Traffic stopping is not what albas do.

They are the asolutas of the rose world, remote and possessed of an impossible, other-worldly beauty.

They do make a stately and graceful hedge,but for traffic stopping, you might want to wind a showy vine through them, clematis or morning glories.

I politely disagree. If they grow well, and make the big handsome shrubs nature designed them to be, any and all of them will stop traffic. If a hedge, so much the better.
Most Albas resemble each other in habit and foliage as well as in their smallish pale flowers; none stands out more than the others ('Queen of Denmark' and 'Belle Amour' are hybridized and somewhat different, though both beautiful).
Tastes vary, but I can assure you that if while driving I saw a hedge of Albas in full bloom, I would defintiely stop the car, get out, and have a good look (and get a noseful of fragrance).
Melissa

Ah well, I was going to go with the one, the original and the best (to my mind) lovely Yorkshire rose, Alba semi-plena. This makes a fabulous large shrub.....and if planted together with Nevada (looks like a galleon in full sail), I guarantee there will be some traffic stopping and swooning.

But then, I am a sucker for white roses.....and if stamens are visible, bliss is assured.

I think that Felicite Parmentier is a show stopper.

If you prefer white, then there's Blanche de Belgique.

I second camps nominee of alba semi-plena...I've posted this photo many times to illustrate it's potential...the white rose in the background...slow to get started...needs support, but what a rose...in a class of great roses that many say do best with a cool winter dormancy.

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Lynette: Would comment on Rolf Siever's Crimson Blush for this application?

I grew three of the Blush series and Crimson BLush was my favorite. That is the good news. The bad news is that the flowers were very double and made the canes bend over. The plant was healthy and when mature straightened up more. I tried two of them and both arched a lot when young. I grew it in the shade because of the colour edges going a rust colour so maybe it needed more sun. Strong fragrance so worth any problems. In my garden I found that the Blush series tended to slowly die back and pruning didn't revive them
Lemon Blush grew the best of the three and was 6 feet tall and straight..

beautiful photo of Felicite Parmentier!

My Alba Semiplena is at the top of my steep driveway, but visible from the street when in bloom. Some years it hits 10' or more in center, arching out in a giant fountain. There are a few canes that occasionally sport pink, low to the ground, but facing the house, so what the street sees is that great white silhouette at the top of the hill. And yes, traffic slows, and the walkers just stop. There is a painter down the street who wants to come get up close next spring, and a professional photographer who has already made plans. So yes, I'd vote for this one!

I vote for Chloris. My 6 ft husband is standing in front of it for comparison, looking rather sullen.

Mmmmm, choice. Cute but charismatic, great presence, enigmatic.....the rose is nice too.

Wow right now i have planted across my front yard in a row is. Alba Maxima, konigen von danemark, chloris, high country banshee, r. Centifolia, alba semi plena, celsiana, blush hip, mme hardy , ispahan, celestial and mme plantier. Starting a second row behind first so far blush damask. More to come in spring. Might move r. Centifolia mixed emotions from the responses on this forum.

Bman, you better have that camera ready to go! Sounds FABULOUS!
Susan

Hopefully got great maidens blush, felicite parmentier, belle amour, pompon blanc parfait, suevelons,mme legras de st. Germain coming in spring.

Susan, amen.
bman, how about if you learn how to propagate and start spreading these roses around? In any case, it makes me happy to hear of someone starting an ambitious collection of once-blooming old roses, not only for your sake, but giving other people a chance to see and get to know them. This is how the old roses continue to live, one garden at a time.
Give 'Centifolia' a chance before you move it out. The plant is well enough, and the flowers are superb, and distinct from those of any other rose you have listed.
Melissa

Yes melissa your right. I will give r. Centifolia a chance to prove itself. Maybe i should plant fantin latour out front too. So people could see some centifolia too. Would centifolia look good planted next to albas and damask?

'Fantin-Latour' has been classed as a Centifolia, but I don't know that there's any particular reason it should be. It seems more likely to be one of those once-flowering early China hybrids that don't fit easily into a class. In the Vintage Gardens Rose Book they list it as a Hybrid Bourbon. It's a GREAT rose, very fragrant, very sturdy, and a pleasure to work with. It's pale pink, like so many of the Albas and Damasks, makes a big arching shrub, not as upright as many of the Albas. It would go fine with them, but its space needs must be respected.
'Centifolia' won't grow as tall as many of the Albas, at least, this is the case in my garden, and this is a consideration if it's intended as part of a hedge made of a single line of roses. In flower color and style of foliage it will assort just fine.
Melissa

Thnx for your help melissa. I have 12ft of space between the roses. And i will have at least 2 rows. Not worried if they all are the same height. I hope the spacing is enough for them.

If they are own root, they will sucker. Chloris will do so alarmingly, others less so, but all will spread out. Propagation is easy in that case - dig out a sucker with a bit of root on it and pot it up.

Kayla in Montana sent the cemetery Alba semi-plena years ago and it is my choice for a show-stopper. Bees love it and the hips are wonderful, too. What a rose.
Anita

I have Mme de St Germain in a not optimum spot, yet for more than 15 years she has been a reliable mass of white. Also - VERY easy to tip root. Have given several away . Trick is to remember to do it early enough in spring that you have a settled little one to sever, dig up, and either pot up or replant in late summer/early fall.

sunnysideuphill, please do explain your method of tip rooting. I have all of the albas mentioned above, except for the blushes, and I would like to help preserve them.

Well, I'm just sitting here being blown away by the photos of these stunning roses, and amazed that so many of you have the space to grow such collections. They are marvelous. I also nearly fell off my chair laughing after reading Camp's comments. I just knew those were coming--spot on, though.
Lynette, Felicite and Lemon Blush are so lovely and their color so subtle. Diane

If I were planting a hedge for its appeal beyond the blooming season, I would look at Queen of Denmark. At least in this climate, it is amazingly healthy. Late in the season, when all other roses are looking ragged and fungal, you can trust the Queen for sheer green, robust, disease-free health. Your mileage may vary, of course.