Of all flowers roses possess a wider variety of perfume than any other species. The wild roses and the old shrub roses, possess a more distinctive perfume. Rose oil, or attar of roses is a costly commodity, taking 1 ton of petals to produce 11oz of oil and for this reason much is synthetically produced. Some 96 per cent of women's perfumes contain rose oil.
Rosa alba is the white rose that was adapted by the House of York and has a very sweet smell. The double form is the symbol [the British] Royal Family.
Rosa alba maxima is the Jacobite Rose.
The Red Rose of Lancaster Rosa gallica officinalis has recently been planted along with Rosa alba for perhaps the first time since the Wars of the Roses in 1460, during London Garden Squares Day in London's Temple Gardens in an attempt to recreate a piece of history. The red and white varieties were famously plucked in the gardens by York and Lancastrian adversaries at the start of the wars but the bushes had died out. But although the flowers are not as attractive as some modern roses it is of historic interest to see them growing together once again.
Rosa pimpinellifolia, the Burnet Rose, has the sweetest smell of any native rose - a mixture of honey and jasmine. As it blooms in the spring before other roses come into blossom; it is much valued; it is used therefore in rose breeding. Its double varieties are called the 'Scotch' roses.
Rosa eglanteria is the Sweet Briar or Eglantine and is also native. It has a delightful smell of apples, especially after rain - the scent coming from glands in the leaves. Its hybrid with the musk rose of the Himalaya is the only rose to give off its perfume from a distance.
Rosa damascena, one of the Damask Roses, was introduced very early probably by the Crusaders. It is one of the roses distilled to produce attar of roses. It is pale pink with a delicious sweet perfume and has been considered by one rose specialist to be one of the loveliest flowers in the world. Edward 1 was the first king to use it as his emblem.
One interesting variety that grows readily in Scotland is the Bourbon rose 'Great Western' introduced in 1838 and named in honour of the famous steam and mail ship. It is singularly beautiful variety producing and abundance of sumptuous large crimson purple with a hint of maroon and is sweetly scented. It is a true cottage garden favourite as its roots readily from cuttings and thus commonly passed around! A beautiful specimen grows in the garden at time span in Helmsdale, Sutherland, suggesting that it is hardy and well worth considering.
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