Roses of Legends

The clustered flower rose Minerva, the most violet rose.

With its stunning mauve colour, the Minerva rose is renowned for being the most violet rose. It is named after the Roman goddess of artisans and work, who also represents wisdom. This beautiful bush produces abundant clustered flowers from June to October. They emit an intense fragrance, which earned this variety by Martin Vissers awards in Saverne in 2008 and in Madrid in 2011. Of modest size, the Minerva rose is vigorous and adapts well to cultivation in the ground as well as in pots on a balcony.

‘Minerva’ rose and statue of Minerva (artist Joseph Nollekens – photo source Steven Miller)

The large-flowered rose Poseidon, with its subtly shaded colours.

Another reference to ancient mythology, the Poseidon rose is named after the Greek god of the sea. This modern tea hybrid produces large flowers in a spectrum of colours from June to October, blending yellow, orange, brick red, and hints of chocolate. Well-shaped and emitting a light fragrance, they are ideal as cut flowers for creating long-lasting bouquets in a vase. The Poseidon rose is a creation by Orard.

‘Poseidon’ rose and Corinthian plaque – Louvre Museum (Photo source Jastrow)

The old rose Pénélope, the fragrant delicacy

When you bear the name Penelope, the heroine with unmatched patience from the Iliad and the Odyssey, waiting for many years for her husband Odysseus to return, you can only be beautiful and refined. This is the case with the old rose Penelope, a vigorous bush that is covered from June to October with a multitude of delicate roses, in a soft pink colour turning to cream, opening to a bright yellow heart. Following the flowers, small decorative fruits of coral colour appear. This is a bush to use in hedges, whose cut flowers last very well in a vase and allow for the creation of romantic bouquets with an intense musky fragrance.

Rose ‘Penelope’ and an excerpt from the painting ‘Penelope and the Suitors’ by John William Waterhouse

The old rose Cuisse de Nymphe, a historical rose

Its name evokes the nymphs, those benevolent deities of ancient mythology, often depicted as young girls with naked beauty. The old rose Cuisse de Nymphe is a historical rose, one of the oldest hybrids of the white rose (rosa alba) from the Greeks and Romans. This bush with slightly trailing branches bows in June and July under a multitude of small flesh-coloured roses with a powdery fragrance and delicate petals. After its flowering, it adorns itself with elongated, orange-hued fruits. This undeniably charming rose can reach a height of 1.5 metres and is easy to maintain. It makes a wonderful bouquet in your home.

Rose ‘Cuisse de nymphe’, Excerpt from the painting ‘Nymphs and Satyr’ by the artist William Bouguereau

The Faune ground cover rose, to grow in a pot or in a garden

The faun, a character from Roman mythology with pointed ears, horns, and goat’s feet, has given its name to the ground cover rose The Faun. Obtained from the Danish house Poulsen, the rose The Faun climbs to a height of 50 cm, even reaching 80 cm, and is covered with an abundance of small, soft pink roses that resemble old-fashioned roses, from June to October. They are grouped in small clusters of 3 to 5 flowers and emit a light floral and fruity fragrance. This romantically styled rose can be used in flower borders or in a bed in the garden, as well as in a deep pot on a terrace.

Rose ‘The Faun’ and painting ‘Dissonanz’ by Franz Von Stuck (photo source Yellrokoyade)

The English rose Sir Lancelot, a bright and cheerful colour.

In the 1990s, rose breeder Robert Harkness created a series of English roses themed around English Legend. The rose bush Sir Lancelot, which evokes the Arthurian legend and the Knights of the Round Table, belongs to this series. From May to October, the rose bush Sir Lancelot blooms in small clusters of bright pink roses with a fruity fragrance. Grown in the garden as a hedge or in borders, it adds a romantic and cheerful touch to your garden. Cut roses can be used in bouquets. Hardy and easy to care for, it will appeal to beginners.

Rose ‘Sir Lancelot’ and ‘Adoubement de Lancelot du Lac’ by Evrard d’Espinques (photo source Roby – Wikipedia)

The English rose King Arthur, a colour full of tenderness

Another rose from the English Legend series created by Robert Harkness, the English rose King Arthur boasts many advantages, including a powerful spicy fragrance and a tender apricot-pink colour. It bears large double flowers from June to October, and another quality is that it requires little maintenance. A tip for beginner gardeners!

Rose ‘King Arthur’ and excerpt from the painting ‘King Arthur’ by Charles Ernest Butler

The Lady of the Lake rose, a romantic liana rose

Another central character in the legend of King Arthur, the Lady of the Lake has given her name to this recently created rose. The Lady of the Lake rose is a climbing rambling rose that can reach a height of 3 metres! Impressive in size, the Lady of the Lake rose also astonishes with the beauty of its pink flowers, opening to reveal a heart of yellow stamens. It blooms in charming clusters of small flowers, adding an incomparable romantic air to the garden. It can be trained over an arch to create a flowery passage that is both enchanting and fragrant, making it a delightful spot to linger.

‘Lady of the Lake’ rose and an excerpt from an illustration by Walter Crane (photo source Henry Gilbert)

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