Rosa damescena cultivars or ‘Damask Roses’ have two distinct sections: the Summer Damasks and the Autumn Damasks. The former flower only once, and are large, thorny, quite open growing shrubs with intensely fragrant pink to white flowers. The latter, and their allies the Portland roses, are shorter, more compact shrubs with the ability to repeat flower in the autumn. Their colour range also includes red varieties and they share the same deep perfume. ‘Kazanlik’ is the most famous of the Damasks, being the one used commercially in Bulgaria and the Middle East for use in making rose oils and water.
Pruning Guide
Prune summer flowering varieties, once established, by a removal of one or two very old stems after flowering. Recurrent varieties have their stems shortened by one third in February/March.
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Out of stockA superbly scented rose, Kazanlik is grown commercially in Bulgaria for rose oil. Loose double pale pink blooms in clusters. Light green foliage. Summer flowering. Size:1.8m x 1.5m.
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Out of stockA highly favoured portland damask. Very full, fragrant blooms of deep pink with incurved central petals. Rare. Upright bushy growth. Repeat flowering. Size: 90cms x 90cms.
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Out of stockIndigo is a fine Portland Damask, displaying clusters of highly scented double blooms of purple flushed with crimson. It's a strong upright grower with long smooth dark green foliage. Repeat flowering. Size: 1.2m x 1.0m
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Out of stockRose du Roi has double flowers of red mottled purple, arranged in tight clusters. One of the first repeat flowering Portland roses. Wonderfully scented. Dark grey-green foliage. Size: 90cm x 90cm.
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Out of stockMme. Zöetmans, a.k.a. Mme. Zoutmann, has clusters of very full milky-white blooms with a button of in-curved petals. Fragrant. Thorny but tidy growth with abundant mid-green foliage. Summer flowering. Size:1.2m x 1.0m. (Mme Zoetmans).
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Out of stockCelsiana displays clusters of semi-double pale pink blooms, with a strong musk fragrance. Good in semi-shaded position. Dense grey-green foliage. Summer flowering. Painted by many famous artists from the past. Size: 1.2m x 90cm.
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Out of stockGrown from a seed bought over from roses growing by Omar Khayyam's tomb, which would now be found modern day Iran. Double spiky rich pink blooms open flat with a button eye. Strong fragrance. Soft pale grey-green foliage. Size: 1.8m x 1.8m.
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Out of stockMiranda is a refined-looking Portland Damask. Strongly scented. Very double pink blooms with folded and crumpled petals. Repeat flowering. Size: 1.2m x 1m.
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Out of stockRaised in the Empress Josephine's gardens at Malmaison and named after Napoleon's second wife, Marie Louise is a popular damask with huge flat blooms of rich rose pink with mauve over tones. Strong perfume. Does well even in poor soil. Summer flowering. Size: 1.2m x 90cm.
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Out of stockLarge flat quartered blooms of pure pink. Wonderful fragrance. Lovely pale green foliage. Summer flowering. Forms a bushy shrub with healthy foliage. Size:1.5m x1.4m.