Marchesa Boccella, aka Jacques Cartier, is so fragrant in my garden that everyone who walks past it comments on the scent. It isn't close enough to put your face into without actually stepping into the garden, but it's in a spot where all the foot traffic has to pass near. Not the prettiest foliage, but very disease resistant in my flower/shrub perenniel bed.

Cotillion
Eugene de Beauharnais
Fragrant Cloud
Intrigue
neptune
Prospero
Reine des Violettes
rose de rescht
shocking blue
Sunsprite
william shakespeare 2000
Yves Piaget
Zéphirine Drouhin

Francis Dubreuil, Yves Piaget, Oshun, Valencia, Christopher Marlowe, Rouge Royal, Pope John. There are more but these are the ones I go to first to smell in the garden.

I am about 95% certain that my 'mystery rose' under my pine is a Rose de Rescht, confirmed by the good folks here at the rose forum. It is absolutely lovely, had no diseases whatsoever last year, and not a JB anywhere near it. To top it all off, it smelled like heaven. True, old-fashioned rose scent, and it sat under that tree by itself through three northern Illinois winters while this house sat empty and came out ahead in the long run.

Very spotty rebloom, but it is also in more shade than it should be.

Pope John, Double Delight, Sutter's Gold (the only reason I grow it), and Yves Piaget. Pope John fills the entire patio with fragrance.

My three most fragrant are:
Pope John Paul 2, Barbara Streisand, and Double Delight.

My McCartney hasn't bloomed yet but after reading all the comments I can't wait to smell it!

What is SDLM?

It's a (the?) bourbon rose: Souvenir de la Malmaison.

Still no opinions on Conrad Ferdinand Meyer?

Souvenir de la Malmaison

Here is a link that might be useful: sdlm

Hi Pauline,my most fragrant hands down are Pure Perfume,a beautiful very double white rose,and Fragrant Plum,a tall mauve coloured rose,the list goes down with Felicia,Gertrude Jekyll,etc.
Bruce

Most fragrant in my yard is Pope John Paul II. It is new this year, so the strong fragrance came as a nice surprise.

The other night I was cutting some roses to bring inside and happened to have PJPII and Chrysler Imperial side by side to compare. Truthfully, they smelled very similar, only the PJPII was a bit stronger to my nose. PJPII also lasts a very long time in a vase.

"PJPII also lasts a very long time in a vase. "
******************

That's good, because I just cut a bloom to bring in, and it is full-open already. Hope it lasts! :/

My winner rose for fragrance is Sebastian Kneipp (synonyms: KORpastato, Fragrant Memories) with romantic, full, almost white blooms. I don´t know any other cultivar with similar, intoxicatingly sweet scent. Other varieties smell to me mostly like typical modern or old roses, more intensively or less. I am seeking for other rose with similar scent as well. Can you recommed me any other with sweet, intoxicating fragrance and romantic look? Thanks.

in my garden, golden celebration is tops. lots of seconds: viking queen, brother cadfael, scentsational(mini), sweet chariot. my pat austin (to me) has the most awful, putrid smell ever and wins the booby prize for the worst.

My favorites are:
Papa Meilland
Christopher Marlowe
Golden Zest
Tamora
Zephrine Drouhin
Darlow's Enigma
Gertrude Jekyll
Rouge Royale
Chrylser Imperial
Abe Darby
Angel Face
Frangrant Plum
Francis Dubreuil
Jubilee Celebration
Love and Peace
Gentle Giant
and of course....Evelyn!

I agree that many roses that should smell do not smell after you buy them. Really disappointed in two new red roses, Frankly Scarlet and Beloved that have no smell. My favorites are Lemon Spice, Chrysler Imperial, Mr. Lincoln and Double Delight. Has anyone grown Sheila's Perfume? Supposed to be very fragrant.

Here in my Idaho garden
Christopher Marlowe is top on the list.
I find Winter Sunset to be very fragrant.
It is new to my garden this season, but appears to be a good, healthy, hardy rose thus far.
Belle De Crecy is also fragrant giving me no problems, other than it's once-blooming.
Lioness

pat austin (to me) has the most awful, putrid smell ever and wins the booby prize for the worst

My nose sometimes picks up funny notes-from Pat i get a little bit of moth balls which sounds odd but I love her scent anyway. Jubilee Celebration smells like lemon rose with pipe tobacco to me. From Gentle Hermione i get a bit of the barnyard. A few others in my garden are stongly reminiscent of certain Feminine Hygiene Products, LOL

Mme. Isaac Pereire is the most fragrant rose-- beats even Mr. Lincoln! I love the fragrance of most albas-- Felicite Parmentier, Mme. Plantier esp. And MORE Bourbons-- the SDLM sports Mystic Beauty and Souvenir de St. Ann's. I love love love the scent of Golden Celebration and Buck's Prairie Harvest-- and Sunsprite has always been a fave tho it seems to prefer cooler climates than here. I recall Rose de Rescht as being very fragrant but that rose has never bloomed well for me in any of my gardens. Gone.

Kristi asked about Sheila's Perfume -- I grow it and it has just medium fragrance to my nose. It is so beautiful.

I don't think The Wife of Bath has been mentioned, a highly fragrant (myrrh) pink Austin I like. It stays compact and blooms well here. I'll put a photo link below:

Here is a link that might be useful: The Wife of Bath photos

For me Jude the Obscure is number one for fragrance followed closely by Sharifa Asma, Tamora, Abe Darby, Well Being and Clair Renaissance.

Ruth

I'll give you two:

The Prince (a purple Austin)
Earth Song (a pink Buck)

The Prince is intensely frangrant, and sometimes I pick up the scent just passing by it.

Earth Song because it has some fragrance and is so very floriferous with high centered grandiflora blooms.

In my Pacific NW garden, the scented roses that have flourished are:

1. Abe Darby
2. Melodee Parfume
3. Sheila's Perfume
4. Intrigue
5. Elle
6. Yves Piaget
7. Golden Celebration
8. Julia Child

Hope that helps. Kristina

I have a Tiffany and went out several times to smell it. It's a beautiful flower but I can hardly detect any scent. Carefree Beauty has a stronger smell than it. I am wondering now if it was mislabeled.

I have a poor nose so fragrance is low on my list of priorities.

However even I cannot miss the fragrance of The Apothecary rose. This June I had a rose tour of my garden. The fragrance of this rose was so pervasive that it was noticed at the entrance of my driveway 100' away. Of course helped by other OGR's (Like Hippolyte with it's hundred or so flowers). But the A is bigger and bushier than most HT's so has more flowers to emanate fragrance.

Puzzling that it isn't unmentioned here!

Another rose I have that is in the same class as Offinalis is Baltimore Belle, medium fragrance but it has several hundred flowers which combined is overpowering.

I think Mirandy is an intensely fragrant rose. Today I cut two for a vase -- I had to scotch tape them to a small stake because the stems are so floppy - but what color and fragrance! To me the fruity scent resembles Jude the Obscure.

Another very fragrant one is Sonia Rykiel. Also Perdita, particularly indoors.

I used to have Sweet Afton for its fragrance, but I couldn't stand its habit of blooming at the height of 6 feet -- it also was very stingy with its flowers to boot - but perhaps with pruning and better conditions ... I know when I first saw it and smelled it in another garden, I thought it was the greatest thing to come along. (This happens rather often.)

Another very fragrant older one is the floribunda Ivory Fashion, it has a clove perfume that is very distinctive. Don't understand why this has gone by the board. It has lovely dark stamens. It is the perfect complement for Apricot Nectar and Pink Chiffon, both in the ground and in a vase -- all of them last a week or more as cut flowers.

Memorial Day, Mr. Lincoln, and Sharifa Asma are my most consistently smelly roses, even in the hot and dry conditions we have here in the summertime.

Barbara Streisand, Heirloom, Elle, Baronne Edmond de Rothschild, Tiffany and Sweet Surrender are also up there, but are a little more dependent on the time of day, temps and humidity or lack there of.

:-D Becky

Try these three roses voted the most fragrant in the entire world:
* Margaret Merril (Completely Fresh Smell)
* Typhoo Tea (Pure Citrus Smell)
* Magnificent Perfume (Sweet Expensive Perfume Smell)
These call all be purchased through a great company called:
Heirloom Roses

Here is a link that might be useful: Heirloom Roses

Someone mentioned Tiffany not being that fragrant to their nose....I'm the same way...I can't smell much of anything...have had her for at least 4 years now.

Veteran's Honor is one I think smells great (I always say like cherry Koolaid)...

Ok, I'm going to recommend one that I haven't seen listed yet...I don't know HOW to describe it except that it has a VERY unique blend of colors AND scent......STAR OF THE NILE. I absolutely LOVE her....got from Roses Unlimited a few years ago...just incredible. I have never smelled anything like SOTN....VERY unique! Very beautiful shrub as well.
:0) Phyl

The most fragrant roses I have the pleasure of growing are:

SUTTERS GOLD!! (One of my favorites. When I let my mom smell this rose for the first time, she thought I sprayed a perfume or something on it)
Fragrant Cloud
Neptune
Stainless Steel
Oklahoma
Memorial Day

Those are tops in my garden, tho there is a lot of good competition for fragrance.

No one's mentioned Mme. Le Gras de St. Germain, an old French alba. Striking virtually pure-white flowers, delicious lemony fragrance. GaryStPaul

The most pleasant smelling rose of any that I have ever grown is the floribunda "Outrageous". However it was such a poor doer that I had to end up shovel pruning it.
That leaves Pope John Paul II as my most fragrant rose by a nose. Fragrant Plum and Melodee Parfumee are both a close second.
Lagerfeld, Double Delight, Shiela's Perfume, and Memorial Day are very strong fragrant roses as well.
John

Many of my roses are fragrant. The fragrant ones being:

WS2000-(strong old rose/violets)
Pat Austin-(medium tea)
Graham Thomas-(strong apple/citrus)
Red Eden-(strong old rose yet fruity)
Belinda's Dream-(strong and sweet)
Zephirine Drouhin-(strong rasberry)
White Eden-(unknown....waiting for bloom)

I would say either Zephy or Belinda's Dream has the strongest overall scent, although I believe I like WS2000's the most.

At the local rose garden, Paul Neyron has an exquisite scent. There is an OGR there that has only about 1-2 inch pink blooms that blows every other rose away.....of course it's the one rose that isn't labeled there. It was far and away the strongest smelling rose there...2nd place wasn't even close.

I agree with those that have mentioned the Austin roses Sharifa Asma, Golden Celebration and Jude the Obscure. I prefer the smell of Golden Celebration but it may not be as strong as the other two.

Without a doubt, my fave to stick my snout into is Abe Darby. It's THE rose that hooked me on roses to begin with! Haven't seen any mention of Honey Perfume here.
Anyone grow her? Comments...??

Here's my list of great sniffers
Secret
Sharifa Asma
Memorial Day
Oklahoma
Mister Lincoln
Double Delight
Sunsprite
Just Joey
Jude the Obscure
Golden Celebration
Tiffany
Abraham Darby
Evelyn
Honey Perfume

My best and most fragrant roses in order are:
Gertrude Jekyll
William Shakespeare 2000
Fragrant Cloud
Big Purple
Fragrant Charm
Red Cedar (this one smells intensely fragrant to my nose, though its not supposed to be that fragrant)
Mr Lincoln

I've been growing Sweet Fairy for years. It doesn't do too badly, fragrance-wise, for a micro-mini.

Here is a link that might be useful: Chopin's student Carl Filtsch

Martine Guillot, by farâ¦..but she is hard to find these days. I planted her 13 years ago when we first began the garden, and she is the one of the only original roses left. Beautiful pearly pink/white, healthy, shade tolerant. Even the japanese beetles don't bother her. She does grow huge, though- I finally coped with that by making her a pillar rose and cutting back at least a third to a half each year. Her only drawback is that the roses, which bloom in sprays, aren't lasting indoors - but what a delicious rosy/fruity scent. I find it very hard to cut them, though- I can't bear to sacrifice the unopened buds.

I live in the UK but if you want a rose that has a fragrance like no other. I can suggest Woolerton Old Hall (it's a climber) the scent will knock your socks off.

My healthy prolific heavenly smelling selections in zone 10 Mediterranean climate are:

Frederic Mistral

New Zealand

Firefighter

Barbra Streisand

Heaven Scent (Memorial Day)

Perfume Passion (Beverley)

Sonia Rykiel

Ebb Tide

Felicia

Double Delight

Granada

Fragrant Cloud

I'm in a coastal zone 9/10 climate, and I would add Sugar Moon (white HT) to sincerely100's suggestions.

I also grow and agree with Firefighter (red HT).

Here at the coast, I find Barbra Streisand and Double Delight have some disease problems in my no-spray garden during damp weather, but otherwise are highly fragrant and beautiful.

-- Janene

I am smelling these great roses right now...

Firefighter

Papa Meilland

Ebb Tide

Frederic Mistral

New Zealand

Duchess de Brabant

Augusta Luise

Yves Piaget

Devoniensis

I'm from the Pacific Northwest too, and I've found that some varieties that promise the world but don't produce in our area (or have many problems). I've tried many of the varieties mentioned, and I'll list the ones that I've seen do well for the Northwest EVERY TIME.

1. Easy Going - Yellow - I can't believe I haven't seen this mentioned before! It transformed me from a so-so yellow rose lover to adoring, singing it's praises, rose lover. The fragrance is stop in your tracks worthy. And production...unbelievable, at least for our area! I actually had my husband cut off 1/3 of the bush (the bush had become HUGH), and gave that third to my neighbor. Now, 6 months later, I can't even tell it's been divided. My bush at this time has about 80 or so fuss-free blooms. My neighbor's has about 30 roses (she doesn't dead head, and generally ignores it). I see it constantly winning at rose shows, where it's identity is unknown till I check the hidden tag. The only caveat is that with thorns easy going it's not. But being in the Northwest, that might be of benefit, as the deer might stay away. It's reason I invested in a Waterford vase, roses like that deserve the best.

Double Delight - Bi-colored red and white - I'll add my vote for this rose of beauty and aroma.

Sheila's Perfume - Bi-colored red and yellow - Another beautiful, yet fragrant example. It's not as prolific as Easy Going, but maybe I expect too much?

Ebb Tide - Purple - The most vibrant purple, I've seen. Fragrant, but short duration of bloom. I special ordered this, only to have it languish in the post office when I was called out of town when a family member was ill. By all rights it should have been dead, but it revived and is alive and well, it's that hardy.

I have, or have had most of the others mentioned, Zephadrin Dauphin (pretty sure I spelled that wrong, sorry) I'd only recommend if you have a spot with a shade, and hate thorns. Angel Face, I found to be super color lavendar, and fragrant, but not too hardy. I'll add Lady Banks, as a scentimental favorite: I don't own it but my mother-in-law, who passed, did (a remarkable lady of great taste). The world's largest rose bush in Tombstone, AZ, is a Lady Banks. If you visit the bush in Tombstone, you'll be amazed, and the rose in your garden will bring back happy memories (I believe you can buy one right there, and have it mailed to your home). I wish I'd had one sent.

My best advice for the Pacific Northwest rose lovers is to visit Portland's International Rose Test Garden during it's peak during July or August, if you can. It's truly a delight, but the garden will show you both new varieties and old favorities. You can see what exactly what you'd want in your garden and what will do well.

Happy gardening!

Stainless Steel and Neptune are reliably fragrant too.

Jude tops my my list. Too many close seconds, though!

i know I'm only about 9 years too late but never mind! smelliest rose in my garden is, without a doubt, Surpassing Beauty. she's a climbing hybrid perpetual, only approx. 8ft tall. also known as Woolverstone Church rose. the smell is so intense it's like sticking your head in a big box of Turkish delight! I can't get enough of her. she has the most delightfully muddled medium sized flowers of an intense fuchsia pink striped and blotched with deep red. heavenly, gorgeously lovely! photos online really do not do her justice.

Westerland has an intense, melon-y scent that I find as strong as Double Delight but more refreshing. In my PNW Zone 8b it is evergreen and quick to rebloom. Has never had blackspot, but aphids do love it. As for Double Delight, she was a "found rose" in my garden - had been completely overtaken by some forsythia, was planted under a tree, and hadn't been tended to in years, seemingly. I cleared out the forsythia and applied fertilizer whenever I could remember (i.e., inconsistently), and in one year she has recovered to a blooming machine with that scent we all love. So those two would be my votes for the dual combo of best scent and overall vigor.

Agree on Double Delight's vigor. Bought a cheap bare-root (grafted on Dr.Huey) for $3 at Walmart. That was 8 years ago, and Double Delight is still alive. I need to dig it up & change its soil so it'll be more generous.