Roses for sale
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Old-fashioned roses
We sell old fashioned roses and some bearded irises by arrangement from our property at 761 Kaiaua Rd, Mangatangi.
The roses and perennials we sell are all made from cuttings or root pieces taken from our gardens, and raised in completely outdoor conditions. Therefore, when you buy, the plants are 100% hardened off and ready to go as soon as you get them in the ground.
Lots of people think growing and looking after roses is really hard, so they grow “low maintenance” plants like natives and grasses (not that there is anything wrong with them but, lets face it, its good to have flowers and the bees are very grateful).
In fact roses can be really easy in our kind New Zealand climate as long as you choose the right ones. They are also very hardy and hang on when many other plants give up the ghost. That is why enthusiasts can still find old roses growing in old sections and wasteland.
We grow all kinds of roses but we sell those old fashioned varieties that we know do well in New Zealand. We have had to unlearn lots of things we have read in English (and overseas in general) books because our conditions are quite different. Chinas and teas (in particular) love our climate and many once flowerers repeat here.
Rose Selection
This is a sample of out catalogue, though some will not always be available.
Pricing. Our roses are all growing on their own roots, mostly from cuttings made in autumn and winter. The rate the different roses grow roots and tops varies greatly from cultivar to cultivar.
In general the ramblers and chinas grow pretty quickly and are ready to plant in the garden less than a year from their start, while others take 2 years to get to a plantable size. We price our roses taking these stats into consideration, and also the pot size they are in. Our prices are from $12
We have been mailing our roses via NZ post for some years now, with good success. We post them partially bare rooted and wrapped in wet newspaper.
ALBERIC BARBIER (1900)- Wichuriana Rambler. Yellow buds, fading to cream very double flowers.Very scented. repeats reliably in Auckland and other warmer climates. One of the most vigorous ramblers. Very healthy.
ALBERTINE (1921) -Another of the wonderful Wichuriana Ramblers. Vibrant pink/yellow flowers with a huge spring flush and the occasional repeat. Lovely scent. Gets a bit of black spot but very tough and shrugs it off.
ALICE HAMILTON (1906) – China. Similar to Old Blush, but a more refined flower. Very prolific flowerer and grower. Very sweet scent. Makes a smallish, tidy twiggy bush. Very rare, but very popular in our circles as it shares a name with my daughter!
ALEXANDRE GIRAULT (1909) -Climber. Hundreds of cerise flowers cover this vigorous climber/rambler in spring, with some repeat later. Healthy and vigorous.
AMY…???. Climber. This is a rose we bought many years ago with a very faded label. All we could read was Amy! Having searched every book and source we could lay hands on, and finding no rose that sounds like this one with Amy in it’s name, we have had to satisfy ourselves that it is a local grown rose called Amy! Whatever her history, she is a darling, very vigorous pillar or tall bush which smothers herself in semi double light pink and white flowers in spring with some repeat. ALMOST THORNLESS!
ANAIS SEGALES (1837) – Gallica. Charming old fashioned purple flowers cover this vigorous bush in early spring. One of the first roses to bloom.Very easy to grow, beautiful perfume, and suckers freely, so plenty of bits to give away!
ANNA MARIA de MONTRAVEL ( 1879 ) -Polyantha. Darling little bush, almost a miniature, with a non stop display of cute cupped pure white bunches. Lovely for the front of the border or a pot.
ANN ENDT (1978)- Rugosa X – This NZ bred rose is named for the long time gardener of one of our most eminent rosarians, Nancy Steen. It is a low growing, freely suckering bush with rugose character and sublime,scented,large cerise single flowers. Repeats all season and has bunches of wonderful bright red hips, great for rose hip jelly.
ANTONIA d’ORMOIS (1835) – Gallica. Simply the best Gallica for Auckland. She makes a sprawling bush or short climber, with multitudes of very double tissuey soft pink and white flowers with a divine scent in early summer. A once flowerer, but certainly worth the wait.
AUSONIUS ( ) – Hybrid Musk. One of the lesser known Pemberton roses…can’t think why, as it is for us, one of the best. A very tidy upright bush, with pink and white flowers reminiscent of Ballerina but minus all the thorns. Flowers come in clusters regularly all through the season.
AVIATEUR BLERIOT (1910) – Wichuriana Rambler. Very vigorous rambler, with clusters of small apricot turning cream flowers. Buds are lovely, open blooms rather messy, but over-all effect is delightful.
BABY FAURAX (1924) – Polyantha. Really cute bush and clusters of old fashioned purple flowers pretty much all year round. Bristles rather than prickles make this a manageable and rewarding member of the garden.
BANKSIA (species) Vigorous climber, completely thornless. Covered with bunches of tiny yellow or white flowers early in spring. We also have the hybrid form “Purezza” which repeats(white)
BARONNE PREVOST (1842) – Hybrid Perpetual. Large shrub with repeat show of fragrant bright cerise pink blooms. Lovely fragrance. Prone to black spot in Auckland, but soon drops its diseased leaves and grows some new ones!
BLACKBOY ( ) Old Australian climber with lots of shortish arms.with very few thorns but lots of dark red flowers.Most in early summer, but some repeat.
Bracteata – Species. An American species, who likes it very much here, thank you very much. One of the very few repeating species, this baby produces big shining white single flowers pretty much all year round. The growth habit I would describe as a cross between a rugosa and a rambler ! Wicked recurved thorns all over it’s shiny green arms. Plant it somewhere you never want to go, and admire from a distance!!
BUFF BEAUTY (1939) Hybrid Musk. Definitely one of the most well known of the Hybrid Musks, and quite different to most in it’s flower size and colour. The flowers are large and very double, quite formal in an old fashioned sort of way, easy to confuse with more modern offerings from David Austin. The plant is a sprawling bush or short climber, and produces regular flushes of sweet scented golden/buff flowers amidst lovely, healthy dark green foliage.
CECILE BRUNNER( 1881 ) -Polyantha bush. Lovely little soft pink rose buds all season long on a twiggy very healthy bush. Known as “The Sweetheart Rose”
CECILE BRUNNER (1894) – Climbing. Vigorous climber, with identical leaves and flowers as the bush.
COMPLICATA ( ) Gallica- Giant arching shrub or small climber with masses of beautiful , huge single pink and white blooms. It has diustinctive yellow stamens which really set off the flowers.It is very fast growing.
COMTESSE de CAYLA (1902) – China. The over-all effect of this rose is similar to Mutabilis but with the added bonus of sweet scented semi-double pickable flowers. Like most Chinas is very disease resistant and thrives and flowers all year round.
CORNELIA (1925) – Hybrid Musk. Pretty double pink on an attractive arching shrub. Virtually thornless, very easy and reliable. Colour and flowers vary quite a bit with the seasons as an added interest.
De la GRIFFERAIE (1845) – Multiflora X. This old shrub rose used to be used as an understock for grafted roses, so is frequently found growing in old gardens where the grafted plant has died and the root stock taken over. Because of this it’s name is often unknown. It certainly warrants growing on its own merit, but does grow and sucker vigourously. It produces a huge flush of double mauve/purple/pink flowers in spring with a lovely scent. It has very few thorns. Does get blackspot after flowering, in Auckland, but quickly grows new leaves.
DUCHESSE D’AUERSTADT-Climbing Tea ( ) Awesome big climber to make a statement in your garden. It is particularly suitable for climbing where people pass as it has few thorns and a delicious scent. It’s colour is typically tea, a clear but soft nankeen yellow. It has very attractive dark red leaves.
DUCHESSE de BRABANT (1857) – Tea. Simply the best. A tidy, moderate shrub that flowers nearly all year round once established. Cup shaped double flowers in light pink. Delicate but very sweet scent. Like most Teas, she loves the Auckland climate and doesn’t need any coddling to look fabulous.
EBLOUISSANT (1918) Polyantha. Small bush with clusters of tiny red flowers. Late to start, but carries on well into Autumn. We think it came to Trevor Griffiths via Sangerhausen. Good for the smaller garden.
FANTIN LATOUR (?OLD) – Centafolia.Large shrub, nearly thornless.Once flowerer,late spring.Lovely mid pink flowers, gorgeous scent, great to pick.
FRANCIS DUBREUIL ( ) Tea. This is one of my absolute favourites. Such a well behaved smallish tidy bush, nearly always has at least one beautiful crimson bloom on offer to sink your nose into!
GRUSS an AACHEN (1909) – Modern Shrub. Haha, how modern can you get! Currently 106 years old and as popular as ever, for its well behaved habits and lovely creamy pink quartered flowers.Repeats all season, pretty disease resistant and glorious scent .Also PINK GRUSS an AACHEN…same bush, more pink overtones in flower.
INDICA MAJOR (Ancient China). Another former understock well worth growing. This one doesn’t sucker, but spreads into a large arching shrub with delicate pink flowers reminiscent of Old Blush, but lighter colour. Technically a once flowerer, but it’s season lasts for about 3 months or more from very early in the season, so great value.
ISPAHAN (Pre 1832) -Damask. Big lax shrub that covers itself in clusters of clear pink lovely smelly roses! Longer show than most oncers, 6-8 weeks.
KERSBERGEN ( ) – Polyantha. Tidy medium bush with trusses of small, dark red flowers that repeats constantly. Very good for posies.
LA RUBINEE ( ) – Centifolia. Sprawling, prickly bush that is not very attractive in itself but is worth growing it for the delicate bearuty of its flowers – tissue paper petals of delicate pink and white stripes with delicious scent. It is a once flowerer in early summer.
LITTLE GEM (1880) – Moss. The bush is medium sized, a bit on the straggly side, flowers strong pink with good “mossing” and scent.
MAY QUEEN (1898) – Rambler. Now this rose is a do-er in Auckland. Vigorous, healthy shiny leaves, huge spring flush of unuually double flowers for a rambler. Soft to dark pink. Because of the many petals, it can ball in wet weather, but there is plenty of repeat to make up for it!
Mme BERKLEY (1898) – Tea. Less well known than some of the teas, but an excellent plant for Auckland and grows quickly into a good sized bush on its own roots. The flowers are sweet scented and the typical tea mixture of pink/apricot/cream in quite delicate shades. Very floriforous.
Mme PLANTIER (1835) – Alba. Flat double pure white flowers with beautiful perfume open from fat red tinted buds. A big lax shrub or can easily be persuaded to climb. Very few thorns and very hardy. Seems to tolerate some shade better than most. Once flowering, but her attractive foliage and growth makes her an asset in the garden
Mrs R M FINCH (1923) – Polyantha. An Australian bred rose, this a cute little 2 ft shrub with lovely light pink flowers, quite big for its size. Very healthy and floriforous.
Mme GREGOIRE STACHELIN- ( 19 ) Old hybrid tea. Mme Gregoire makes a huge statement in late spring, with her abundance of wavy pink petalled flowers. They cut for the vase beautifully and have an unusual and delicious fragrance. 
MUTABILIS (pre 1894) – China. One of the most famous of the old fashioned roses, it is bigger than many of the Chinas, can be a large bush or short climber. Flowers pretty much 365 days a year in Auckland, so long as you don’t upset it by pruning too much. Blooms are messy singles, starting yellow, then turning pink and almost red. The darkening rather than fading of the blooms is a typical China characteristic. Hard to go wrong with this plant.
NARROW WATER (circa 1883) – Noisette. Tall shrub with big clusters of pinky lilac semi-double flowers. Repeats reliably all season. It has a lovely fresh fragrance typical of the noisettes. It is a very well behaved shrub in the garden with a big impact for most of the year. Very under- rated
NEW DAWN (1930) -Wichuriana Climber. Soft pink double blooms on this hardy, healthy climber. Blooms start later in the season, but carry on right into winter in regular flushes. Is nearly evergreen and has a pleasant fragrance. It was always the last rose to flower when I lived in Waotu (you’ll have to look that up).
OLD BLUSH (? very old) – China. This is one of the four stud chinas originally bought out from China, which revolutionised rose breeding, with its ever blooming traits. All modern hybrid teas and floribundas have these china roses in their heritage. Old Blush bears many different names, one being The Monthly Rose, indicating it will bloom every month of the year. Flowers are mid pink, double-ish, and while nothing to write home about in spring, can be really appreciated in winter! The bush is small and twiggy, and in general very healthy.
Old Crimson Climber. Now recognised as Blackboy. This is one of our mystery roses, aka we bought it unlabelled, growing on it’s own roots, the cuttings,apparently, taken from an old garden. It is a moderately vigorous climber, with tea/old hybrid tea characteristis in its leaves and flowers. The flowers are dark crimson, very fragrant. Good repeat.
PAUL TRANSON (1900) – Wichuriana Rambler. Very double apricot/pink flowers, large size for a rambler. The plant is very vigorous and produces hoardes of sweetly scented flowers in spring, with more following intermittently through the season.
PIMPINELlIFOLIA – the new “easy” name for what used to be SPINNISOSISIMA, and yes, it is marginally easier to say and spell! The common name is much easier…Scotch Roses. These guys are a very hardy lot and love to grow on their own roots and go forth and multiply. They have very bristly stems, ferny foliage, and very interesting black hips. They flower very early in the season, for varying lengths of time. Here are the ones we have for sale
Double Cream – very low growing (about 18″) with cute little double cream flower s
Falkland – medium height, double pale pink flowers
William III – slightly taller and very bushy, purple double flowers over quite a long period
Suzanne – Pimp X- Rubrifolia – same style but taller and bigger leaves. Lovely soft pink double flowers. Repeats.
PINK PROSPERITY (1931 ) – Hybrid Musk. This is one of the more rare hybrid musks but very worthwhile. It has masses of very double, pale pink flowers smothering the bush in flushes throughout the year. Very healthy and moderately vigourous. A seedling of properity.
PROSPERITY (1919) – Hybrid Musk. Neat sweet smelling, frilly, cream flowers repeatedly through the season. It forms a wide,arching shrub that is wider than it is tall. It is an amazing sight when covered with flowers. Scented. Very healthy.
POMPOM DE BOURGOGNE (circa 1664) – Miniature Centafolia. Only about a foot high, this lovely little rose is covered in purple, old fashioned, pompom flowers in late spring. It has few thorns and is suitable for containers or the smaller garden and even as a low hedge or feature.
ROSA MUNDI (pre 1581) – Gallica. This is one of our favourite gallicas. It is a low shrub with pinky,red and white striped, double flowers. Every flower is different, making a charming effect. Although it is a once flowerer, it suckers happily and the new suckers often flower as soon as they have grown, surprising you with lovely flowers later in the season. This is one gallica that really thrives in our Auckland climate.
ROULETI (very old) – Miniature China. The first ever miniature rose, from which many modern minis descend. Cute little rose pink flowers. Upright growth to about 18″. Flowers all year round.
ROXBURGHII – Species. Commonly called the chestnut rose. It is a large shrub with unusual peeling grey bark and small bright green leaves. It is evergreen and really likes it in Auckland. We have the double variety which has large pink flowers emerging from an unusual spiny bud that looks a bit like a chestnut.
SEA FOAM (1964) Modern Shrub. This classic rose is much underrated. It flowers all year round with creamy white (with a hint of pink) trusses of fully double flowers. It is great on the edge of a bank as it cascades over the edge just like its name. Healthy and vigourous but not too rampant. Hard to ask to for much more.
SILVERDALE RAMBLER – locally bred Wichuriana Rambler. Easy and trouble free with masses of pinky apricot scented flowers in Spring, with intermittent repeat through the season.
SILVER MOON – (1910) – Rambler. vigorous grower with shiny green leaves and very large, semi double pure white flowers. Repeats.
SLATERS CRIMSON CHINA (very old) – China. The original red china rose, makes a tidy little bush with dainty crimson flowers all year round. The ancestor of all modern red roses.
SOUVENIR D’ALPHONSE LAVALLER (1898) – Hybrid Perpetual. Large ungainly shrub/climber, with black red double flowers. Intense fragrance and beautiful form. Will do very well in Auckland if fed enough. All hybrid perpetuals seem to be particularly gross feeders.
SOUVENIR DE MME LEONIE VIENNOT (1898) Climbing Tea. Lovely creamy pink blooms with a heavenly scent. Very hardy and a vigourous climber but well behaved. A classic that fully deserves its reputation.
SYLVAN BEAUTY. An old rose found growing in my elderly auntie’s garden in Mt Eden. A short climber with china characteristics but nearly thornless. It has China red double flowers that repeat all year round when established. A really lovely climber by any name.
THE BISHOP (Gallica/Centafolia x? 1790) Medium large bush with attractive arching branches. Flowers vary from pink to dark purple. Usual beautiful gallica scent.Flowers early in the season.
THE GARLAND (1835) Moschata/Multiflora. Has clusters of small, semi double, white flowers. Once flowerer. Will grow as big as you will let it. Good for covering things.
TRIOMPHE DE LUXEMBURG (1835) – Tea. Totally over the top, full creamy pink flowers in spring and autumn. Once established, is free flowering and very tough. One of the fancier teas but very easy in the Auckland climate.
THE FAIRY (1932) Polyantha. A classic polyantha that we are all familiar with. Still as good as ever.
TUSCANY SUPERB (pre 1800) Gallica. The flowers truly are superb. This has all the normal gallica features on a tidy bush with only minor bristles. Seems to do well in Auckland compared to some of the others which prefer a colder climate.
VEILCHENBLAU (1909) Multiflora Rambler. Very hardy small rambler that has clusters of small, mauve/grey flowers smothering it in spring. It is almost thornless and is an attractive plant even when not in flower.
VIOLETTE (1912) Multiflora Rambler. This rose is similar to Veilchenblau but the flowers are a deeper richer violet that shows off its gold stamens.
WEITI SWEETIE (2007) Polyantha. Home bred darling. Clusters of pink/white flowers all year long. Flowers are reminiscent of Ballerina but minus the thorns and with a smaller, tidier habit.
YVONNE RABIER (1910) Polyantha. This is the best white polyantha rose. It has clusters of creamy white scented flowers that are large for a polyantha. Flowers most of year and is a healthy bush.sweet scent.
