Dear ‘Felicite Perpetue’.

I am always looking for great plants to write about and often stumble upon new finds in the most unexpected places. last year while looking for different color forms of Lilacs I came across a plant which was growing through a clump of them which would bloom soon, I decided to come back later and find out what form it was later. I knew it was a rose and it looked familiar, I had seen it somewhere before. In fact I see  it every time I go to St.Ann’s Academy because the rose in question turned out to be a very healthy ‘Felicite Perpetue’ Rose (Rosa ‘Felicite Perpetue’).

Rosa 'Felicite Perpetue' is a delicate looking Rambling Rose.

Rosa ‘Felicite Perpetue’ is a delicate yet vigorous Rambler which has been known since the early 19th century. Antoine A. Jacques  was the head gardener to Louis Phillipe, Duc d’ Orleans  for many years and took care of his estates which included Chateau Neuilly. Duc d’ Orleans( later the king of France) loved plants and had a vast collection for A.A. Jacques to work with. At Chateau Neuilly Jacques made some crosses of roses and named at least 3 which have gone on to become famous on their own. Those roses where  ‘Adélaïde d’Orléans’ in 1826, Rosa ‘Félicité Perpétue’ in 1827 and the less famous ‘Princesse Louise’ was introduced in 1829. Both ‘Adélaïde d’Orléans’ and the ‘Félicité Perpétue’ Rose both are easily found a rose nurseries, while the other is harder to find here at least.

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Rosa ‘Félicité Perpétue’ is climbing up the veranda in the Novitiate Garden at St. Ann's Academy in Victoria.

There is some controversy to whether the crosses of Rosa ‘Felicite Perpetue’ and her sisters were done on purpose or where accidentally. A.A. Jacques said at the time they were accidental. other people believe they were planned as one of the parent plants is believed to be Rosa sempervirens which native to southern Europe but not in the area where ‘Felicite Perpetue’ was found. Rosa sempervirens gave ‘Felicite Perpetue’ was it’s nearly thornless flexible stems and attractive clean foliage which is evergreen in most areas. ‘Felicite Perpetue’ is now the most widely grown semperviren hybrid grown in the world.

The foliage of the 'Felicite Perpetue' Rose is always attractive and clean looking.

One of the reasons that Rosa ‘Felicite Perpetue’ has been so successful is its tolerance to a wider range of soil conditions than many other Roses. Often these old Roses are found growing on old homesteads or abandoned gardens, such is the case of the one I found growing through a clump of old Lilacs. The Lilacs and Rose were definitely not part of the planned landscape found at the Institute of Ocean Sciences on Pat Bay near Sidney B.C. You will not find it easily as it is not seen from the roadside, instead you have to look carefully in the thickets of Lilacs to find it hanging down from above.

Here is Rosa 'Felicite Perpetue' at the Institute of Ocean Sciences peeping through the Lilacs.

Rosa ‘Felicite Perpetue’ grows best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. It tolerates drought better than many roses and will bloom in more shady places. The leaves do not suffer from the dreaded black spot or mildews here, I have never seen it on any plants. The only thing that is a problem is aphids which are very common here. The stems are flexible and have few spines and have an attractive wine color which is shown of by the flower buds which are pink. This is a vigorous plant which can grow to over 6m(20ft)in height and width in choice growing places.  Here it rarely attains more than 4.5m(15ft) and is often seen hanging down from within trees or shrubs. Little pruning is needed other than the occasional shaping, remember when you are pruning that this rose sets its blooms on the previous years growth of lateral stems and you should do any major trimming soon after it blooms so you do not lose the following years flowers.

A Rosa ‘Felicite Perpetue’ flower has as many as 40 petals.

As an old hybrid Rosa ‘Felicite Perpetue’ flowers once a year and produces masses of smaller 3cm(1.5in) diameter blossoms which are produced in clusters. The dense rose-tinted buds contain as many as 40 petals which open a lightly fragrant creamy white, heat and sun exposure does effect color and deepens it. The flower petals do not fall of the flowers therefore deadheading after the blooms have finished is advised. Little pruning is needed other than the occasional shaping, remember when you are pruning that this rose sets its blooms on the previous years growth of lateral stems and you should do any major trimming soon after it blooms so you do not lose the following years flowers.

A large patch of Rosa 'Felicite Perpetue' growing in the shade at St. Ann's Academy and blooms every year.

Finding ‘Felicite Perpetue’:

A little about Antoine A. Jacques, gardener and rose breeder: http://www.historicroses.org/index.php?id=40

Rosa sempervirens: http://www.rogersroses.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~152~gid~15~source~gallerydefault.asp

Someone else stumble upon the rose and posted here: http://www.heritagerosefoundation.org/discus/messages/269/1924.html?1148962455

St. Ann’s Academy in Victoria B.C.: http://stannsacademy.com/HistoryResearch/Places.aspx

Where will we meet next… here I hope!

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The Dawn of a New Rose.

My mother’s parents lived on a farm in Surrey for most of my life.  As a child we came to visit every summer and went to the beach, the big city and if we were lucky eat fresh cherries off the tree.  Later I had a job near were my grandmother lived and would visit her often. it was during this time that we discussed her garden and i would help her with it.  It seemed every plant in her garden had a story, who she had received it from, how she learned about it and took care of it. Of all the plants she had collected in nearly 50 years living there, the roses where her favorites. She took particular pleasure in the big rambling rose which grew over the barn and bloomed once a year. It, she proudly told was Dr. Van Fleet and had the most beautiful blooms of all. She was right, it was beautiful and what is even better is it’s ‘sport’ the New Dawn Rose which was discovered in 1930.

The Rambling 'New Dawn' Rose.

Every year at this time I see new Dawn rose in all it’s glory at the Memorial Rose Garden next to the Sidney Library. I have enjoyed visiting the garden through the year and the roses there are kept in perfect heath and beauty. It is a formally laid out  rose garden. The arbor which the New Dawn Rose grows up was constructed the Town of Sidney Parks Department as a memorial to the late Robert(Bob) Jackson who developed the Memorial Rose Garden. It is not surprising that the ‘New Dawn’ Rose was selected to be featured as it was selected as the worlds most popular rose in 1997.

New Dawn Rose Growing Happily on the Arborr in the Sidney Memorial Rose Garden

Dr Walter Van Fleet (1857-1922) was the developer of the ‘New Dawn‘ Rose indirectly. He developed the very famous Dr. Van Fleet and released it in 1910. His intention was to create more hardy roses which would grow well in the colder North American climate where he lived.  Over time he selected Rosa wichuriana(the ‘Memorial Rose’), a white rose as one species to work with. This rose contributed it’s lax stem habit and lovely semi-evergreen disease resistance. The cross is (R.wichuriana x Safrano) x Souv. Du Pres. Carnot, the later two not in common cultivation anymore. ‘New Dawn’ Rose was a sport which shared most of the ‘Van Fleet’  attributes but is said to be re-blooming and be slightly less fragrant.

'New Dawn' Roses Are Semi-double Flowering.

A ‘sport’ is a change in the plant at a cellular level. Some are very stable and can be propagated easily and others are not strong enough or stable and disappear. Finding a branch or plant that has changed in this way has lead to the introduction of many new forms of plants particularly those with variegation or double flowers.  The ‘New Dawn’ Rose sport was more subtle and someone must have watched very carefully to have noticed the that it changed.

The Hotter the Weather the Paler the Pink Will be in 'New Dawn' Roses.

New Dawn Roses are vigorous and need to be placed carefully so they do not run over weaker growing plants. It grows 20-25ft(4-5m) and is perfect for growing over an ugly fence, up and old tree or in a more formal setting. It is a clean and healthy plant which tolerates less than perfect conditions. it takes poorer soil and more shade than many other roses. I be can planted on north facing  situations. It is rated at zones 5(-20c or -5f) through 9.  To promote re-blooming and healthy growth it is best to remove(deadhead) the spent blooms and give it a light pruning after it’s first flower flush. It makes a fine cut flowers with it’s long stems.

'New Dawn' Roses Hanging Down From the Arbor In Sidney.

To learn More About ‘New Dawn’ Roses :

All you need to know about ‘New Dawn’ Roses: http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_5428.html

Where to find the Memorial Rose Garden in Sidney, B.C. http://virtualvacationguide.com/guide.php?setpanorama=476

Van Fleet’s Roses:  http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/23/garden/garden-q-a.html

Plant ‘sports’ also known as chimeras: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tisscult/Chimeras/chimeralec/chimeras.html

Until We meet Again Later This Week…..

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