Rosa x wichuraiana 'May Queen'

The Climbing Rose 'May Queen' perfumes a whole area of the garden in June, dispersing delicious fruity fragrances that evoke the scent of ripe apples. The lilac-pink flowers are flat and double, opening abundantly in quarters for several weeks. This beautiful rose is exceptionally hardy and has strong, shiny, healthy foliage. While it can climb trees and pergolas, it can also be trained as a beautiful free-standing hedge bush and form a stunning ground cover. A pure delight for lovers of old roses!

This exceptionally large rose is a creation by Manda in the United States, dating back to 1898. Strictly speaking, it is not an old rose, as its creation is later than 1867, but it has all the characteristics and is classified as such. This horticultural hybrid belongs to the complex family of Rosa Wichuraiana. The Asian ancestor of this family of excellent climbing roses, Rosa luciae, forms thickets in coastal regions and on seaside cliffs and grows on limestone soils. It has passed on some fascinating characteristics, such as shiny and dark foliage, beautiful vigour, and a unique but very generous flowering. 'May Queen' can easily reach a height of 4m (13ft) with a spread of 2m (7ft). Its long stems are flexible and covered with very healthy, shiny green foliage. The countless flowers of this variety, 7 cm (3in) wide, form in May-June and continue for four weeks. They emerge from short shoots aged two years as bright pink buds. They bloom into double to semi-double roses in the shape of flattened rosettes. Dazzling, they are surrounded by an extraordinary fragrance with acidic and fresh notes, aldehydic, which is not common among roses. The small fruits delight birds in the winter.

The Climbing Rose 'May Queen' is an incurable, romantic, delightful one that one would invite to the garden just for its fragrance. It is incomparable for adorning a gate, a fence or a small pergola. Still, its vigorous growth also allows it to thrive without assistance in a flowered hedge alongside a vigorous clematis like 'Prince Charles' or to be planted behind too strict flower beds. It is an ideal companion for dead trees or dreary sheds, bringing charm. Trained on an arch and placed in a large pot on the terrace, it will create a romantic and fragrant passage.