Just a guess - the blooms, leaves, & growth habit look like the La France that is growing in our garden. The one I have now is a bush, but we used to have a climbing version that grew in our garden with no care for at least 70 years.

Jackie

You might consider Climbing Mme Carolyn Testout as a possibility. FWIW. Jimofshermanoaks

Blairii #1 or #2?

I don't think it is Mme Caroline Testout. The buds don't start out so pale, and the inside of the bloom is not muddled like your pictures. It doesn't have a very strong fragrance either. Your rose is very beautiful, good luck identifying it.

Mme Caroline.
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Masha

Thanks so much, everyone!

Currently I think that this rose is probably La France, Cl. judging from what Jackie said and the pics on HMF, although some show a more globular bloom shape than this one displays. That's actually why I had dismissed this possibility earlier, but I did get a Cl. La France directly from Guillot, France a few weeks ago, so I can compare later. I also got a Cl. Mme Caroline Testout, but I agree that this is probably a different rose. Just to cover most bases, I also received a Capt. Christy Cl., Lady Sylvia, Cl. and Ophelia, Cl.

Right now, the fragrance of this rose has actually changed to a strong citrus with some spicy note. The flowers have opened up a little more today, displaying quite a quilted, muddled look with a light, soft rose pink throughout, a look that Blairii No. 1 also has, according to Ashdown's library:

http://www.ashdownroses.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=879

Jackie, how's the scent on your La France?

I might post a pic or two of open blooms later.

Thanks again!

Andrea

Andrea - I went out and smelled mine yesterday, and all I got was a very faint but nice smell sort of like baby powder. However, I just went out and smelled it again, and got very strong citrus! Perhaps it is the time of day, or something.

Jackie

Thanks so much, Jackie - I bet that's La France then, old and famous as it is it's quite likely also, plus its scent ranging from medium strength (haven't noticed faint yet though) baby powder to classic rose scent and strong citrus (see what comes tomorrow)! I thought last fall when I really noticed this rose for the first time that it had a fairly complex, strong rose scent. That's why I often stopped by to smell it. Well, my DH just claimed that the scent was actually very strong citrus - I guess it must be subject to change - and the individual nose then!

Thanks again!
Andrea

Sorry for this not being terribly exciting (anymore), but here are a few more open bloom and bud pics - still La France? I guess I really want to be as certain as possible. ;-)

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They cut down the tree, lucky rose!
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Thanks!
Andrea

Hi:

I'm new to the forum, but I've grown the climbing pink hybrid tea Jonkheer J.L. Mock for several years, and it looks just like the pictures of your pink climber (you can find pictures of Jonkheer on the Vintage Gardens website and on Help Me Find). I don't have La France for comparison, though. Hope this helps.

Wow, I can see why you think it's the Jonkheer, thanks for the tip, bwfost!

HMF says that the Jonkheer's fragrance is tea though, while this rose is strongly rose-citrus scented, sometimes also baby powder. It seems that the Jonkheer is a very continental and rare rose, at least today - it looks like it's not available in England where I live and only very few nurseries outside the UK carry it.

So how's your Jonkheer's fragrance?

Thanks,
Andrea

My plant has no blooms at present, but I would have said more classic rose/powder than tea (I don't remember citrus, but the blooms aren't that easy for me to reach - I am also no expert on fragrance!). The folks at Vintage have always been very good in responding to my e-mail questions - perhaps they could help? Good luck!