Rosa x moschata 'Paul's Himalayan Musk' - Rambling Rose

The 'Paul's Himalayan Musk' climbing rose, which originated in 1916 from unknown parents, is an exceptional plant firstly because of its extraordinary size and vigour but also because of the musky and powerful scent of its unique flowering, which covers it in June with generous bouquets of small semi-double flowers in pale lilac pink. The flexible stems of this rose are adorned with light but lush foliage, which defends itself well against rose diseases despite its graceful appearance. Hardy and not demanding in terms of soil, even when grown on its own roots, it is resistant to heat and summer drought once established, and it withstands competition from tree roots well. The only flaw of this giant is that it becomes gigantic, especially in fertile and moist soil. Give it a large tree just for itself and the spectacle it will offer you!

The Paul's Himalayan Musk' rose is the result of a fortunate accident: it was spotted by the famous English rose breeder W.Paul, captivated by its exuberant and tender pink flowering, whose rather extraordinary musky scent reveals its relationship with hybrid musk roses. This scent is particularly noticeable and volatile in the afternoon, sun, and hot and calm weather. Under good growing conditions, its long trailing branches can exceed 10m (33ft). They bear numerous thorns and deciduous foliage, abundant and divided into many small, serrated leaflets of a matte green, medium to light. The young shoots are slightly tinged with purple. The non-repeating flowering occurs from May to July, depending on the climate. It is distinguished by its abundance, as with single-flowered roses often. Each branch produces delicate, somewhat loose and trailing bouquets composed of small semi-double rosette flowers measuring 4cm (2in) in diameter. Each flower has 6 to 19 rose-lilac petals at the opening, which lighten as they bloom. Note that the flowers are a more vivid pink when exposed to bright light, while they are almost white in partial shade. This flowering is followed by the formation of small red-orange fruits called hips.

In the lineage of filipes, 'Bobbie James', longicuspis...Paul's Himalayan Musk rose is a very large rambling rose that requires space to grow properly and show its full potential. Its vigour allows it to conquer the tallest trees, especially in rich soils, and become the garden star for three weeks in summer. Through regular and judicious pruning, it is possible to keep it in reasonable proportions, which allows it to be trained as a large bush measuring 2.50m (8ft) and admired as a standalone plant on a lawn. It can also be planted in an ageing and slightly sparse conifer hedge or allowed to scramble over unsightly buildings. It can even be intermingled through a robust Chinese wisteria. With their fragrant and staggered flowering, this duel of titans should create a sensational tableau in a large garden.