Have you ever sat across from a blooming rose bush and felt enveloped by its exquisite fragrance? Most people are only familiar with cut roses from a florist, but nothing compares to the sensory experience of a full-scale rose garden. Once you experience it, you’ll never see a rose in the same way again.

When we first envisioned a new rose garden, our goal was to combine the beautiful, perpetually blooming English roses with classic cut-flower varieties. Our relationship with growing roses wasn’t new; we already had a collection of 15 heirloom, English, and Tea roses in our backyard and eastern vineyard, from which we harvest petals to create our cherished rose water.

Creating a rose garden can be a deeply rewarding experience, combining the visual beauty of roses with their captivating fragrances. Many people are familiar with cut roses, but the immersive experience of a full-scale rose garden offers a different level of sensory delight.

When planning a new rose garden, a common goal is to include both perpetually blooming varieties and classic cut-flower types. Many gardeners also appreciate incorporating heirloom roses for their history and unique characteristics. Collecting different rose varieties allows for the enjoyment of diverse colors, shapes, and scents.

Heirloom roses, in particular, can offer surprising beauty and intoxicating fragrances. Varieties like the Damask rose ‘Celsiana’ are known for their delicate appearance and strong scent. However, many heirloom rose varieties, prized for these qualities, are facing the risk of extinction due to a focus in modern horticulture on hybrid roses with less emphasis on fragrance. This has led some gardeners and organizations to undertake the mission of preserving these beautiful, fragrant plants for future generations.

The effort to cultivate and preserve heirloom roses is considered by many to be well worth it, even if some varieties only bloom for a limited period each year.

Sharing the beauty of a rose garden with others can transform a private passion into a community mission. Creating a space where a thoughtfully curated collection of heirloom and other rose varieties bloom in unison allows for history, scent, and beauty to be appreciated by a wider audience. Supporting initiatives focused on preserving heirloom roses helps to ensure that these exquisite plants continue to thrive for everyone to enjoy.