Yes. Souvenir de la Malmaison

I've been wanting to buy a Delizy rose for my 7 year old granddaughter Lizzy,
just haven't got to it yet. The three little girls might think roses like Bee's Knees or cupcake add a dimension to their back yard world.
all I have given them so far is Crested Moss, Jaune Desprez and Rouge Royale. My desire was to introduce them to rose appreciation while they are young.
Thanks Virginia for bringing up a great topic, and reminding me I better start thinking spring rose order for the grandchildren.
Linda

Marlorena, I think a Stinging Nettle variety would have been a better choice for this politician, but I like your thinking!

I wonder if anyone felt embarassed about buying 'Mme Rose Breeder' while she was still alive? Probably, but now those roses are more famous than their namesakes, so I guess it's okay.

If you do venture over to France, be sure to report back on their 'FD'. I would love for the original to still be lurking around somewhere- I guess I am pretty sentimental...

Virginia

I don't bother much about names and I got the single yellow spinosissima hybrid Aïcha long before my granddaughter Aisha was born 11 years ago. It is a must here in every garden. But now I am pleased to see her rushing into the garden to see her namesake rose. It's a pity I can't grow a rose for her brother Adam as it's too tender here. I had the idea to get the found HP Greta Persson, a plebeian name, and put it near some Countess or Princess Somebody but I didn't when I found out that Greta wasn't a very good rose. Some of the old French rose names are interesting as a sign of what was important to the breeder of the rose at that time, what his or her priorities were or what important figure of the day he was trying to impress or ingratiate himself with.

I bought Kitty's Rose sight unseen, at familial behest, in memory of my late grandmother. Luckily it turned out to be a nice little rose, in a modestly charming, tough sort of way which actually suits her namesake well.

monarda, both 'CD' and/or 'Pergolèse' look pretty gorgeous in photos, but it sounds like at least one of them didn't live up to your expectations? But at least you tried them out, and can now move on to better roses with less magnetic names...

Fireballsocal, I hope 'BB' and 'Meredith' both do well for you.

I had to look up 'Meredith' at HMF, and- assuming you ordered the Carruth HT- she looks pretty swell, and has a nice pedigree. I like both of the roses you picked, so don't forget to post photos once you've got some blooms...

bellegallica, I agree that 'Belle Isis' is beautiful to look at. At least in photos- I haven't met her in person.

The book sounds interesting, but I do think a lot of folks define their tastes negatively- i.e., you figure out what you do like after ruling out all the stuff you don't like. I don't always know what I like until I run into what I don't like.

Virginia

Guilty here as well for names of familiar people - Cynthia and Cynthia Brooke (for me), Honor Elizabeth (for my daughter), Jeri Jennings, Kim Rupert, and Mel's Heritage. Sadly both of my namesakes and my daughter's have resolutely refused to survive my winters more than one year, and I need to try Jeri again in a more protected spot. So far Kim and Mel are holding their own and I have high hopes for their fortitude in these parts.

Cynthia

There've been quite a few threads on this topic.
I'm always having to defend "Sexy Rexy". It is an absolutely gorgeous rose. I have no problems with the name.
I don't like names that contain deliberate misspellings -- yet I do have "Livin' Easy." I don't like names that make me cringe -- yet I do have "Passionate Kisses" (wonderful little floribunda). I love old-fashioned names, particularly French ones.
A name may cause me to look twice at an otherwise undistinguished rose, or may turn me off to an otherwise qualified candidate -- but hopefully, not for long. Ultimately, I try to choose what's best for my climate, soil, amount of sun, etc.
The operative word is "try", because after all in roses -- as in life -- strong emotions can overwhelm careful reason. The trick is not to have that happen too often ... as it did when I chose "Falstaff." I love Shakespeare, but that rose hates my yard. Plump Sir John may be sp'd this year, alas.
Sylvia

Jay, I like the idea of growing a rose with a name that reminds you of a loved one who has passed. I am sorry for your loss.

I think it's true that plant names can turn us off more than they can compel us to buy, but unless you have unlimited funds and space, I guess you need fewer reasons to buy, not more!

I think there is- for me, anyway- a fine line between 'whimsical' and 'annoyingly cutesie', and each of us would probably draw the line a bit differently. 'Treasure Trail' is a sly wink of a name that I find amusing, but not the sort of name I'd be embarrassed to tell to anyone who asked its name. I would like to try growing it here since heat-tolerant mosses are not all that common, and it has a lovely flower.

Virginia

mauvegirl, 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' does have a certain je ne sais quoi. And rolls trippingly off the tongue.

And then there's a difficulty of separating a name with the history associated with that name. Plants with names that evoke the romance of the past have a certain edge over names that are just pleasant...

Virginia

mariannese, I'm not surprised your granddaughter loves her namesake rose. It's a lovely rose, and children with names that are out of the ordinary don't find too many things that share their names...

Perhaps it's a bit childish to like things better because they share your name, but most of us are still a bit childlike in some ways... I have an excuse- not that I really need one- for liking things named 'Virginia' since I was named for a beloved grandmother.

Adam's a beautiful Tea, and I've thought about ordering it since I have an Adam amongst my nearest and dearest. But I doubt he would care too much about it.

It's a shame that 'Greta P' isn't a good rose there- it seems undemocratic somehow...

Virginia

Linda, it sounds like Lizzie is just about the right age to learn about roses and that roses have names (something I did not learn for an embarrassingly long time).

'Rosette Delizy' seems to be one of those Teas that do well in a lot of gardens and is really beautiful, so I'm glad I was helpful in providing a reminder for spring ordering. Are there good rose names for the other two girls?

Virginia

Hi Virginia,
Today is three year old Kiara's 3rd birthday and I don't even know her middle name. I could probably find a special rose for her that came close. Maybe a rose with Amazon in the name, she is one tough girl !
For baby Janet I know there is a David Austin rose, I'll have to look around. Janet Inada ( I probably spelled that wrong) looks like a spectacular rose, orange usually does not interest me but that one sure does.
I'm not much of a Dixieland Linda, but I've been very tempted to buy Lady Ashe .
Linda

no, i never have . . .

I only own one named rose,"Maggie". I only bought it because it was my dog's name. She was very special. The Maggie rose is written up quite frequently in the Houston Chronicle due to its scent.

K

FDUK, it's nice to have a namesake rose to help you and your family remember your grandmother, but it's even better that the rose's "personality" fits.

I like the looks of 'Kitty's Rose' from the photos I've seen- not flashy, but certainly very charming.

Virginia

'Summer Sunshine' I was looking for a fragrant yellow rose that wouldn't fade in our hot california summers. I grow mostly Tea roses and they only have pale yellows...and I found a yellow H.T. that didn't fade at Home Depot; called Summer Sunshine.
The name sold me on the rose. and the $3.50 sale price.

Lux

Fanny Dudley is sold out but I hope someday to buy it. So much looks to me just like my Grandmother Fannie if she were a rose, a soft pale yellow bloom stuffed full of petals that reminds me of her love.

Yes, several times, and usually regretted it.

Rosefolly

Linda, I hope you can track down a 'Fanny Dudley' to remind you of your grandmother.

As for your Kiara, I don't know of any roses with similar names, but you mentioned an Amazon personality, so perhaps 'Amazone' the Tea Rose? Or for a more northerly climate 'Hippolyte' was a famous Amazon Queen... It sounds like 'Bashful' and 'Demure' would not suit!

I like both of the 'Janet' roses you mentioned, and 'Janet's Pride' might also do, although being a once-bloomer might rule it out?

Virginia

Virginia,
Funny you should mention Hippolyte, a while back I almost ordered it along with my Mons. Tillier from Burlington Nursery. i have been going over Burling's roses again and again to make sure I didn't miss any before finalizing my choices for shipment in Spring.
Some of my order will go to the Grandgirls yard; Hippolyte would be a funny name they could remember. Would also be beautiful in a cup on the picnic table at their tea party.
Thank you for the thoughtful suggestions.
Linda

I've never been tempted to buy a rose on account of the name alone, but a name that made me cringe would probably dissuade me. 'Sexy Rexy' is an example of a name I dislike. But I enjoy beautiful names and witty ones, and it's fun to find out where a name of unknown origin came from. French early 19th century rose names often have their origins in the politics of the breeder ('Eugene de Beauharnais', 'Napoleon', 'Princesse de Lamballe', 'Comte de Chambord', etc.), and now and then I learn something new. For example my moss rose 'Lucie Duplessis', gotten as a rooted cutting from a gardening friend. When I read Hilary Mantel's novel 'A Place of Greater Safety', about the French Revolution, I discovered that Lucie was the wife of the revolutionary Camille Desmoulins. Like her husband she met her end under the guillotine. All very interesting, and the book is good. An example of a rose name I like is 'Treasure Trove', found as a seedling in the garden of John Treasure, and which fits the appearance of the rose, a massive climber with a rich flowering of soft apricot blooms. Another example of a cleverly named rose, though the name isn't as pretty as 'Treasure Trove', is 'Mixed Marriage', the variegated sport of 'Bridal Pink'.

I tried Teasing Georgia for some years before giving up (oldest daughter's name). Planted Sophy's rose (second daughter's name) with little hope, but it's a fabulous rose. Lillian Austin (oldest grandaughter) didn't thrive. Charlotte (youngest grandaughter ) is doing well.
It's probably better to name children and grandchildren after great roses, rather than the other way about.
However I can't see any of my girls having a Gertrude or a Constance.

Sue

When I first started out I was trying to get a rose for all of my family members. That didn't last. After so many of them turned out to be dogs in my garden I quit looking for them. Now I buy the roses I love and think will do well for me and don't worry about the names.

I'm often drawn to roses with literary names, though I don't think that is the only reason I bought the rose. David Austin conveniently likes literary names also, so I have his Shakespeare, Scepter'd Isle, The Pilgrim, Lady of Shalott, etc.

However, I am ticked off at him for the moment--no recognition of women authors, and the British have so many wonderful ones to pick from--Jane Austen, Brontes, George Eliot, Virginia Woolf, etc.

Hmmm--come to think of it, maybe he did sneak Charlotte Bronte in there--isn't one of his newer ones "Heathcliff"? However, if that rose was actually named after the cartoon cat, don't tell me--I would already have a hate-on for that rose.

But I would like an Aurora Leigh rose (named after Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous feminist heroine). Are you listening, David Austin? Enough of this naming roses after everyone of your relatives. I want a literary woman rose!

One rose name I truly adore is "Earth Song"--it forms such a wonderful metaphor--roses being the songs sung by Mother Earth. Isn't that cool--a bloom being nature's way of talking (singing) to us?

There are a few roses I refuse to buy because of their names--usually because I disapprove of the politics associated with those names. No political opponents allowed in my gardens!

Kate

Lux, even if 'Summer Sunshine' didn't work out for you, at $3.50, that was an inexpensive experiment...

It's certainly a great name for a yellow rose... very evocative.

Virginia

Cynthia, it's a shame that there aren't any hardy 'Cynthia' roses available for your garden. It's a lovely name, and there ought to be something out there that you could grow...

I don't have any thoughts on other roses that would work, but I'm glad that your 'Mel' and 'Kim' roses are doing well and I hope your 'Jeri' rose will do well in her new location- she seems to be a nicely adaptable rose, so I'm optimistic on your behalf.

I'm not wildly crazy about bright yellow roses, and I thought that's what 'JJ" was. Had a look at HMF after reading your post, and it's much nicer than I'd thought- I don't know why I had some crayon-yellow picture in my mind. Problem is that after a closer look now I want one, too, and I need fewer roses on my wish list, not more!

Good luck,
Virginia

Sylvia, you don't need to defend 'Sexy Rexy'- such a widely-grown rose must have something besides his name going for it.

Some folks probably like the name, some probably overlook the name because they like the plant, and his popularity doesn't seem to have been affected by whatever number of rose-lovers who might have happily grown 'SR' were it not for the name.

I have to agree with you on not caring much for deliberate misspellings, but I wouldn't count 'Livin' Easy' as being misspelled... contractions are legit in my book. As for 'Passionate Kisses', I guess it was named for the Lucinda Williams song? I like the song, and the rose seems to be a good one, judging by HMF ratings and photos, but I agree that the name's a bit much. It has a couple of synonyms, though, so I'd feel less embarrassed to grow 'Jardins de France' (I'd have trouble remembering 'Kurfürstendamm').

I'm sorry 'Falstaff' isn't behaving well in your yard... is he always wanting to be wined and dined like his namesake? And speaking of Shakespeare and names, 'William Shakespeare 2000' is a ridiculously clunky-sounding and anachronistic name, though the flower is quite pretty.

Virginia

Virginia

Always glad to be helpful to enable fellow rose nuts for new roses they "need". Jeri Jennings is really a very friendly creamy yellow hybrid musk that plays nicely with the other HMs in my part shade area. She should also be good in my full sun OGR area, and more likely to survive my winters.

Let us know if you need any further enabling!

Cynthia

Thank you, Virginia. It is a joy to be able to keep someone's memory going in a plant. My mom also grows a rose released in the birth year of my dad, sister, myself, and herself. They aren't all grouped together, but it is nice to go through the garden and see the various birth year roses.

I don't think there is a rose named 'Jay.' I've been asked enough times whether Jay is short for anything -it isn't- that I think it would be fun to breed a rose named 'Just Jay' as a companion to 'Just Joey.'

Jay

Melissa, I need to read 'A Place of Greater Safety'- I do like Hilary Mantel. I hope your 'Lucie D' doesn't require much deadheading... the guillotine associations might make one cringe a bit.

I'm also a sucker for the romantic old names- especially the French ones- and I agree about 'Treasure Trove' and 'Mixed Marriage' being good names, especially if you get the inside joke.

Virginia

kaboehm, I like both "Maggie" and "Maggie's Rose", and can completely understand growing a rose named for a favorite pet. Is the "Maggie" that has the wonderful fragrance the rose that is thought to be 'Eugene E Marlitt'?

Virginia

Kate, I like some of the DA roses I've seen in photos, but the only one I've actually purchased is 'Mortimer Sackler'. Clearly one of those rose names I couldn't resist... It hadn't really registered with me that DA was not honoring British women authors, but now I am also puzzled. And 'Heathcliffe' isn't much of a placeholder (I checked the DA website, and it was not named for the cartoon cat). 'The Poet's Wife' hardly satisfies, either.

I can see why they might steer away from a 'Jane Austen' rose since it rather invites misspelling (of all the Austin family-named roses as well as hers), but that would still leave many writers to honor. I might have to at least consider an 'Iris Murdoch' rose, for example... 'Aurora Leigh' is a good name for a rose, but why not 'Elizabeth Barrett Browning'?

Virginia

Jay, I think 'Just Jay' is a great name for a rose- you need to get busy with your hybridizing!

Birth year roses is a nice idea. Not everyone has a satisfactory plant named for them, but I'd imagine that most of us could find a nice rose that debuted the same year we did.

Virginia

I got it, Virginia--a Christina Rossetti rose!

The Rose

The lily has a smooth stalk,
Will never hurt your hand;
But the rose upon her brier
Is lady of the land.

There's sweetness in an apple tree,
And profit in the corn;
But lady of all beauty
Is a rose upon a thorn.

When with moss and honey
She tips her bending brier,
And half unfolds her glowing heart,
She sets the world on fire.

Kate

I bought a Desiree from heirloom roses because of it's apricot color and it being my namesake. David Austin does have a Jane Austen rose. It's a light yellow. I plan to get it next year because she is my favourite author.

shops--I don't think Austin has any rose named after the famous novelist Jane Austen. His British site does have a "Jayne" Austin rose (which Paul Barden rates very high), but that "Jayne" is not the author. I'd guess it is another family member since he likes to name his roses after his own family.

Back to Christina Rossetti being the perfect name for a new David Austin rose. Here is the perfect poem for a rose lover in winter time.

Where shall I find a white rose blowing
by Christina Rossetti

WHERE shall I find a white rose blowing?"
Out in the garden where all sweets be."
But out in my garden the snow was snowing
And never a white rose opened for me.
Nought but snow and a wind were blowing
And snowing.

Where shall I find a blush rose blushing?"
On the garden wall or the garden bed."
But out in my garden the rain was rushing
And never a blush rose raised its head.
Nothing glowing, flushing or blushing;
Rain rushing.

Where shall I find a red rose budding?"
Out in the garden where all things grow."
But out in my garden a flood was flooding
And never a red rose began to blow.
Out in a flooding what should be budding?
All flooding!

Now is winter and now is sorrow,
No roses but only thorns to-day:
Thorns will put on roses to-morrow,
Winter and sorrow scudding away.
No more winter and no more sorrow
To-morrow.

I do hope David Austin is paying attention. Not many of his roses can write poems about roses, after all.

Kate

This post was edited by dublinbay on Wed, Dec 17, 14 at 10:23

I got Salzaquelle from a nursery in east Germany, not because of its name but because of its provenance. It's a pale lilac HT from 1977 by Hermann Berger of Bad Langensalza. But it was probably bred by his mother Anni before Hermann took over the nursery. The Berger firm bred many fine roses unknown in the west and few of them are now propagated.

Virginia, 'A Place of Greater Safety' is good; I was slightly baffled as to why 'Wolf Hall' and 'Bring up the Bodies' won awards, though I enjoyed them both and thought they were fine novels, just not spell-binding. A re-read is in order. 'A Place of Greater Safety' matches them in quality. I have a weakness for good historical novels (not the bodice-rippers, in other words).
I tend to be a light pruner, not at all given to guillotining my plants, and Lucie is a bit of a weakling, very likely on account of her poor growing conditions. She has been dug around and the soil amended this fall, and I'm hoping for an improvement next spring.
Kate, thanks for the poetry, and I'm happy to meet another fan of Jane Austen!
Melissa

Yes, Hon. Lady Lindsay. Unfortunately, it died after its first year and is not being sold. I loved it's one bloom and it would have been beautiful. It was a sad bush though when it arrived, and it just declined and died. I think at the time it may have come from Pickering. I wish I could find another.

ETA: Oh, and also Penelope. I had a kitten who was named Penelope who died after weeks of fighting for her life as she was extremely ill when I got her. I had Penelope because of her.

This post was edited by julianna on Wed, Dec 17, 14 at 13:15

Interesting, Marianesse.
There are 2 photos of the rose on HMF. Beautiful.

Kate, I hope the DA marketing folks are paying attention- and why not a Christina Rossetti rose?

If DA doesn't pay heed, maybe someone else can hybridize a literary roses line- I don't think it's been 'Donne' before...?

Duplicate post

This post was edited by vmr423 on Thu, Dec 18, 14 at 11:46

shopshops, I hope your 'Desiree' rose does well for you, and 'Jayne Austin' also; even if the name isn't spelled the same, it still sounds right, and it is a nice-looking rose.

Just FYI, there is a 'Pride and Prejudice' Floribunda rose from Harkness that was released to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the book. It isn't mentioned at HMF, and probably isn't available in North America yet since it's fairly new?

Virginia

Here is a link that might be useful: 'Pride and Prejudice' rose

Pride and Prejudice rose? Wowee! Assuming it has some BS-resistance and is reasonably floriferous, I may be a gonner--and I don't even have any space left in my garden. The color in that pic doesn't overwhelm me, but maybe when we get to see more aspects of this rose, it will look better and better.

Here's hoping. Nearly a "donne" deal for me. LOL

Kate

FWIW, 'Sexy Rexy' was actor Rex Harrison's nickname in real life, and the rose was named in his honor. So it's not just a stupid made up name.

Rosefolly

Sexy Rexy may have been Rex Harrison's nickname but the rose was not named for him, according to Sam McGredy, the breeder. It was an in house joke in the nursery and the rose was named for Sam's mate Rex Hotchin. The name was not intended as a sale name but Europeans wanted Sam to keep Sexy Rexy as the official name. A photo of Rex 'Sexy Rexy' Hotchin in the link

Here is a link that might be useful: Sexy Rexy

This post was edited by mariannese on Thu, Dec 18, 14 at 16:05