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Old shrub roses: the essentials
Choosing planting

Old shrub roses: the essentials

A selection of tried-and-tested plants

Contents

Modified the Wednesday 6 August 2025  by Elisabeth 13 min.

We love old roses for their free, flexible, and natural habit, their roses often being highly fragrant, either single like dog roses or more or less double, even very double and voluptuous. They have a reputation for robustness and disease resistance, although this is sometimes a bit overestimated. Their flowering is usually unique, but generous. Some, however, are capable of blooming again one or more times from late spring to autumn.

What are the best old roses for our gardens? To be objective, our selection had to be independent of personal tastes and not take into account successes and failures that are more related to poor growing conditions than to the intrinsic value of the rose. Thus, it is quite logically among those that have never really disappeared from catalogues, despite the whims of fashion, but also among those that survive in old gardens left to themselves and in the silence of cemeteries, that we have chosen the most deserving old roses. Our selection also includes a few wonderful roses created after 1867, but linked to old roses by their characteristics.

Difficulty

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Gallic roses (gallica)

Gallica rose is the ancestor of most European garden roses. Native to Southern and Central Europe and Asia Minor, extending to the Caucasus and Iran, it is a plant perfectly at ease in our climates.

Rosa gallica Complicata - Old Gallic Rose

Rosa gallica Complicata - Old Gallic Rose

A very beautiful bush with an open habit, hardy, robust and reliable, capable of growing even in poor soils and partial shade. On perfectly healthy foliage bloom large dog roses of a fluorescent pink with a lighter centre around the yellow stamens in May-June for 3 weeks. Their wild rose fragrance is very pleasant.
  • Flowering time July
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m
Rosa gallica Officinalis - Old Gallic Rose

Rosa gallica Officinalis - Old Gallic Rose

Also known as the Provins rose, it forms a bush covered with very healthy dark green-grey foliage. Its semi-double flowers of a light carmine pink are abundant in June and very fragrant. Its 'versicolor' form (= Rosa Mundi), with flowers variegated with white, is always highly appreciated. Extremely hardy, it tolerates shade and fairly dry soils in summer. A solid, healthy and perfectly reliable plant from North to South of our country.
  • Flowering time July, August
  • Height at maturity 90 cm
Rosa gallica Cardinal de Richelieu - Old Gallic Rose

Rosa gallica Cardinal de Richelieu - Old Gallic Rose

(Laffay, France, 1840): this rose occupies space with elegance. Its medium-sized double roses form a dark purple globe, maturing into a frosted violet with bluish-grey tones. A somewhat theatrical colour accompanied by a powdery fragrance that scents a whole area of the garden. Quite hardy, non-perpetual, it requires fertile and cool soil to bloom well.
  • Flowering time July, August
  • Height at maturity 1,20 m
Rosa gallica Charles de Mills - Old Gallic Rose

Rosa gallica Charles de Mills - Old Gallic Rose

(very old variety, origin and parentage unknown): one of the best if it has good garden soil that remains cool. Always appreciated for its exceptional vigour, its habit as a large compact bush, its dark and very healthy foliage, and its clusters of large flat and very double roses of a dark and rich red, with hints of wine-red or violet, sometimes brown. This slightly fragrant variety only blooms once, in June-July, but abundantly and withstands, unaided, in old gardens.
  • Flowering time July, August
  • Height at maturity 1,20 m
Rosa gallica Tuscany Superb - Gallic Rose

Rosa gallica Tuscany Superb - Gallic Rose

(Paul, United Kingdom, 1848): a low-spined bush, bearing magnificent semi-double flowers of a dark velvety red around a beautiful bouquet of golden stamens in May-June. Their fragrance matches their brilliance. Broad, dark green foliage. Easy to grow, disease-resistant, this variety that has stood the test of time has lost none of its qualities.
  • Flowering time June, July
  • Height at maturity 70 cm

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Portland roses

These are closely related varieties to the Damask roses. Their flowers are borne on very short peduncles, making them appear nestled within the foliage. Compact and often perpetual, these roses are perfect for small gardens.

Rosa Jacques Cartier - Portland Rose

Rosa Jacques Cartier - Portland Rose

(Moreau-Robert, France, 1868): a bush with perpetual flowering. Its dark glossy green foliage is free from diseases. It bears very double, slightly ruffled roses of a true pink that fades a little at the edges. They are highly fragrant.
  • Flowering time July to October
  • Height at maturity 1,20 m
Rosa De Resht - Damask Rose

Rosa De Resht - Damask Rose

(origin and parentage unknown). A fascinating small rose, very healthy, that bears small double pompom flowers, highly fragrant. Their colour of intense fuchsia red evolves to pink-magenta. Very perpetual when young, this rose should be pruned short after a few years to continue blooming well.
  • Flowering time June to November
  • Height at maturity 1 m

 

Discover other Traditional Roses

Rosa x wichuraiana 'New Dawn'
Rosa x wichuraiana 'New Dawn'
Value-for-money
4
From €22.50 • 4L/5L pot

Available in 2 sizes

Rosa gallica Versicolor - Old Gallic Rose
Rosa gallica Versicolor - Old Gallic Rose
Value-for-money
7
From €19.90 • 4L/5L pot

Available in 3 sizes

Rosa Hybride remontant Souvenir du Dr Jamain
Rosa Souvenir du Dr Jamain
15
From €22.50 • 4L/5L pot

Available in 3 sizes

Rosa filipes 'Kiftsgate' - Rambling Rose
Rosa filipes 'Kiftsgate' - Ramblin…
1
From €22.50 • 4L/5L pot

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Rosa banksiae var. banksiae 'Alba Plena' - Hybrid Banksia - Rambling Rose
Rosa banksiae var. banksiae 'Alba Plena…
Not to be missed!
9
From €24.50 • 2L/3L pot

Available in 4 sizes

Rosa gallica Cardinal de Richelieu - Old Gallic Rose
Rosa gallica Cardinal de Richelieu - Old Gal…
Value-for-money
12
From €19.90 • 4L/5L pot

Available in 3 sizes

Rugosa roses Collection
Rugosa roses Collection
New arrival
Out of stock
€36.70
Rosa Blush Noisette - Climbing Rose
Rosa Blush Noisette - Climbing Rose
Value-for-money
15
From €25.50 • 4L/5L pot

Available in 3 sizes

Rosa glauca Rubrifolia - Gallic Rose
Rosa glauca Rubrifolia - Gallic Rose
Not to be missed!
5
From €22.50 • 2L/3L pot

Available in 4 sizes

Rosa x Noisette 'Madame Alfred Carrière'
Rosa x Noisette 'Madame Alfred Carrière…
Value-for-money
5
From €22.50 • 4L/5L pot

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Musk roses (moschata)

Issues for most climbing rose Trier, the moschata roses enjoyed wide diffusion. The creations of rose breeders Pemberton, and particularly Bentall, have never disappeared from catalogues. These roses bloom in more or less large, pleasantly scented pastel-coloured bouquets. Their flowering begins in June-July and continues until the frosts if the soil remains cool. The autumn flush is often generous.

Rosa Cornelia

Rosa Cornelia

(Pemberton, UK, 1925): a magnificent bush that bears very double, round apricot-pink flowers, grouped in dense bouquets, renewing throughout the summer. It also charms with its young brown shoots producing young leaves coloured bronze. This exceptional rose finds its place in a free hedge, in a border, or even planted as a specimen.
  • Flowering time July to November
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m
Rosa moschata Felicia - Musk Rose

Rosa moschata Felicia - Musk Rose

(Pemberton, UK, 1928): undoubtedly one of the best shrub roses, it combines many qualities: a very perpetual flowering, double apricot-silver pink flowers in bouquets, and excellent disease resistance. This rose is a safe bet: it has the charm of old roses, blooms for a long time, and for all these reasons deserves a place in every garden.
  • Flowering time July to December
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m

 

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Alba roses

The Alba Rose is probably a natural hybrid between Rosa canina (our wild dog rose) and the Damask rose. It forms large bushes that can reach 3 m in height with sturdy branches. The leaves are a remarkable blue-grey green, with a slightly “frosted” appearance, and they are free from diseases. These roses tolerate partial shade well.

Rosa alba Great Maidens Blush

Rosa alba Great Maidens Blush

Cuisse de Nymphe and Cuisse de Nymphe émue (Europe, 15th century): heights of 1.50 m at minimum and widths of 1.20 m, both are remarkable garden bushes, both very hardy and very durable. Their unique flowering is subtly scented. The second bears slightly pinker flowers than the first. Both display well double roses and bloom in June-July depending on the regions. Their foliage will persist more or less according to the severity of winter.
  • Flowering time July, August
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m

Centifolia roses (centifolia)

The Centifolia rose originated in Holland in the 16th century. It is a hybrid between the Damask rose and Rosa (x) alba. It is also known as cabbage rose or large Provence rose, with flowers that are often very large and composed of countless slightly wrinkled petals, resembling a cabbage. Its powerful scent of old rose is renowned. This ‘centfeuilles’ appears in countless still lifes from the 17th and 18th centuries, thus becoming the “rose of painters”.

Rosa centifolia Fantin Latour - Cabbage Rose

Rosa centifolia Fantin Latour - Cabbage Rose

(origin, date and parentage unknown): this bush has a broad, flexible and harmonious habit. It produces in June-July, for more than a month, an abundance of beautifully sized, very double roses, overflowing with tightly packed petals, in a very delicate flesh pink, like dusted, gradually fading to a diaphanous pink. This variety is not perpetual.
  • Flowering time July, August
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m

Moss roses (centifolia muscosa)

Also known as Rosa (x) centifolia muscosa, the moss rose is simply a mutation of the cabbage rose. In this variety, the peduncle, calyx, and sepals of the flower are “mossy” rather than smooth like those of regular roses. More or less resinous and fragrant, this “moss” forms a kind of nest for the rose, enhancing its charm.

Rosa centifolia Cristata - Crested Moss Rose

Rosa centifolia Cristata - Crested Moss Rose

(Vibert, France, 1826): a bush with a somewhat loose habit. For purists, this is not a true moss rose, as the small vegetation resembling parsley that surrounds its rose buds is neither glandular nor resinous. Its large double flowers of a dark pink with silver reflections are well scented.
  • Flowering time July
  • Height at maturity 1,20 m

Scotch roses, with burnet leaves

Rosa pimpinellifolia is a botanical species found in the mountains and coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere, both very hardy and well adapted to poor, rocky, or sandy soils. Its descendants have inherited its undemanding nature and its fine, light foliage, divided into numerous tiny leaflets. These roses, which are very healthy, require full sun to bloom well and should be pruned short every four to five years to remain dense.

Rosa Stanwell Perpetual

Rosa Stanwell Perpetual

(Lee, United Kingdom, 1838): it is one of the few roses in this category that continuously blooms until November. This very thorny bush with an arched and graceful habit produces small double roses, slightly flattened, arranged in clusters. Beautifully flushed pink against a white background, they are pleasantly fragrant.
  • Flowering time July to December
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m

Chinese roses

All Asian horticultural roses that contributed to the creation of roses in Europe have adorned the gardens of the Middle Empire for millennia. At the top of the list is Rosa chinensis from the gardens of Canton, Calcutta, and Singapore. While they bloom almost continuously, these roses fear very cold winters. In contrast, they cope well with heat and dry summers and are not very susceptible to rose diseases.

Rosa x chinensis 'Mutabilis' - China Rose

Rosa x chinensis 'Mutabilis' - China Rose

(an ancient rose, reintroduced in 1932): this airy bush can reach much larger dimensions in a mild climate, up to 2 m in height. It blooms abundantly in May-June, then more or less regularly until October. Its small single flowers change colour during their development, creating a cheerful palette of yellow, salmon, orange, and red tones across the plant. Little demanding and very healthy, it should be protected from frost in very cold climates.
  • Flowering time June to November
  • Height at maturity 1,70 m
Rosa chinensis Old Blush - China Rose

Rosa chinensis Old Blush - China Rose

A historical rose, the origin of many modern varieties. This low-thorn bush can bloom almost all year round in a mild climate. Its semi-double and airy roses, of a light silver-pink, darken a little over the hours.
  • Flowering time June to November
  • Height at maturity 1,20 m

Rugosa roses

Rosa rugosa, the Japanese rose, is a vigorous botanical species, highly thorny, perfectly hardy, and remarkably undemanding. Its descendants have inherited its characteristic foliage, cut into wrinkled leaflets, generally free from diseases and beautifully coloured in autumn. It has given rise to remarkable garden roses that require little maintenance. Their flowering is early and often perpetual. Spring pruning encourages flower production and helps maintain a denser habit.

Rosa x rugosa 'Roseraie de l'Haÿ' - Rugosa Rose

Rosa x rugosa 'Roseraie de l'Haÿ' - Rugosa Rose

(Cochet, France, 1901): a bush with double flowers of cardinal purple that are strongly scented. It does not produce fruit. Perpetual flowering.
  • Flowering time June to November
  • Height at maturity 2 m
Rosa x rugosa 'Hansa' - Rugosa Rose

Rosa x rugosa 'Hansa' - Rugosa Rose

(Schaum et Van Tol, Netherlands, 1905): this large rose offers double, highly fragrant flowers in purple, giving rise to numerous round red fruits. Very perpetual until frost, perfectly healthy, it withstands both cold and dry soils, but fears excess lime.
  • Flowering time July to November
  • Height at maturity 1,80 m
Rosa rugosa Blanc Double de Coubert

Rosa rugosa Blanc Double de Coubert

(Cochet, France, 1892): a beautiful bush with a dense and bushy habit, this rose can become a small tree in free form. This stunning hybrid bears double flowers of pure white, highly fragrant. Perpetual, it also produces superb red berries in autumn.
  • Flowering time July to October
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m

 

Bourbon roses

The ancestor of Bourbon roses seems to originate from Bourbon Island, now known as Réunion Island. This category includes a large number of famous old roses. Extremely varied in their appearance, they share a very pleasantly scented flowering and a certain sensitivity to rose diseases. They thrive in deep, fertile soil.

Rosa Honorine de Brabant - Bourbon Rose

Rosa Honorine de Brabant - Bourbon Rose

(origin and parentage unknown): a large bush with an upright habit that can also be trained as a small climber. Its round, double roses, striated and splashed with lilac, magenta pink, and carmine on a soft pink background, exude a pleasant fragrance reminiscent of raspberry. Its flowering is late but generous, with a slight remontancy in autumn.
  • Flowering time August, October
  • Height at maturity 1,50 m
Rosa Mme Issac Pereire - Bourbon Rose

Rosa Mme Issac Pereire - Bourbon Rose

(Garçon, France, 1881): a large bush that can also be trained as a small climber. This impressive rose bush displays its bouquets of large, extremely double roses in a rich carmine-pink, well-scented. It dislikes rain and overly humid conditions that prevent its large flowers from opening.
  • Flowering time July to November
  • Height at maturity 2,50 m
Rosa Souvenir de la Malmaison

Rosa Souvenir de la Malmaison

this tireless small bush is perfect in a rose or perennial bed. It produces a profusion of large, flattened, extremely double flowers in quarters. Their very pale hue is animated by a flesh-pink blush that does not fade, and their fragrance is as delicate as their colour. This rose will bloom continuously from June to October under good growing conditions. Its flowers are sublime in bouquets. However, it dislikes rain that prevents its flowers from opening.
  • Flowering time June to November
  • Height at maturity 1,30 m
Rosa x Bourbon 'Zéphirine Drouhin' - Climbing Rose

Rosa x Bourbon 'Zéphirine Drouhin' - Climbing Rose

(Bizot, France, 1868): a large bush or a small climber. This rose is almost thornless, vigorous, floriferous, and hardy. Its large, semi-double cup-shaped roses in light crimson red are noticeable from afar. Its flowering is more or less remontant depending on the regions. It does well in mountainous areas but can be sensitive to rose diseases.
  • Flowering time July to November
  • Height at maturity 3 m

 

Hybrid remontant roses and Hybrid Tea roses

Called formerly ‘Hybrid Perpetual’ in Britain or hybrids perpetual here, the tea hybrid roses with complex genealogy do not bloom continuously. Their June flowering is exceptionally generous, while the late summer bloom is often more modest. Naturally forming large bushes, these vigorous and stocky roses dressed in large leaves are magnificent at the back of borders, in groups of three, or integrated into a free-standing hedge. They require fertile soil to support their flowering. Many show a certain sensitivity to rose diseases.

Rosa Baron Girod de l'Ain

Rosa Baron Girod de l'Ain

(Reverchon, France, 1897): awarded at the time and upon its market introduction, this perpetual rose produces double flowers of a beautiful crimson to violet red, each dishevelled petal edged in white. Its light green foliage is matte. An excellent counterpoint to pastel and romantic roses.
  • Flowering time July to October
  • Height at maturity 1 m
Rosa Ferdinand Pichard

Rosa Ferdinand Pichard

(Tanne, France, 1921): robust and vigorous, this rose produces double flowers, in globular cups, well-scented, of a pale pink striated and splashed with carmine and purple. They bloom on abundant foliage of a glossy medium green, very healthy. Perpetual variety. A reference among variegated roses!
  • Flowering time July to October
  • Height at maturity 1,40 m
Rosa Paul Neyron - Repeat Flowering Rose

Rosa Paul Neyron - Repeat Flowering Rose

(Levet, France, 1869): this old rose is famous for the size, shape, and sweet fragrance of its double flowers, but also for their colour: a medium pink suffused with lilac, the famous 'rose Neyron'. This sturdy upright bush bears fresh green, shiny, very healthy foliage. Very responsive to good growing conditions, it generously re-blooms in autumn and can reach 2 m in height when supported against a wall. Superb cut flower.
  • Flowering time July to November
  • Height at maturity 1,70 m
Rosa Reine des Violettes

Rosa Reine des Violettes

(Millet-Malet, France, 1860): the cherry-red buds of this rose open into fragrant flowers of a purplish violet marbled with red at the centre, evolving into lavender-mauve. This elegant bush is dressed in beautiful bluish green foliage. It loves fertile soils and tolerates warm climates well. Vigorous and healthy, it is a safe bet!
  • Flowering time June to November
  • Height at maturity 1,35 m

Using Old Shrub Roses Effectively

The lush foliage and abundant fragrant flowering of old bush roses make them ideally suited for grouped planting in beds or in a free-standing hedge, which will then become impenetrable. This creates a very ornamental mass effect, and it can remain in bloom for a long time if you choose varieties with staggered flowering. In the garden, a bed of roses should be set against a fairly neutral backdrop of evergreen bushes or conifers, for example. Avoid placing your roses along the edge of a narrow path to escape scratches! It is also preferable to associate them with other bushes, especially in a small garden: a mass of roses will create too strong an impact during flowering and will leave the decor bare and sad in winter. Perennials make lovely companions with roses, as they are excellent companions for old roses, living for many years without requiring much maintenance.

Did you know?

While it is generally accepted that the era of old roses, from a historical perspective, came to an end with the dawn of the 19th century, from an emotional standpoint, it has never faded in the hearts of flower enthusiasts. The term ‘old rose’ is traditionally reserved for varieties created without the influence of ‘exotic’ perpetual roses, such as the Chinese roses. More specifically, an old rose is one that was born before 1867, that is to say, before the introduction of the rose ‘La France’, the first Hybrid Tea. For the plant enthusiast, however, an old rose embodies more of a style than a specific era, as evidenced by the numerous “modern roses in the old style” created over the past twenty or thirty years. The style of these bushes in their own right is a beautiful combination of softness, flexibility, and a character that is both assertive and accommodating!

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Ancient Roses: The Best Varieties