My Wolley Dods grew like a wild rose with thick canes that arched at the top. Although the flowers were a soft pink, the sepals were different and the bush always looked tidy. No problems with any disease. It only blooms once but for a long time. If I could figure out how to post more than one on one posting... But I will post two of Wolley for you.

Wolley Dods for bman

Try searching for R.pomifera 'Duplex' or R.villosa. I also love this rose (and expect Pam (MendocinoR) to be along in a moment, equally enthused. I have been watching your rose list with some amusement (and envy) and feel I can detect a pattern forming.....a definite leaning towards large untidy and generous roses, not a million miles from their wildling ancestors......in which case, Wolley-Dod is just the ticket. Still, in the interests of full disclosure (and not just our usual enabling fervour), it is a ruffianly rose for me, throwing out wild canes with abandon and does get a bit blackspotty late in the year. It grows like a briar, without the furious prickles of that tribe and has especially lovely foliage, a faded leaden green which is perfectly in harmony with the loose, deeply romantic flowers. Mine grows around the apple cordons (my little joke, the apple rose with the rosy apples) and looks at home in an untidy hedgerow way....which is its great charm. Also, it has quite astonishing heps (always a plus) which are sought after (I am informed) by afficionados of rosehep jam and such.
A lovely rose, worth a space in any garden.

It's absolutely beautiful and sublime, in that almost-wild rose way, and has such beautiful foliage.

Ingrid

Campanula thanks i got a good laugh from your comment. And yes the more i learn about roses the more i prefer huge ogrs.

I just got a Wolley-Dodd for the cemetery garden. We have room for it, thank goodness.

Had fun talking about how to handle our big Albas and other oversized (many would say overgrown) roses with the head rose gardener from Mottisfont, Jonny Bass, when he visited Sacramento last weekend. We discussed pruning our huge Alba Maxima in a large, arching dome shape - which would maximize its "ornamental decoration," he said - but then he pointed out that it wants to be large and a bit unruly and that we have the space to let it express itself, and it's part of the look and purpose of our rose garden to let them do so. Ornamental decoration is all well and good, but an exuberantly thriving huge rose is wonderful.

I've seen this rose in a couple of people's gardens, including Pamela's, and have coveted it for years.

My Wolley-Dods bloomed for the first time last spring. One thing I noticed is that the buds themselves are very fragrant, like juicy fruit gum. You can see the buds well in Lynette's beautiful pictures; they are resinous/sticky. Quite healthy; I like it a lot so far.

Here I am along. It might be my favorite rose, but you must understand I am a different sort of person. I like that it is huge and wild, but also delicately beautiful in its way. It must be properly placed with lots(LOTS) of room. Don't try to think of keeping it small and mannerly.

For some reason, I've never even considered growing this one. Is there something funky about the hardiness that it won't grow here?

Well mad gallica if it will live in our zone 5 . Then we got to find a way to get it. I dont think it is in commerce. Im new to roses and this forum.