It will be interesting to see what you discover. It's highly likely RVR lists it as they do because that is how they received it.

Bellegallica, RVR’s photo of Marie Robert is credited to Paul Zimmerman, so maybe it’s a rose they received when Ashdown closed? I have an old Ashdown catalog somewhere…. RVR’s pic looks a lot like De la Grifferaie to me, but since there’s only a close-up of the flowers, it’s hard to know for certain. Like you, I love a good mystery and look forward to updates on your rose! Carol

Maybe Ashdown decided it was "none of the above" and called it a polyantha? I used Internet Archive to search Ashdown's old website, but not all of the pages display so I wasn't able to find a listing for Marie Robert.

It will be fun to see what I get.

On a similar note, what is the Madame Massot tea that RVR is selling?

Another Ashdown mystery? I wonder how many of these RVR has?

Have you ever noticed how many varieties RVR has had listed in their "collection" for the past decade or so, but have no photos or descriptions? Those are a good place to start that search.

RVR seems to be a veritable treasure chest of mysteries!

On HMF, photos of Bourbon-Noisette M Massot run the spectrum from blush white to dark pink. I’m guessing the pics from France are most likely correct since MM is supposed to be white. None of the pics match RVR’s mid pink ones, and listing M Massot as a Tea IS a mystery!

I am going to dig up my old Ashdown catalog tomorrow. This cat is getting killed by curiosity! Carol

I’m attaching photos of the Polyantha and Tea index pages from my old Ashdown catalog. I can’t spot either MR or MM in the lists. Curiouser and curiouser! Carol

I’ll have to post photos later. Houzz won’t let me attach them right now. 🙄

Why not ask Paul about it?

Thank you for posting those. I don't remember when Ashdown closed, but I wonder if they acquired these two late in the day, and they didn't have time to observe, evaluate, or add them to the catalog before their collection was taken over by Rogue Valley.

As I said, the easiest way to find that out is to ask Paul Zimmerman.

Paul Z has a website and newsletter (which I receive, and it’s got helpful info and pretty rose pics). His contact info is on his website. Google ”Paul Zimmerman Roses” to locate his website. Carol

And, whether you access it or not, the fastest and easiest method of interacting with him is going to be Face Book. https://www.facebook.com/groups/58500441971 Paul Zimmerman Roses

Thank you. I sent a request to join the Facebook group. In the meantime I also sent an email. I'll let you know what he says.

Belle, that group gets some interesting discussions. Worth a look in any case.

Thanks Paul. I knew you could cast some light on that question.

Thank you so much, Paul. P for Portland, not Polyantha.

Yes. I abbreviate Polyantha as Pol

For what it's worth, I have grown de la Grifferaie (it came up as rootstock under a tree rose planted in the 1970s, and I liked the look of the leaves, so I waited the 3 years it took it to bloom) for 30+ years. All of the pics on HMF (of the "Portland") look like my dlG, including the blooms, buds, and leaves. I looked at the pic of the "polyantha" on RVR's website, and I was confused - they do not even say that it is a once or repeat bloomer, although I guess calling it a polyantha implies repeat blooming? dlG is definitely a once bloomer, even here in our warm climate where some otherwise once bloomers repeat a bit. So, perhaps RVR does have the correct Portland version of Marie Robert, especially if theirs is a repeat bloomer - their pic does not look as much like my dlG as the ones on HMF do. If I cared a lot, I would purchase the one RVR is selling, and plant it, and see if it is a repeat bloomer or not - easy.

Jackie

De la Grifferaie is a gorgeous rose. Just like Gloire des Rosomanes, Odorata, Huey, et. al, they were beautiful, named varieties which were sold, shared and planted for their own value long before they were pressed into use for their vigorous roots, or in DlG's case, tremendous water flow capabilities. It has a tremendous scent and, when happy, flowers heavily. What's not to like?

I agree. I think it was good that DIG was used as rootstock, because that might be why so many of us know about it! It not only came up in my old garden, it came up in my next door neighbor's garden too, and I told her what it was, so she told the landlord to STOP cutting it down to 18 inches every year, and bought it a trellis to climb on. Here is hers, with Sombreuil on the same trellis:

I LOVE DlG! A gorgeous thing!! Like most multiflora hybrids, it grows beautifully in Portland. If I just had room…. I had to rehome my Russell’s Cottage Rose for lack of real estate. ☹️

Bellegallica, if your mislabeled rose is DlG and you have room for it, it might be a real gift of fortune for you! As Kim said, ”What’s not to like?”

Jackie, your DlG is always a sight to inspire awe!

Carol

Thanks! I did order it and have received it. At first glance it doesn't seem Portlandish, but at the moment it's only a band consisting of one older/woody cane and about 3 or 4 leaves so it's hard to tell. I'm looking forward to seeing what it turns out to be....

I also ordered Rene d'Anjou, my first ever Moss. I've always been attracted to them, but never had the courage to try one. This one's a repeater and had positive comments from others who grow in warmer climates, so...fingers crossed.

🤞🤞🤞Carol