Frances Grate, a fine Southern lady who now lives in Pacific Grove, California gave me this rose as "Natalie's High Hills" in 1991. She had recently returned from a visit with Carl Cato of Lynchburg, Virginia. Carl was one of the four co-founders of the Heritage Roses Group iniated by Miriam Wilkins in 1975. He was the first Editor of "The Rose Letter" which has been continuously published for 45 years, probably the oldest publication dedicated to the old and species roses in the world now.
Apparently Frances got "Natalie's High Hills" from Carl and mentioned North Carolina as its source. We joked how the name sounded like a play on "high heels" but Frances was slyly coy as Southerners sometimes are, I should know, being from Tennessee myself.
Well, it just so happens there is a place called High Heels. It's just across the state line in North Carolina at a town called Henderson not very far from Lynchburg, Virginia. "Heels" as a name is quite familiar to North Carolinians, aka " The Tar Heel" state. On the web you can see a photograph of the name on a gateway, the arched sign supported on both sides of the road by gigantic high heels!
Only recently did I learn the Rose now goes by the name "Nathalie's High Hills" with an "h" added. I tried to contact Frances for confirmation but without success. Suspicious, I investigated further and discovered there is a town called "Nathalie" in Halifax county, Virginia not many miles south of Lynchburg. So possibly Carl found this rose at Nathalie, Virginia and the name "Nathalie's High Hills" is legitimate after all. Which makes "Natalie's High Heels" a synonym (but not forgotten!).
"Nathalie's High Hills" is a lovely Hybrid China with a wonderful fragrance.