This is one of the most beautiful roses I know! (if you're not looking for classic hybrid tea form). If you also love peonies but hate their short season, look no further & grow this instead. It has ruffled deep pink (purplish) gorgeous blooms that look like peonies with the most wonderful rich scent (a hint of anise, moreso in CA - usually I Hate licorice scents, but somehow I'm willing to forgive it in this rose, it's THAT good!). It's a very healthy Strong grower with multiple buds per stem and almost always in bloom, individual blooms are very long lasting also (great for cut flowers). The blooms are So big & full that if you keep all the buds, you may want to tie some of the canes together for support or the stem may bow down beneath the weight of the flowers, especially when it rains. I've grown it in Boston, Baltimore & in Fremont, CA. In Boston & Baltimore, it was very disease resistant. In CA less so, but Fremont has a Huge mildew issue with all roses, I've had to spray weekly to even keep the mildew down. I can only guess that its somewhat-difficult-to-remember name keeps this rose from being well known, cause everyone I've recommended this rose to, comes back raving! One of my all time favorites!!!

I am gardening in central Texas.

The fragrance on the plant is, indeed, outstanding. Had I ample room, that may be reason enough to grow it. When the blooms are good they are V E R R R R Y good. In our heat, however, the blooms are only good in the late spring and late fall.

Sometimes, if the springs are very cool, the buds can take so long to open that they become over packed and end up as large pink lumps that never really open fully.

Add to this the fact that, at least in this climate, the bush is woefully short on foliage. Once the heat hits it looses most of its foliage. It is fairly resistant to spot, but in high summer you hardly notice it because there are mostly bare canes on the lower two thirds of rather short bush to begin with. The rose had been no good at all for hybridizing - never sets seed and the pollen has not been used successfully. Given all of these drawbacks, I had to get rid of this plant after two growing seasons.

I do believe that the plant would do well given a more temperate environment. So, if you live where the summers are a little cooler and you are looking for a plant on the short side with killer fragrance and color, this is probably one to try.