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 Bourbon Roses appeared around 1817 and get their name because they originated on the Isle de Bourbon (now Reunion), home to a Frenchman named Perichon who had the good sense to cultivate the seedlings which resulted from  cross-pollination
of his 'Old Blush' and 'Autumn Damask' hedges. It's worth focusing briefly on the parents:
Autumn Damask, prior to the introduction of the China roses, was the only rose in Europe
which might repeat flower occasionally in the fall. Old Blush was one of the first
varieties of Chinas introduced to European gardeners (as Parsons' Pink China); Chinas were so exciting because of their repeat bloom.To summarize, with Bourbons, we have a rose which generally offers classic blooms, repeat flowering (from the China parentage),and yet more cold tolerance than Chinas or Teas (from the Damask parentage). What more could a rosarian want? Well, disease resistance is just average, although their excellent vigor, superb blooms, and stunning fragrance make them well worth growing. One of my favorite roses, Souvenir de Malmaison, never gets sprayed, and yet flourishes with no sign of disease. Color tends to be in the pink range, from light to dark, with the occasional red, cream, white, and yellow thrown in. |
