“Antique roses, also known as old garden roses or historic roses, are roses that existed before 1867. They are known for being hardy, disease resistant, and coming in many colors, shapes, and sizes.” Google Generative ai

Archduke Charles
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
Prior to 1837
Height: 3′ – 5′
Very Fragrant
Continuous Bloom

“Thomas Rivers called ‘Archduke Charles’ “changeable as the chameleon”. The full, very shapely flowers open with crimson outer petals and neat pink centers, then darken to solid crimson.

Archuke Charles
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium

“The heat of the sun speeds the process: what appears to be a bi-color hedge in spring and fall will be all red roses in mid-summer. The neat, erect bush and constant bloom help make this one of our most popular varieties.” Antique Rose Emporium

Bermuda’s Kathleen
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
Prior to 1956
Height: 5′ – 6′

Cécile Brünner
Image Credit: Heirloom Roses
1831
Height: 3′ – 2′
Fragrant
Nearly Thornless
Continual Bloom

“This sweetheart rose likely grew in your grandmother’s garden. Cécile Brünner is a lightly scented, soft pink, miniature rose with hybrid tea shaped, 1 ½” blooms with 18+ petals. Bred in France before 1880, she is one of the most well known of the old roses. Her blooms burst forth on a compact, continual blooming, nearly thornless bush from spring until fall.” Heirloom Roses

Cécile Brünner Climbing
Image Credit: Jackson & Perkins
1881
Height: 10′

Chestnut
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
Height: 5′ – 7′
Before 1814

Cramoisi Superier
Image Credit: Chateau de la Rose
Height: 6′
Before 1818
Repeat Bloomer

Cramoisi Superier
Image Credit: Chateau de la Rose
Height: 6′
Before 1818

“A very useful old china rose with its cherry red double cupped blooms. In warmer weather it will be in almost constant bloom. Mild raspberry fragrance and unusual shading from the center of the bloom outward.” Chateau de la Rose

Dame de Coeur
Image Credit: Chamblee’s Rose Nursery
Height: 3′ – 5′
1958
Fragrant

Ducher
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
1869
Height: 3′ – 5′
Continuous Bloom

“Regarded as the only white China rose, ‘Ducher’ blooms a soft ivory-white for us. The buds are very round and sometimes have a hint of pink on the outer petals opening to a delicate swirl of fragrant ivory petals. Smaller than many Chinas, this is a good candidate for a container. Although it exhibits the typical bronzy new growth, the foliage of ‘Ducher’ is uncharacteristically light green.” Antique Rose Emporium

Duchesse de Brabant
Image Credit: Chamblee’s Rose Nursery
1857
Height: 4′ – 6′

“Duchesse De Brabant is an Earth Kind Rose with a very fragrant and full bloom.  Duchesse performs better when avoiding overcrowded areas.  Duchesse de Brabant is a true antique rose introduced in 1857.” Chamblee’s Rose Nursery

Heritage
Image Credit: David Austin Roses
1984
Height: 5′

Karen Poulsen
Image Credit: Rogue Valle Roses
1932
Height: 4′ – 5′

La Marne
Image Credit: Dave’s Garden
Height: 4′ – 6′
1915

“The La Marne rose can grow to be 4–6 ft (120–185 cm) tall, with a width of 4 ft (120 cm). This medium-sized shrub has glossy leaves and open pink and white blooms. The La Marne rose blooms throughout the season, with large, loose clusters of cupped and ruffled single blooms. It has a mild fragrance and some shade tolerance.” Google Generative ai

\

Le Vesuve
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
1825
Height: 4′ – 6′

Louis Phillipe
Image Credit: Mounts Botanical Garden
1834
Height: 3′ – 6′

“The cracker rose: We love ‘Louis Philippe’, also known as the cracker rose. Named in honor of Louis XVIII of France, it was introduced to the U.S. in 1834 and has been growing in Florida gardens for generations. It’s so hardy it can be grown on its own rootstock, and is impervious to black spot and other diseases that plague most roses here in South Florida. Though not a cut rose, their blooms have a subtle fragrance, and dry nicely for potpourri. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with just admiring their flowers on the bush itself, since it makes such a handsome addition to the mixed border.” Mounts Botanical Garden’]

Louise Odier
Image Credit: Mounts Botanical Garden
1851
Height: 5′ – 6′
Fabulously Fragrant
Vicious Thorns but One of My Favorite Antique Roses

Madame Laurette Messimy
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
1887
Height: 4′ – 6′
Old Rose Fragrance

“‘Madame Laurette Messimy’ has clusters of rounded buds that open to soft, salmon-pink, semi-double flowers with a touch of yellow at the base of the petals. Gifted with a true rose fragrance, this rose is ideal for growing in a pot where it can be easily appreciated. Strong sun burns off the fragrant oils, so make sure to “stop and smell the roses” during the morning hours.” Antique Rose Emporium

Marie van Houtte
Image Credit: Vivaio Rose Antique
1871
Height: 4′ – 6′

“A valuable rose parent, ‘Marie van Houtte’ is described as having large, globular flowers of lemon yellow, deeper in the center, with pinkish lilac suffusing the tips of the petals. Its dark, shiny and occasionally evergreen foliage is a good foil to the light flowers. The coloration of the blossom is very similar to the popular Tea, ‘Mrs. Dudley Cross’, however, the bush is much more substantial. We affectionately refer to this rose as ‘Mrs. Dudley Cross on steroids.’ Antique Rose Emporium

Mrs. B.R. Cant
Image Credit: Petals from the Past
1901
Height: 5′ – 8′

“Only the best was good enough to be named after the wife of famous rose breeder and nurseryman, Benjamin Cant. This fat, full, cabbagey flower is a silver rose color with a dark rose reverse. The rich, cool fragrance is a treat, but the bush requires a little extra space; we have seen specimens reach 8 feet in every direction if they are not pruned. ‘Mrs. B. R. Cant’ is a steady bloomer and a superb cut flower.” Antique Rose Emporium

Mutablis
Image Credit: Heirloom Roses
Prior to 1894
Height: 4′ – 6′ {I have grown Mutablish Roses that climbed above the roof of my house]

“Mutabilis is a beautiful and unusual China Rose with a name meaning literally “liable to change.” The pointed buds open into single, 3” blooms with 5 simple petals that ebb and flow through a series of color changes. Mutabilis begins yellow aging to coppery orange, to rich pink, and ending with fiery red. With various blooms in different stages, expect Mutabilis to show off multiple colors at once. Her delicate, open blooms resemble sweet butterflies giving the garden a whimsical feel. She is an outstanding, continually blooming shrub that is vigorous and blooms early.” Heirloom Roses

“This most interesting rose was once sold as ‘Tipo Ideale’, and it is ideally suited to illustrate the typical China trait of darkening with age, instead of fading. Nowhere is that trait more visible than in the flowers of ‘Mutabilis’, whose single petals open sulfur yellow, changing through orange to a rich pink and finally crimson. Bright, silky flowers of all these colors will often be on display at the same time, looking as if a group of multi-colored butterflies has settled on the bush. This aspect earned ‘Mutabilis’ its common name–”The Butterfly Rose”. A healthy, well-branched shrub, ‘Mutabilis’ will easily grow to 6 feet, making a fine specimen plant whose showy flowers are accented by the bronze color of the new growth. This is a very popular rose due to its distinct coloration.” Antique Rose Emporium

Natchitoches Noisette
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
1714
Height: 3′ = 5′

“We found this rose growing near a grave on the grounds of an old fort (1714) in Natchitoches, to Louisiana, and it is a real gem. Medium sized, cupped, light pink flowers were bravely blooming in mid-December when we collected cuttings. The original plant of “Natchitoches Noisette” is five feet tall and fairly compact in spite of obviously not having been pruned for years. The myrrh fragrance is outstanding; foliage is neat and healthy. We cannot be certain this plant is a Noisette, but it has most of the outstanding characteristics of the class.” Antique Rose Emporium

Old Blush
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
1752
Height: 3′ – 6′

“Also known as “Common Monthly”, “Common Blush China”, “Old Pink Daily”, “Old Pink Monthly”, and “Parsons Pink China”, the myriad of names of this semi-double hybrid of R. chinensis attest to the friendly familiarity with which it has been grown for over two hundred years. One of the most common of old roses, it is also one of the most valuable, for it has passed on its incredible blooming prowess to countless cultivars during the history of hybridization in the West. ‘Old Blush’ has medium, semi-double, lilac pink flowers in loose clusters. They flush darker pink in the sun and are followed by large orange hips. It blooms so steadily that it is not a very good cut flower: the blossoms drop quickly to make room for their successors. The bush is full and upright in habit, growing slowly to over 5 feet, with neat, healthy foliage. Perfume is soft, but fruity and pleasant. Whether used in a hedge (which can be spectacular), as a specimen, or in a border, ‘Old Blush’ should be treated simply as a flowering shrub and not fussed over.” Antique Rose Emporium

Old Blush [Climbing]
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
Date Unknown
Height: 12′ – 20′ [Climbing]

“‘Climbing Old Blush’ is one of the oldest climbing roses in commerce.  Being a sport of the shrub, ‘Old Blush’, the bloom form and color is identical to the shrub and only differs in size.  It is a very vigorous climber and can get quite large so please allow it plenty of space where you can enjoy its blooms throughout the year; a trait that is rare for most climbing roses.” Antique Rose Emporium

Prosperity
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
Height: 8′ – 12′
Before 1919

 

Setina
Image Credit: Antique Rose Emporium
1879
Height: 8′ – 12′ [Climbing]

“Setina’ is a lovely and useful climbing form of ‘Hermosa’ with thin, elegant canes that are easily trained on a trellis or pillar. Small clusters of lavender pink, fragrant, cupped blossoms (just like its parent) are borne very regularly throughout the growing season. ‘Setina’ is one of the best repeat-flowering, climbing antique roses.” Antique Rose Emporium

Tuscany Superb
Image Credit: Heirloom Roses
1837
Height: 4′
Exceptionally Fragrant
Once Blooming

Introduced in 1837, Tuscany Superb produces large, semi-double, 5” blooms with 24+ petals in a lovely deep, crimson purple. Her velvety petals contrast with rich, golden-yellow stamens on this once-blooming, nearly thornless plant. As her name suggests, she is “superbly” fragrant. Tuscany Superb is at her best in spring with dense foliage as a backdrop for her gorgeous, porcelain-looking blooms. She is exceptionally fragrant, a favorite of pollinators, and can handle dappled shade as well.