Rosa Bourbon Variegata di Bologna- Bourbon Rose

The 'Variegata du Bologna' Old Rose, with its incredible freshness, is covered in countless double cups in the summer, gathered in small bouquets on a bush that can grow as tall as a man. With its randomly striped white-pink flowers with crimson and violet-pink, it will delight fans with its 'shabby chic' decor and lovers of old roses. With its beautiful vigour, it can also be trained as a small climber and positioned just at nose height with its lovely lemon-scented cabbage roses. They bloom abundantly in June-July, then again more timidly in autumn.

The Bourbon Rose 'Variegata di Bologna' is an old shrub variety with unknown lineage, introduced to the market in 1909 by the Italian rose grower Bonfiglioli. It originates from the 'Bourbon' rose, a hybrid of Rosa damascena Semperflorens and Rosa chinensis 'Parson's Pink China' or 'Old Blush', discovered on the island of the same name, now called Reunion Island. It has a robust stature, forming an upright bush with an open habit, which can reach over 1.80m (5 ft 11 in) in height and 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) in spread. The stems are flexible, smooth, and slightly arched. Its deciduous foliage is a beautiful matte light green. Its disease resistance is average, especially in humid climates where it is easily affected by black spot. It flowers abundantly at the end of June, then again more sporadically in October. It produces double roses in globular cups, about 8 cm (3.1 in) wide, formed by 20 to 39 petals organised in quarters. They are all different and grouped in small bouquets of 3 to 6, on branches aged 1 year or more. Their exquisite fragrance with citrus notes is more or less intense depending on the temperature.

A sunny, well-ventilated location in a not too humid climate and good garden soil will allow the pretty pointed leaves of this rose to remain healthy. The use of the Variegata di Bologna rose is diverse, from romantic bouquets, to landscaping hedges, training as a climber to climb a small arch, to standalone bushes on a lawn. The variegated roses pair well with neutral and soft shades; they go well with the silver foliage of shrubby wormwoods and Stachys lanata. The highly coloured foliage of the purple hazel or the Diabolo ninebark also forms a beautiful setting for its roses. It can also be planted with white foxgloves, paniculate baby's breath. It will also thrive in tall borders, in the company of variegated dogwoods, serviceberries, snowball viburnums and sweetpires, which will highlight its flowering. It also deserves to be planted in fragrance gardens for its wonderful fragrance.

If you have enough space, English, Old or Shrub Roses are magnificent planted in groups of three. They will grow together to form 'one' opulent bush that will flower even more generously.