Aprille,

Your pictures are gorgeous! I think you might have thrips given the brown markings on the white petals.

Katefisher,

My vote has to go to White Christmas! It is a med. to large flowered rose with a strong rose fragrance. Out of all my white roses, it is the one that has impressed me the most.

Happy Hunting,

Adrian.

I have heard Pope John Paul II is spectacular. Notes on HMF indicate that some may have a concern with fast rebloom, but several growers here in the PNW love this HT. I love my Ginger Hill to distraction, good rebloom, exquisite flowers that last for cutting. I also really enjoyed Full Sail when it was in my garden as a tree rose. That said, my favorite whites are Secret Garden Musk Climber, Snowbird, Clytemnestra, and Pleasant Hill Cemetery. And Jeanne d'Arc. And r. moschata...I know, stop me from going on...:-)

Ginger Hill
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Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Pope John Paul

All of these are fragrant.

BOULE DE NEIGE (Bourbon) - crimson tinged buds opening snowy white, globular flower form, tall upright shrub.
DARLOW'S ENIGMA (Hybrid Musk) - big and mounding, masses of musk scented small semi-double flowers, bullet proof foliage, grow for that "wild rose" look.
FAIR BIANCA (English) - pure white quartered flower with a chartreuse button eye, very short bush (never tops 3'), upright growth habit.
MARIE PAVIE (Polyantha) - blush white, high centered bud, short to medium growth habit, nice foliage, best all-around white.
MME. JOSEPH SCHWARTZ (Tea) - soft white cupped flowers, medium to tall bush, graceful growth habit, a classic.
SOMBREUIL (Large Flowered Climber) - ivory white, flattened rosette flower form, excellent vigor and reliable repeat.
WHITE LIGHTNIN (Grandiflora) - high centered ruffled flowers, short to medium shrub, upright growth habit.

My favorite modern white roses are
"Mrs. Jules Bouche" tall and somewhat slender. very healthy, and grows well in no-spray gardens in Northern California.
"Snowbird" which has wide and beautiful blooms, that remind me of "Sombreuil" but the bush is only 4 feet tall by nearly as wide.
"Mrs. Herbert Stevens" a climbing rose that has much of the delicacy of the Tea "Niphetos" that it was bred from.
"White Masterpiece" when promptly deadheaded, this reblooms quickly for having such large blooms of good substance. Far superior to J.F.K. which is sickly where it is planted in my neighborhood.

I have seen two types of rosebush that are both sold as "Iceberg" but are quite different. One has dark green leaves and has shaplier blooms, and is much healthier than the other, so called "Iceberg" which has light green leaves, and defoliates from blackspot. I spoke with a nurserywoman about this and she replied "I don't know what other nurseries are selling, but it sure isn't "Iceberg"

Luxrosa

Aprille:

Your pictures are lovely. Thanks for sharing them. Of course they always are but I'm learning that whites seem to be kind of addicting to a few of us.

Streptocarpy:

I will ask my MIL if she struggles with blackspot. I've never heard her speak of it but then again conditions in Central Oregon are quite dry. Its certainly worth asking.

Adrian:

White Christmas? A new one to research! I'm getting a major education in white roses with this thread:)

Sue:

Thanks for your thoughts. Ginger Hill is really pretty. If this thread gets any longer I'm goinig to have buy her enough roses for a new white bed since I won't be able to make up my mind!

Thank you everyone.

Kate

Luxrosa -- Those 'other' nurseries may indeed be selling Iceberg because there happens to be at least two Icebergs in commerce -- both by Kordes. Kordes is infamous for using the same name time & again . . . but why they choose to use this one again really boggles the mind. One would think that after the phenomenal worldwide success of their original Iceberg they would have retired the name. Unfortunately, they did not.

Thank you Molineux and Luxrosa:

Two more very informative posts. I'm thinking I might need to take a personal day from work tomorrow to research white roses.

Very fun, thanks again.

Kate

I grow a number of white roses, but my overall favorite is the Kordes floribunda 'Iceberg' because it has such a pure bright white color and because it is always in bloom during the growing season. (Also because it's hardy for my zone 5 garden). The Buck rose 'Paloma Blanca' has been a nice rose for me also. My favorite white hybrid tea is a florest rose I bought from Carlton several years ago called 'Virginia'. I grow it on the sheltered east side of my house and it gets to be over 5 feet tall. Very clean, good rebloom, and a truly beautiful form. Here it is:

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Karen:

Thank you and that is gorgeous. Can you tell me if your Virginia is the one I found at HMF? Putting a link below.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Karen's Rose Virginia?

Kate, that looks like it on HMF - the sources they list are mostly florist sources, which backs up the fact that I bought it as a grafted florist rose from Carltons when they were still in business. It really is a wonderful rose - great form, good clean foliage, and a robust grower. So many florist roses look great when grown in greenhouses, but are either too tender in the garden, or they fail to have the same color and form outside. 'Virginia' seems to be just as happy in the garden as in the greenhouse.

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Frau Karl Druschki.

Luxrosa mentioned Mrs. Herbert Stevens, as a climber. I have the bush form of this rose, from Vintage Gardens, and it is literally covered in tea-style blooms non-stop. Very much more like a tea than a hybrid tea, with it's delicate somewhat nodding blooms. Clean as a whistle, and it's one of only 3 roses I don't bother spraying. In my area, that's usually a death-sentance due to blackspot, but not for Mrs. H.S. Lightly fragrant. main drawback is that rain destroys the petals, but it's so prolific that that hardly holds her back at all, even here.
I'm curious about one I just stumbled upon from Northland Rosarium: Memoire, from Kordes in Germany. Pure white, florist form, on a compact bush. Anyone know about this one? The photos on Helpmefind.com/roses are great! The American Rose Society Encyclopedia of Roses also describes it as "deservedly popular all over the world" and as having a "delicious scent."

Well everyone I think we have a winner!

Last night I sat my husband down to read all of your excellent thoughts and suggestions and he chose...,Queen Mary II. I was stunned by how quickly he made up his mind.
I would have been agonizing for months over which one to get with so many great candidates. To that end I will probably be adding a white to next year's new rose garden after this. Thank goodness I have until next spring to make a firm decision about which one I want for my yard.

You were all great. Thank you so much.

Kate

Hi Kate - glad to hear you were able to make a choice. I'm curious though, with all the wonderful roses recommended what made him go for Queen Mary 2? Your MIL will like this rose I hope - I certainly do - it's a very generous bloomer and a very clean plant for me.

Aprille

Good morning Aprille:

Thanks for your post. Just to clarify, I personally was unable to make a decision. I will have to print out this thread and read it a hundred times before choosing one for my yard:) When I asked him how he chose that one he said your description of the banana smell really caught his attention. I could not help but smile at that..,I know he really liked the form too and your picture was definitely enabling.

I'm sure she will love it. I appreciate the recommendation and I am anticipating it will be a wonderful rose for her.

Kate

I've been disappointed with my 4-year old Queen Mary 2. It's not very vigourous or floriferous but that may be due to the Dr. Huey rootstock, which tends not to do very well in the Northeast. Multiflora does much better here, but I was impatient and wanted it the first year it came out and the only two vendors selling it then use Dr. Huey as rootstock.

My favorite whites are Prosperity, Lullaby & White Cap. Propserity is virtually maintenance free. It does get a touch of blackspot without sparying in my humid area but so does just about everything else. It has continous blooms from June through December. Lullaby is a cute little polyantha. White Cap is a fairly vigorous climber that puts out a ton of blooms; its one flaw is the blooms tend to ball during wet periods. I've been disappointed with most of the white hybrid teas & floribundas I've grown over the years including JFK, Honor, Pascali & Iceberg. The one exception of the older whites is Mount Shasta, and I believe it's classified as a grandiflora. I don't understand why it's not more popular. It has huge, beautiful blooms and seems better in disease resistance than many of the newer whites. The only negative is the dried petals turn brown and remain on the bush which is not as attractive as self-cleaning type roses whose petals drop off.

Maria Shriver

pure white, tall, bushy, productive and very fragrant.

My favorite whites are Kron Princessin Viktoria this sport of SDLM is a non stop bloomer after its initial flush fragrant prone to PM in some ares. Old HT Mrs Herbert Stevens. Moondance has to be the best ne white in years I have a few nice shots of it and I will probably get it next spring! Also fond of Colonial White, Henry Hudson, Souv de Philemon Cochet and Saratoga.
Mrs Herbert Stevens
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Kronprincessin Viktoria
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Moondance (shamlessly photoshoped in the 1st shot but still pretty accurate 2nd shot is accurate)
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Joe, I came back to this thread to mention KPV. Aha, I always knew you had great and sophisticated taste in roses!

Aprille, did you get Pure Perfume from J&P? And if you did: is (are) Pure perfume(s) own root or grafted?
I want to try PP but I do not want to order 1 gallon pots from J&P nor do I want their grafted plants. Their New Generation bareroots, I got some, were very big and healthy with excellent root system - I would prefer buying that if available.

Well, your husband has already picked - but have to put my thoughts in about Mme Joseph Schwartz. I am addicted to the tea scent of it and Duchesse de Brabant. I love this rose, and its a graceful and floriferous plant, blooming even in nearly full shade in the Sacramento cemetery.

We just planted Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria and have been astonished by its nonstop blooms. Another terrific white rose.
Anita

Anita and everyone your thoughts on white roses are completely welcome! Like I said after this thread I plan on adding at least one white rose to my own yard next year. How could a person resist after all the enabling created by this thread!

I look forward to checking out some of your most recent suggestions. Thanks again.

Kate

I am new to roses, my old house has a lot of old bushes and ramblers so I am learning by necessity. I am Not Martha...

That said, I was at BJ's Wholesale Club spring a year ago, and they had Moondance - I paid $4.99 for it, and it's Gorgeous. The blooms are Huge.

It grew 5' the first year! I did cut it back a little (got some black spot) and this year it bloomed well again - no black spot (yay for Ortho). Beware, though, the Japanese beetles Love it....

I am growing Pure Perfume, Quen Mary 2 and Pope John Paul 2 for the first time this year. Queen Mary is always having thrip problems. I can't seem to get a clean bloom. Pure Perfume is OK, but Pope John Paul is outstanding. Awesome form and unbelievable fragrance. Clean blooms too. Classic high centered, well formed blooms.
Other whites that I would recommend are
Prairie Star- Very fragrant and possibly my quickest rebloomer of all my roses. Always covered in blooms. Great for Northerners because it's winter hardy, too. Touch of Pink sometimes, but mostly a creamy white color.
Bolero- Beautiful creamy big fully double blooms, quick repeat with nice fragrance.
White Lightnin- Nice white HT with moderate fragrance, good repeat.
Helena Rennaisance- Fine, Fine, Fine fragrance. Touch of Pink Decent repeat.
Maria Shriver- Beautiful fragrance, pure white, poor repeat.
Darlows Enigma- A very large shrub, always in bloom, with pretty single florets. Most people wouldn't guess that it's a rose. Healthy w/o spraying. Mild fragrance.
Fair Bianca- Nice fragrance, decent repeat, stays small and compact. Thrips love it, too.
AL

Last week, at Heirloom, I asked about a climbing white and when I mentioned Iceberg, the fellow there recommended La Marque (?). I had never heard of it, but he raved about it and said that everyone has Iceberg and that he thought it was overrated and had disease issues. La Marque is a vigorous climber. You might check it out on HMF.

With regard to other whites, I love Maria Shriver, but cannot speak for its repeat. I saw it recently at a rose garden (spray) and it was the most striking rose there (save the Eureka). Beautiful, but if PJP2 has a better repeat, I would opt for it.

Nothing bothers me more than to be told a rose is a white rose when it is tinged with some other color. When I got married, I wanted an all white rose bouquet and the florist showed me a bouquet of pink tinged roses -- saying that they were "white". They did the rest of my flowers for the wedding, but I wasn't going to settle for that. I found another florist who had WHITE roses. And that's all she wrote. CJ

I forgot to mention another favorite of mine, namely Bolero. Its fragrance is to die for.

Karen9forroses), may I ask where did you get Paloma Blanca? I heard so many good things about this rose but I was also told that quite a few sold with RMV. I would appreciate if you share the info regarding a source for a clean clone.

I am very pleased with my new Moondance floribunda from J&P that was new to me in the spring.
I also purchased a Pope John Paul II early in the spring bareroot and was so impressed I bought one already started in a pot a month later from the same nursery here in town. Let me tell you that this it a truly great rose for me in my zone 6 garden. It is always covered in blooms that have a wonderful fragrance. Most blooms have very good to excellent form. You have to catch them early to cut them for the house as they will lose that pretty form fairly quickly. I am sure this is my new favorite white, taking the mantle away from my Crystalline hybrid tea that I really like as well.
John

Ceterum, I got Paloma Blanca from Great Lakes Roses, in Southeast Michigan - a wonderful own-root nursery. Unfortunagely, they do not ship, and even sadder, their fabulous owners are retiring next year and will close the nursery if they are unable to sell it. I really love Paloma Blanca. It has NEVER had any blackspot or mildew and has very lovely heavily petaled white blooms.

Karen, then I guess you must have a virus free Paloma Blanca because your state has laws against selling virused roses if I am not mistaken. Too bad that I cannot order from your source.
In any case thank you for the information.

I've never seen any sign of RMV on my Paloma Blanca in the 3 or 4 years I've had her. Perhaps I could send you a cutting next spring?

Karen, I truly appreciate the offer and would accept it with gratitude. Maybe (just maybe) I will have some rooted seedlings next year that you would be interested in and in that case I could return the favor.

Sounds great, ceterum. But I noticed when I went into your info page that you live in Italy. Are we allowed to send live clippings overseas? I'd love to help you out.

Centerum, I see on another posting that you are now in N. Carolina. Are you going to be at the Ashdown Roses workshop in October? I could bring you cuttings of Paloma Blanca when I am there, or ship you some in the spring.

Karen, yes I am in NC though I wish I were in Italy. (not that the weather there was any better this year than in NC)

No, unfortunately I cannot make it to Ashdown. But, if you have cuttings now, I would be happy to try them. I just start rooting my roses now that the roses are well hydrated after several days of rain at long last!

Does anyone mind if I pull up my own thread?:) I could start over again but I really enjoyed hearing what you all had to say about the many white roses out there so why not re visit it.

Looking hard at Pope John Paul II for OUR garden. MIL is already taken care of now. Is Jackson and Perkins the only place to get it? If so how are they to deal with? I have never bought a thing from them.

Thank you.

Kate

Kate,
I think Jackson Perkins provides excellent customer service. The roses I
received from them, both grafted and own root, were generally very good.
When I did not like something about their roses, they sent a replacement
rose right away. The Veteran's Honor rose, which they shipped to me as a
replacement last spring, was so huge that I could not fit it in any
bucket. I had to soak the roots before planting. It was at least twice
the size of the roses from Palantine, who are famous for their very
large roses.

Thank you very much. I see they have a special right now of PJP II, Veterans Honor, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lady Bird and Diana Princess of Wales. I have never heard of the last two. Those five roses would be about $100.00 shipped so I'm thinking about that one.

Kate

Kate,

You live in rose heaven so you have so many choices. Those 5 look good to me and PJP II looks like it will be a nice one. I simply love OLOG. VH is a no brainer.

Jacqueline du Pré is a very simple rose that is a JB magnet. I keep my Jap Beetle collection bucket at its' feet. It has given me much pleasure.

Also a Col. White (SOMBREUIL) bloom is stinking up the kitchen.

So many choices so little room.

F.L.

Here is a link that might be useful: I'm too sexy for my love too sexy for my love

Kate,
You won't be dissappointed with PJPII. The fragrance is among the best of all my roses (approx 150 varieties). Bloom repeat is good and the flower form is excellent. The bush is attractive and well shaped, leaves are shiny. I predict this rose will be the most popular White of all time.
AL

Thank you F.L. and Al.

We are re doing the rose bed next year and Pope John Paul II will be front and center on the perimeter of the yard. Between a new arbor w/Iceberg Climber and Veteran's Honor. I really just cannot wait.

Kate

My favorite white rose is Queen Mary 2. She blooms constantly and is very winter hardy. She is simply the best white rose I have had to date here. :o)

Stan the Roseman

Here is a link that might be useful: Queen Mary 2 - grandiflora

Stan.

Those are neat! I showed your images to my husband and we are both impressed. His Mom has a fondness for white roses and I think she will really enjoy that.

Appreciate you sharing those.

Kate

I'm totally new to roes but only want white roses so this thread has such great information for me. Thanks to all of you.

I've had some beginners luck with my Austin Winchester Cathedral and since no one has mentioned it I thought I might.

The kron princessin Viktoria is fabulous -- any source to recommend from those who have it?

Also does anyone have a photo of la Marque that cjroseaphile mentioned?

Meanwhile, here's one of my Winchesters, which have a wonderful fragrance but otherwise are very delicate.

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Gorgeous Winchester Cathedral above. Thanks for sharing that.

Have you checked HMF for some photos of the rose Lamarque? I have it growing now in my side yard but since it is a baby and planted less than two months ago it has not bloomed. Providing a link below for you to the helpmefind.com link.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Lamarque

kate, you will love Diana Princess of Wales. She is one of my top 5.

She's creamy blush with a pink tinge on the edges. Very disease resistant (even here in my yard where everything gets BS) and fantastic scent.

The blooms last and last, never shatter. The color of the petals darken with sun/age.

Interestingly I cut a bloom before the frost and brought it inside. It has stayed creamy with no pink tinge. I wish I could find a rose with that exact color.

Bufod:

That's exciting. I'm happy to hear that. Kind of fun to try roses I know nothing about but for me it is unusual. Normally I obsess longer than I like to admit about a rose and then move into the purchasing phase:) I'm sure a lot of us can relate to that. So your positive words about this rose are most welcome. I think I will plant it by Mary Rose and OLOG. My husband is really down on planting similar-ish colors together but I'm hoping it will be pretty.

Kate

Thanks for the photo and link, kate. That's a beauty.

You are very welcome. If you weren't aware of helpmefind.com before it is a terrific resource. You might check there also for a vendor on Kron princessin Viktoria if you don't get any responses here.

I took a look for you and it can be ordered from Antique Rose Emporium, Roses Unlimited and Chamblee's. I have ordered from the first two with good results.

Hope this helps.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Kronprinzessin Viktoria

Sombreuil/Colonial White is my new best friend--such beautiful, fragrant blooms. Captivating. My sister has Tineke and loves it loves it loves it-- she's in hot, dry Los Altos Hills, an enviable climate compared to mine. Most memorable white rose ever seen? Ivory Fashion, closely followed by White Wings. The white that's currently on my wish list? Sebastian Kneipp. Hey, this is FUN!

Kate -- Spent some time on HMF and it's a treasure so again, thanks for directing me there. Turns out I have zone issues with many whites so I must be careful. I'm Z5, which eliminates a number of choices. Wish I loved rugosas.

Lamarque looks promising and HMF gives me hours of research to figure out how to plan and plant into my little plot, which is a 3-sided spur that extends past the garage, between the driveway and walkway to the front door -- more or less the shape of a computer mouse.

It has a light post begging for a climber on the rounded end. I am thinking conservatively of going with an Iceberg there though I plan to explore a Frau Karl Drushki climber as an alternate possibility.

Since I'm starting out, planning for height and texture is not so easy to grasp. I want to end up with a hedge that's a bit sculptural, has balanced texture (I favor double blossoms) and blooming.

I now have White Simplicities (which were energizer bunnies their freshman summer but didn't winter over as promised) mixed with Winchester Cathedrals (which were late bloomers but so fragrant and delicate).

I'm going for 3 more (newbie=slow) of another white that would marry well with those.

Any additional suggestions from anyone would be most welcome.