Rosa x multiflora 'Seven Sisters Rose'

The climbing rose 'Seven Sisters Rose' is an ancient Chinese variety, somewhat mythical, that has survived countless generations of rose enthusiasts. Its name sounds like the title of a beautiful tale featuring seven sisters, heroines of a world in shades of deep pink to almost white where the roses of this fading beauty change surprisingly. Indeed, one cannot choose only repeat-flowering roses: this one, capable of forming a large bush, has a unique, late but prolonged and fragrant flowering. It will forever mark a floral rendezvous not to be missed for anything in the world!

This exceptional climbing rose, sometimes called Rosa multiflora grevillei, has obscure origins. While it is sure that it descends from Rosa multiflora, a vigorous Asian rose often used as a rootstock, neither its breeder nor its native country is known. Presumably cultivated in China for a very long time, it passed through Japan, from where it reached us through Sir Charles Greville in 1817. Some botanists consider it to be the Rosa multiflora platyphylla, which resembles it greatly.

'Seven Sisters Rose' develops long, supple, arching woody climbing stems with few thorns, flexible enough to be trained. Its structure strengthens over the years, allowing it to grow as a large bush: it exhibits a loose and languid habit, most romantic. When grown as a climber, it will reach approximately 5 m in height with a minimum spread of 2 m (7ft). It can be maintained as a bush of 3-4 m (10-13ft) in all dimensions through appropriate pruning. Its foliage, divided into 5 to 7 thick and rough leaflets, is a fairly dark green with a matte appearance. Relatively resistant to diseases, it can be sensitive in excessively humid climates and confined situations. The roses of 'Seven Sisters Rose', well double, cup-shaped, with a diameter of 6 to 8 cm (2 to 3in), form in June-July and bloom for four weeks. They successively change from deep purple to bright medium pink, become soft pink, mauve, lilac-pink, almost ivory, sometimes retaining a few petals of deep pink. They are born on short shoots from the second year in generous clusters. Their fragrance, fresh and fruity, is delightful. Cuttings easily propagate this variety.

'Seven Sisters Rose' is an incurable romantic endowed with the strength of the tender that cannot leave one indifferent. It will be invited to the garden solely for the incredible range of colours offered by its flowering. Like other climbers, it is incomparable for adorning a gate, fences, and pergolas. Still, its vigorous growth also allows it to grow without support in a flowering hedge alongside a vigorous clematis like 'jackmanii Alba' or 'Prince Charles', to spread alone on a short grass meadow gracefully, or to be planted behind overly strict flower beds. It is an ideal companion for old trees that it will revive or for sheds to which it adds a charming touch. Trained on an arch, installed on an unsightly fence or a somewhat austere shed, it adorns the smallest setting without demanding much effort from the one who planted it. The changing colour of its roses is effortless to combine in the garden with white, pink, mauve, or purple flowers.