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Photo Credit: Joanne Rosman

‘Rosa Mundi’ rose was popular in Shakespearian times.

Picture your June garden overflowing with softly textured, exquisitely beautiful rose blooms in the most pleasing shades of pink, white, crimson and mauve. These roses grow and bloom for you without any fussing and coddling because they’re resistant to disease and grow well in your soil type. Imagine that these roses are as tough as they are beautiful and can breeze through cold Northern winters without blankets of protection. Just think about how great it would be to have carefree rosebushes that look equally fabulous come winter, when their colorful hips, interesting canes and striking form takes center stage. If this all sounds like rosey perfection to you, then old garden roses (OGRs) are just what you’re looking for!

An OGR isn’t just any “old” rose. In fact, the esteemed American Rose Society officially defines OGRs as rose types that existed before the year 1867, when the first “modern” hybrid tea rose (Rosa ‘La France’) was born and introduced. Of all the many classifications of OGRs out there, some of the most beautiful, ancient and historic varieties are Alba (R. x alba), Gallica (R. gallica) and Damask (R. x damascena).

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Photo Credit: Mark A. Miller

‘Great Maiden’s Blush’ rose can make a beautiful and fragrant addition to the shrub border or along a sunny fence.

I’d say you could call these OGRs the miracle workers of the rose kingdom. They were used extravagantly in ancient Greece and Rome for just about any and every reason. Back then, people stuffed pillows with roses and wore wreaths of the flowers. Soldiers took them into battle, and cosmetics were made from them. Emperors showered their guests with rose petals, and people cooked with roses. They even drank brews made from them. The plants were used as medicinal herbs in medieval times, and monks tended large gardens of roses in monastery courtyards so the petals could be harvested and made into rosary beads.

Yes, OGRs have truly stood the test of time, and their easy, breezy qualities will actually leave you with…well, time to stop and smell the roses! After all, there are few plants around that can bring as many rewards with such little effort. All these roses need to grow perfectly is sunshine (about 5 hours of direct sun), water (all roses love to be watered at their feet) and ideally, some loamy garden soil (amended with compost or manure).