Did you tell us already which roses you're expecting? I have a terrible memory...but I'd love to know. :)

Hi, RoseCanadian,

Lovely, zone6 roses, Yay! . Those blankets sound fabulous for keeping them warm.

I posted my order of 44 roses on a spring rose thread.(I still am ordering some, oops!)

Most of my roses are fragrant (some less fragrant), , so I will recap:

Meilland: Francis Meilland, Yves Piaget, Cream Yves Piaget (Classic Woman,) Michelangelo, L de Vinci, Princess Charlene de Monaco, Sweet Drift, Bonica.

Kordes: Wedding Bells, Earth Angel, Bliss Parfuma, Lion’s Fairy Tale, Cinderella Fairy Tale, Pomponella Fairy Tale., White Iceberg, Pink Brilliant Iceberg.

DA: Princess Alexandra of Kent, Princess Anne, Anne Boylene, Eglantyne, England’s Rose, Queen Elizabeth, Harlow Carr, Hyde Hall, Brother Cadfield, Munstead Wood, Olivia Rose Austin, James Galway, Velvet Fragrance-very deep fragrant rose!

OGR: M Berkeley, Davis Store, Tamalpais Homestead, Florence Bower, E Varat Hermanos, Benny Lope, Clotilde Soupert, Souvenir Malmaison, Caldwell Pink.

Irish Rose from New Zealand, made by McGredy: Handel Climber.

Delbard of France: Moonlight in Paris

Tantau Breeder (German) Scentuous, English style.

JP: Sweet Rose of Mine

Easy Elegance breeer of: : Music Box,

Weeks: Sheila’s Perfume (from England).

@KittyNYz6 Thank you for the list! Among them do you notice any that can establish quicker to produce fragrant flowers? I am hoping I can get decent fragrant flowers for cutting the same year after planting. I own a PAofKent myself and notice it didn't produce consistent quality of fragrant flowers until 3rd year. I read that DA roses usually take a while to 'get on the track'

@KittyNYz6 thank you so much for sharing your list. I purchased Velvet Fragrance due to a post I saw on this forum in the past (maybe it was you?). I was searching for the most fragrant red. so excited to smell (and see) its first bloom this spring. Glad to hear you love it. It wasn't an easy rose for me to find.

Sara, Yes, Velvet Fragrance HT , a DA is considered one of the most fragrant deep red roses...France award winning.......so I am excited to have it!

TESS, I agree that DA take about 2 yrs in CA & OR to grow well. In cold climates they take longer. The English style of roses-cupped shaped most have grown slower in my cold climate.

The roses I ordered in above list I do not have experience with how fast they grow. However, hardy caned HTs, Floribundas, & grandifloras roses usually in my cold climate have gorgeous blooms first year. Grandifloras-most hardy tallest-large blooms. Floribundas-most prolific blooms but little smaller than HT & Grandifloras.

What is your location-plant zone?

If you really want fast growing large first year blooms you may try ones that grow 4-6 ft tall. Some say order plants that are already potted and 2 years old, also.

What roses of my list may grow fastest due to being HT, Floribunda or grandifloras w/strong fragrance:

Velvet Fragrance HT, Francis Meilland HT grown in CA-huge fragrant blooms, Wedding Bells HT, Sheila’s Perfume Floribunda.

Of roses I planted last fall these are great first year fragrant bloomers:

My Grande Dame Rose HT first year had 5 “ huge blooms and huge fragrance...

Summer’s Romance Floribunda

Beverly HT

Dee-lish HT

And some of these have that English-style.

Oh FFS, please don't compare this to being a victim of sexual assault. My god.

I will quit talking after I stop the misinformation in this thread that will get people killed.

The intent of this thread, is to send flowers to people in pain and surround them with hope again. For those who don't find embracing a healthy life style and cherish lives of others your thing, you should quit this thread and find your hobby elsewhere.

Our country did absolutely the right thing with vaccination. Wear a mask, get vaccinated, and grow a heart for others (which shouldn't be that hard for growers here).

(Sadly, if it continues on like this I will have to remove this thread. Shame on me that I brought all this to a rose forum. I thank EVERYONE that contributed your knowledge of fragrant roses. I've learned a lot and am looking at a long shopping list for this fall)

I found that all purple or lavender roses are really fragrant

Yes Tess, it would be GREAT if you would remove your thread.
This is not the place to be scolding people whose medical views you don't agree with. This is for ROSES.

@MiGreenThumb (Z5b S.Michigan/Sunset 41) Elevation: 1091 feet it is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Many of us are quite sick of your uninformed politicking in a ROSE FORUM. Save it for the Klan rally.

Tess, you have nothing to be ashamed of at all. My heart goes out to you and your family and everyone else whose life has been impacted by this scourge, which I would include us all at this point.

Kitty - 44 new roses!!! Oh such fun!!! And you are getting some really good roses!! And we benefit too, since we get to see your pictures. Oh - those are BEAUTIFUL roses!!!! Swoon-city!!! :) :)

Tess, This was a beautiful thread. I enjoyed the fragrant roses and lovely Houzz members thoughtful contributions. . Maybe you may start another similar fragrant thread? I am excited to hear what you choose for gifts. And I love hearing about the favorite fragrant roses.

(. And those wishing to discuss other topics could courteously start their own threads.) Again, this is a beautiful thread. Thank you!

Happy gardening!

Thank you, Carol! It is a joy sharing! There is nothing more beautiful than a rose especially to cheer anyone up! The ecstasy of fragrant beautiful roses!

Tess, so kind of you to share your love of fragrant roses with others through gifts!!!

Thank you!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Tess. That is so kind of you to think of the care homes that are starved for beauty. You are a helper.

re: Velvet Fragrance -- up above it was listed by someone as a DA (David Austin) rose, but it is a Fryer rose. Fryer is also a British rose breeder, see helpmefind's listing.

Thank you. VF edit above to be “Breeder-Fryer,” but can be purchased from DA roses or Heirloom Roses.

Im wondering how I have missed Velvet Fragrance? What a beautiful red and fragrant to boot

Two of my favorite for fragrance are Double Delight and Memorial Day.

Tess, my mother in lae and my dad were both in care factories and I know the joy that they would have received by sharing the fragrance and beauty of real roses or any flowers actually

What a great ministry and blessing for those who love fresh flowers but have gardens no more

Well done !!