Roses

I’ve mentioned a number of times that roses have been an integral part of the Convent and the nuns were known for there carefully tended roses with rose beds and trestles. A number of these old bushes still remain and have been tended by kindly neighbours whilst the Convent was vacant for some years.

Given the roses will remain important members of the garden, I thought it worth setting up a page that listed the Convent roses that I would keep updated and add photos as the roses develop. It also is a good discipline for me so I can keep track of the increasing variety. I’m a novice rose grower. I’ve had a few roses from time to time but nothing serious and never the right environment for them. There are now no excuses and I’m not holding back.

Below are the current varieties:

Two Albertines – classic pink on the front wall flanking each side of the front gate. A very aggressive grower and the most aggressive rose I’ve met in terms of thorns. Pruning them is the worst job of the year! But when they flower, all is forgiven (almost!)
Amber Sun – a fading coppery rose in the back side bed.
Angel Face – a pretty little mauve climber in the front right bed near Sister Kath.
Atomic Blonde – a newer white variety from Swanes near the back gate.
Banksia yellow rose at the back gate corner.
Back Beauty – an almost black rose in Sister Kath’s bed.
Blue Moon – a mauve similar to Charles de Gaulle in Sister Kath’s bed.
Brother Cadfael – a pink David Austen in Sister Kath’s bed.
Cecile Brunner – the ever-popular pink buttonhole climber, on the back wall, as well as one on the Grotto. Vigorous growers and reliable flowerers.
Charles De Gaulle – a pale blue/mauve in the Chapel bed and another on Sister Kath’s fence.
Chicago Peace – joining the original Chicago Peace out the front of the Chapel.
Cottage White Climbing Multiflora, to partner the other side of the Grotto.
Crepuscule – a gorgeous and voracious climbing pale apricot. One of my favourites and most reliable – four so far – the back corner gate and the back wall opposite, the paddock gate and along the fence in the paddock.
Dorothy Perkins – a bright perky little climber at the front wall.
Dream Weaver – a rambler – pink, on the front garden wall.
Duchesse de Brabant – a lovely very old pink rose species. Planted next to the cyclone fence on Sister Kath’s side – a lovely prolific and delicate flower.
Elina – A cream hybrid tea rose and one of the hardest working, most reliable flowers I have. Grows quickly and provides many cut flowers – two in the circular front bed,one out the front of the sunroom, and one in the paddock.
The Fairy – a pink groundcover that loves to trail and strike itself along the back porch area. This has been so successful that I’ve extended the bed and repeating Fairy roses down the side of the house along my bedroom verandah.
Francis Meilland – in honour of the father of the Peace Rose. A very beautiful pale pink perfect rose in the Chapel bed.
Fruitee – a deep orange Floribunda planted at the front of the house with the old roses.
Good Samaritan – deep crimson and an appropriate signature rose for the Convent. There are two standards at the step of my back porch and another four down the bedroom verandah bed.
Graham Thomas – a yellow David Austen climber on the back wall which is supposed to be one of the lovelier yellow roses. I think it’s in a poor position as I’ve never had much luck with this.
Iceberg Climbers x 2. Both on the back wall which in time should be covered with Passionfruit and climbing roses, if the grand plan works out.
Icebergs – 6 standards as sentinels lining the front path to the entrance.
Iceberg – Burgundy – in the front left corner of the block. Always a reliable and long term flowerer.
Jens Munk – an old fashioned rose grown for its rose hips out the front of the Convent near the Chapel
Jude the Obscure – a lovely pale creamy apricot yellow arching David Austen bush. One of my favourites and I now have three, including in the circular front garden bed.
Julia’s Rose – a beautiful copper hybrid tea rose. Simply divine colour but not a vigorous bush, unfortunately.
Lady of Shallot – an attractive deep apricot rose – two in the back gate garden bed.
Lamarque – a gracious old rambling white rose that is becoming a Convent regular. Four are planted to flank the front of the Convent and one in the paddock. This is a truly gorgeous rose and plant – lighter green leaves, high towering and weeping growth and lovely tranches of white/cream blooms.
Mme Alfred Carriere – a pale climber on the back wall, another along the front wall and one along the old galvanised fence. Grows high and a reliable regular flowerer.
Mme Isaac Perriere – supposedly a rampant deep pink rose and named after a rather buxom aristocrat. I tend to think she may be one of the “personality” roses and is planted in an area on the front wall that could do with some cheering up.
Many Happy Returns – four of these low growing pretty white roses in the beds in front of the sunroom and Chapel.
Mary McKillop – yes, another Saint rose, this time a pink bush rose, in the front wall garden bed.
Mister Lincolns, two in deep red on the front wall. Another two have been planted on the Church side of the wall to add some startling deep red to the ivy. These are lovely roses and are also good picked.
Molineux – a yellow David Austen in the back garden bed.
Munstead Wood – a deep red David Austen in Sister Kath’s bed.
New Dawn – a pale climber on the front wall, another aggressive climber.
Papa Meilland – at best guess, I have two of these at the front of the Convent building. Two of the half dozen original roses when I arrived.
Pierre de Ronsard – blowsy dusky pink with large prolific flowerers. These two look great against the original unpainted cement block garage wall. I had them in a previously life and miss them. They are a beautiful rose and climb well. I also have a Blushing Pierre de Ronsard – very pale, with tinges of pink as it ages, to climb over the Grotto, and a three Red Climbers scrambling over the side gate archway.
Pinkie – an old fashioned favourite and prolific climber making a home at the front of the Grotto.
Pope John Paul II – a whiter than white perfect shaped flower in the back bed and now two flanking the front gate entrance
R California Plena – a Species rose. An old fashioned original wild rose.
Radio Times – a pretty pink David Austen in the Chapel bed.
Renae – a pink thornless climber – two on the front wall. Very vigour and a true climber. Trails effortlessly across the front wall and often strikes baby roses.
Rose Rubifolia – another original species wild rose.
Rugspin Rugosa- another old fashioned rose hip bush in the front wall bed.
St Cecilia – a pink David Austen bushy shrub in the front garden bed.
St Patrick – a yellow bush rose, planted near the back gate garden.
St Therese de Lisieux – a pale rose in the left front wall bed, a little hidden under more aggressive plants.
Sea Foam – a pale pink climber for the front wall.
Tennis Court Rose – obviously a climber and what an evocative name – on the front wall.
Tess of the D’Urbevilles – I love Thomas Hardy and this deep red David Austen is lovely. Two down Sister Kath’s fence.
The Wedgwood Rose – a pretty pink David Austen in Sister Kath’s bed.
Winchester Cathedral – a classic cream climber at the front wall.
A plethora of little carpet roses and tiny garden roses from Bunnings – white and red, all of which are nameless but work hard at flowering.
A few lovely old rose bushes that have survived for many years. Best guess at identifying these (and I have sought expert help) is: Chicago Peace (the pink/yellow tinge rose), Mermaid (the yellow/apricot) and Pascali for the white. These seem pretty close looking at photos in books and judging by the popular period for these roses.