In September 1990, an exhibition devoted to the rosiéristes
Soupert & Notting opened at the Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art in Luxembourg. The collection was not limited to Soupert & Notting, but also included items from two other important Luxembourg rosiéristes,
Ketten Frères and
Gemen & Bourg. Soupert & Notting was established in 1855, followed by Ketten Frères in 1867.
According to tradition, it was in 1888 that Charles Gemen and his brother-in-law, Melchior Bourg, established Gemen & Bourg in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg. In his research, Raymond Weiller uncovered catalogs dating from at least one year before this that would indicate that Charles Gemen had been in the nursery business before 1888. Melchior was married to Charles' sister, Marie Françoise. He retired in 1896, but the firm continued to be known as Gemen & Bourg.
The nursery comprised about 35 hectares (approximately 76 acres) which made Gemen & Bourg the largest firm of its kind in Luxembourg and one of the most important in Europe. It became known as the largest exporter of roses in the world. Annually, from 1900 to 1914, Gemen & Bourg produced and sold from 2 to 3 million roses. In reality, the number of roses they exported exceeded that number because the firm purchased additional plants from smaller firms.
Unlike Soupert & Notting, Gemen & Bourg were primarily rose-growers and introduced only five of their own hybridized varieties. Among these was a light orange climber called
'Manette Gemen'.
In Autumn 1887/Spring 1888 catalogue, Charles Gemen presented himself as a horticulturalist-nurseryman. His catalogue listed over 500 roses, 58 fruit trees, other trees of various types and strawberries. The price of the roses varied from 55 centimes (half a franc) to 1,25 francs with the majority of plants being sold for for 60 to 65 centimes. New varieties from 1884 to 1886 were offered at even higher prices which could reach 1,75 francs. There was one exception to this and that was the rose,
'Souvenir de Victor Hugo', a large-flowered Tea rose with blossoms that are a dazzling China pink with yellow centers. This was the most expensive rose in the catalogue at 2 francs! Writer Victor Hugo had passed away in the year before this rose was introduced.
Charles Gemen finally referred to himself as a rosériste for the first time in the 1890-1891 catalogue. By this time, the firm offered 534 varieties of roses. Two years later, this number had more than doubled to over 1,146. Almost thirty years later, and in addition to 2,490 varieties of roses and a considerable number of other flowers, the catalogue from 1926 offered selected seeds of choice and diverse exclusive specialties: seeds for the vegetable garden, seeds of medicinal plants, flower seeds, etc.
Unfortunately, as it happened with Soupert & Notting and other firms, World War II saw the end of Gemen & Bourg.
Special thanks to Francine Cocard. Other sources are: Medailles Attribuées aux Rosiéristes Gemen & Bourg, by Raymond Weiller, Mamer, Luxembourg 1991.
