(Image above: Noisette Reve d’Or, outstanding fragrance, impressive climber)
Bourbon and Noisette Roses for the New Orleans Garden
Rosarian Peggy Rose Martin recently spoke to our Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans with an educational talk about roses and recommended several Bourbon and Noisette Roses which perform well in our area.
The best time to plant roses is late Winter to early Spring. Roses can also be purchased and planted in Fall. They require well drained soil and at least 6-8 hours of full sun.
Peggy Martin grows her roses using organic methods. She shared 5 points to a sustainable (Organic) Garden:
1. Diversity of plants
2. Attract Birds
3. Rainwater
4. Organic Fertilizers
5. Mulch
Bourbon roses originated and are named for the Isle Bourbon, now called Reunion in the Indian Ocean. They are supposed to have originated from a natural cross between the China ‘Parsons’ Pink and the Red Monthly rose (the original Damask Perpetual) but are used as a hedge. Bourbons Roses are more susceptible to black spot than some of the other old garden roses. Many thrive in the Louisiana climate. The flowers are usually very fragrant and produced on everblooming large robust shrubs or climbers. Some cultivars include Maggie (red), Souvenir de la Malmaison (pink), Zephirine Drouhin (pink), Boule de Neige (white), Mme. Isaac Pereire (dark pink).
(Images above: [left] Madame Isaac Pereire – Bourbon rich powerful fragrance; [center] Kronprinzessin Viktoria – sport of Souvenir de Malmaison, fragrant double; [right] Madame de Sevigne – Bourbon climber, nice fragrance)
Noisettes do well in our area also and were developed in America. These roses contain mostly well-behaved climbers, although a few are robust shrubs. These everblooming roses thrive in Louisiana. The pastel flowers are fragrant and grow in clusters that hang down from the canes. Some good cultivars include Champney’s Pink Cluster (light Pink) Lamarque (white), Mme. Alfred Carrier (white), Natchitoches Noisette (light pink) Rev d’Or (pale Gold).
See lsuagcenter.com for Roses and Rose Disease publications.
Photos courtesy of Peggy Martin.
(Image right: Noisette Reve d’Or, outstanding fragrance, impressive climber)
By Karen Blackburn