Does anyone know this rose (rugosa hybrid)

General Discussion
1

Hi

does anyone know this rose. It is a rugosa hybrid, reblooming with mild fragrance. It came to Iceland under the name ‘George Will’ but now that I have seen the correct ‘George Will’ this rose becomes a bit of a mistery. It is a very popular landscaping plant in Iceland, although its branches have got the habit of falling down to the ground making the shrub a bit less attractive.

Link: photos.heremy.com/moldvarpan/album/86765

2

Hj

3

Yeh, I’ve been through helpmefind and looked at the pictures. However, it is not George Will. The flowers of George Will are a tone darker and are not as full as the unknown rose. The branches are also not as upright as of George Will’s. The reference plants I have of George Will also look a lot more the picture and also fit descriptions of George Will a lot better than the unknown rose. Perhaps we have to accept that maybe we never find the right name on it.

Thanks

Hj

4

At first glance, I love the very double form of that rugosa…

I believe this may be one of David Austin’s Rugosas, Mrs. Doreen Pike.

Link: www.helpmefind.com/rose/pl.php?n=4307

5

I think I know what it might be. It looks like ‘Will Alderman’ to me. ‘George Will’ and ‘Will Alderman’ are both Skinner roses. ‘George Will’ is just a shade darker than ‘Will Alderman’. It sort of makes sense that they could get confused. You will have to find a plant of ‘Will Alderman’ to make a fair comparison. photos can be misleading. Best of luck!

Mark Disero, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

6

Hi

Thank you Mark and Enrique. This rose was originally bought from Canada and was most definetely bred before 1970 of probably in Canada or the US. Strongest possible candidates have been Will Aldermann along with Wasagaming. Now that I have got a fairly reliable reference plant for Wasagaming and it is not like the unknown rose, I have got Will Aldermann left to investigate.

A long shot was also the Fleet rose ‘New Century’, the description fits the unknown rose very well but I have never seen any pictures of it.

And Enrique, thank you for pointing at an extremely interesting hybrid. I now most definitely consider ‘Mrs. Doreen Pike’ a must-try for us up here in Iceland.

7

Initially, like Enrique, I would have said it is ‘Mrs. Doreen Pike’. However, I checked the flowers of ‘Wasagaming’ yesterday and some of them were identical to the Icelandic rugosa. The flowers of ‘Wasagaming’ usually open up like a Bourbon rose. One way to distinguish ‘Wasagaming’ from ‘Will Alderman’ is that it is basically a one time bloomer, whereas the latter cultivar repeats its bloom.

8

I have both Wasagaming and Will Alderman, and Wasagaming is a much larger plant.