My favorite scents among 38+ fragrant roses (with 15 Austins) have the musk scent, which smells great in alkaline soil, pH 7.7 - They are:
Annie Laurie McDowell, bred by Kim Rupert - Smells like lilac and lavender, very calming. She’s 100% thornless and a blooming machine. See 'Annie Laurie McDowell' Rose
I have 3 big vases of fragrant roses - every night I would ask my 9-years old girl to do a scent-contest. It’s the same for days, “Annie smells best, the rest smell like …”. Then I started pinching Annie’s buds off for growth, so 2007 Meiland Sweet Promise HT took first place for its apple blossoms scent. This rose is completely smooth in the upper 3/4. See 'Sweet Promise ™' Rose
Honey Bouquet - Has the musk scent through pollen Amber Queen (Moderate musk, sweet scent). I like this scent more than Golden Celebration. Very refreshing floral and honey. Read the Comments section on HMF and you’ll see many peole rave about this rose for disease-resistant, compact, always blooming, heat-tolerant, great scent. She’s way-better than Julia Child in many aspects: compact bush shape, better scent, better disease resistant. See 'Honey Bouquet' rose reviews and comments My kid thinks Julia Child smells like cough medicine.
I like to propagate the above two scents. There’s some on-line site that said the pollen supplies the scent, and the seed supplies the shape of the bush. Is this true? Are there other seed-parents that carry the musk scent to reinforce Annie L. M. or Honey Bouquet in a future cross? Thank you for any info.
I love the fragrance of ‘Nahema’ and have been trying it as a seed parent this year with healthier roses to see if I can get some of the fragrance into healthy landscape shrubs. First germination occurred a few days ago… will be able to report on fragrance in a few months
I don’t believe it makes a difference which way it is done.
Joe, I have never seen ALmD set self hips and I’ve never tried pollinating any of her blooms. That’s one of her many beauties, you don’t need shears to dead head her. The peduncles turn yellow and fall off cleanly. You can dead head the plant by shaking the stem or blow them all off with a garden hose. I did collect pollen from her for the first time this summer. I sent some to Strawberryhill, then collected some to use on Sweet Nothings and a few other things. They appear to have taken! I know Robert Rippetoe has raised some seedlings from her pollen. We’ll see what results!
I change my user name from “Strawberryhill” to “Chicago zone 5a” to reflect where I am better.
People from different climates praise “Honey Bouquet” and I can see why after planting it in the worst spot possible: steep hill, heavy alkaline clay, blooms don’t get scorched in 100 degrees, no diseases in humid days. The scent is on a par with Golden Celebration, but occupies 1/10 of space, and requires little water. The bloom is always perfect, firm petals that last twice longer in the vase. Japanese Beetles destroy most Golden Cel.'s blooms, but they left Honey Bouquet alone. Honey Bouquet’s bloom is lighter in hot days, but deep yellow in cool days - it doesn’t have that problem of “old blooms fade to white” that Julia Child has.
I neglected watering “Honey Bouquet” and it gave me continuous blooms of delicious scent, so it deserves credit. See Honey Bouquet: 'Honey Bouquet' Rose
I got Annie’s pollens, 100% thornless, from Kim Rupert during our heat wave of 100 degrees. He packed it well in a pocket made with thick paper. I pollinated 90% smooth Lynnie with Annie, it set fat hip. I pollinated 100% smooth Basyes Blueberry (intense wild rose scent) with Annie, it set hip. Both were done at 7 pm. Early in the morning, I pollinated 95% smooth Deep Purple with Annie. That didn’t take, the hot sun fried it. Unfortunately I chopped off Basyes Blueberry hip when I didn’t see the tag. It’s my first time, so I’ll do better.
Hi SimonV: Thank you for the info. that Nahema set hips and your first seedlings are coming. I have 95% smooth Nahema, but the bunny bit the buds off before I could use Annie’s pollen. Nahema scent is strong, regardless of the weather, its one of my favorites. It’s a sturdy and compact bush here. Our 40 mph wind broke Crown Princess Mag’s octopus cane, and Versigny’s canes - but Nahema didn’t mind. Most my roses are own-roots, which make them smoother.
