Flat purple-violet blooms scented with myrrh, immaculate white doubles covering a pergola, stems set with red translucent thorns: heirloom roses are either wild species or hybrids raised before 1867, and they trade glossy foliage for softer colour and natural charm. Give them rich, loose soil in sun and they flower on into autumn.
What makes an heirloom rose?
A rose qualifies as an heirloom or antique rose if:
It’s a botanical rose (meaning it’s a wild species that can be found in nature)
or if the plant was produced through hybridization before 1867
They bloom with either double or simple flowers, and these typically have a very natural style. Compared to modern roses, they have more flexible stems and less shiny leaves, but make up for it with a lighter color.
Six heirloom roses compared at a glance
The six antique roses described below differ enormously in size, flowering season and scent, from a knee-high ground-cover to a twelve-foot pergola climber. Use the table to narrow the choice before reading the individual portraits.
Six heirloom roses compared at a glance
Rose
Flowers
Height
Flowering
Scent
Rosa (x) polyantha NECTAR GARDEN® Alexander von Humboldt
Small luminous red single flowers with yellow stamens; ground-cover
1.3 ft (0.40 m)
Early summer to mid-autumn
Unscented
Rosa (x) wichuraiana ‘White New Dawn’
Immaculate white double flowers, turbine-shaped; climber for pergolas
12 ft (3.50 m)
Midsummer, in waves until the frosts
Musky, fruity and fresh
Rosa ‘Reine des Violettes’
Flat purplish-violet doubles over blue-green leaves; dense bush
4 1/2 ft (1.35 m)
Late spring to early summer, then again in early to mid-autumn
Highly scented, rose and myrrh
Rosa ‘Fragrant Old Yellow’
Opulent frilled yellow cups on a bushy shrub
3 1/2 ft (1.10 m)
Early summer to early autumn
Fruity
Rosa (x) Portland ‘Mme Boll’
Double roses, candy pink at the heart, lighter at the edges; erect prickly shrub
3.5 ft (1.1 m)
Early summer to mid-autumn
Sweet and fruity
Rosa omeiensis (sericea) ‘Pteracantha’
Small cream-white single flowers, yellow stamens, red translucent thorns
8 ft (2.5 m)
Early summer only
Not fragrant
All six share the same basic requirements: sun or half-shade, rich, loose soil, and hardiness to -4°F (-20°C).
Antique ground-covering rose with red flowers
Name: Rosa (x) polyantha NECTAR GARDEN® Alexander von Humboldt
A low, vigorous bush barely two feet across
Look:
This ground-covering rose forms a low bush with about a 2 feet in diameter (60cm). It’s covered in small luminous red simple flowers, accentuated by a bunch of yellow stamens all through the beautiful season.
Its immaculate white double flowers have a pretty turbine silhouette. It’s a vigorous vine with arching and thorny stems that charmingly covers pergolas.
Height: about 12 feet (3.50m)
Flowering Period: mid-summer
Scent: musky, fruity, and fresh
Foliage: deciduous, shiny dark green
Hardiness: -4°F (-20°C)
Exposure: sun, half-shade
Soil: rich, loose, acidic to slightly limestone
The little extra: blooms in successive waves from May to frost
Vintage rose with purple flowers
Name: Rosa ‘Reine des Violettes’
Flat violet blooms set against blue-green leaves
Looks:
Intense purplish-violet, flat double roses accompany blue-green leaves. Dense bushiness is this repeat-blooming rose’s signature.
Height: about 4 1/2 feet (1.35m)
Blooming period: May-June, then again in September-October
Special feature: its original color shifts from purple to parma, going through violet, depending on location and brightness
Vintage rose with yellow flowers
Name: Rosa ‘Fragrant Old Yellow’
Frilled yellow cups renewed all summer long
Looks:
floriferous, this rose variety reveals opulent yellow flowers that frill up. Beautiful cup roses renew themselves all summer on a bushy shrub.
Height: roughly 3 1/2 feet (1.10m)
Blooming period: June to September
Scent: fruity aroma
Foliage: deciduous, medium green
Hardiness: down to -4°F (-20°C)
Exposure: sun
Soil: rich, loose, acidic to slightly calcareous
A little extra: continuous flowering allowing to create beautiful, well-filled bouquets
Old rose with pink blossoms
Name: Rosa (x) Portland ‘Mme Boll’
Candy pink hearts fading paler towards the edges
Looks:
double-layered roses, as sweet as candy pink at the heart, morph into light pink on the edges. A robust, erect shrub filled with prickly stems.
Height: 3.5 feet (1.1 meters)
Blooming period: June through October
Scent: irresistible mix of sweet and fruity
Foliage: deciduous, gold-green
Hardiness: -4°F (-20°C)
Exposure: sun, part-shade
Soil: rich, loose, slightly acidic to a bit chalky
Cherry on top: Blossoms? Oh, they keep coming, all through the glorious season.
Old rose with simple white blossoms
Name: Rosa omeiensis (sericea) ‘Pteracantha’
Red translucent thorns are this rose’s real attraction
Looks:
stand out with this rose’s stems, punctuated by red, translucent needles. Its petite, lightweight white blossoms feature a cream hue and a heart full of yellow stamens.
Height: 8 feet (2.5 meters)
Blooming period: June
Scent: not fragrant
Foliage: deciduous, its serrated, tender green leaves come in several folioles
Hardiness: -4°F (-20°C)
Exposure: sun, part-shade
Soil: rich, loose, slightly acidic to a bit chalky
Cherry on top: perfect for that country style you’ve always wanted.
