So far, here are the 'winners' and their total number of votes:

Duchesse de Brabant -- 7
Lady Hillingdon -- 7
Mrs B.R. Cant -- 6
Mrs. Dudley Cross -- 6
Monsieur Tillier -- 5
Maman Cochet -- 5
Mme. Berkeley -- 5
Rosette DeLizy -- 4
Mme. Lombard (Lambard) -- 4
Georgetown Tea -- 4
Francis Debreuil -- 4
Clementina Carbonieri -- 4
Marie van Houtte -- 4

Six others received at least 3 votes. According to my count, a total of 55 varieties were named as favorites (several of which are of 'questionable' Tea status).

Compiling lists of mindless calculations like this is one thing a body can do while waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for the arrival of the repairman who will surely be able to determine what the h*ll is wrong with the heat pump & restore warmth to ones dwelling place by nightfall.

Several of mine are too immature but I have a few favorites:

Clementina Carbonieri for color and rebloom
Georgetown Tea for color and rebloom
Mons. Tillier, until it got RRD
Mlle. Franziska Kruger rebloom
Faith Whittlesey rebloom
Baronne Henriette de Snoy, when not balling

Carla

Redsox, we live in northern Oklahoma, and our weather is like Arkansas, and possibly a lot like Nashville. Our springs are rainy, and our summers are hot -- very hot. We may start having humidity, but once it is 100, I think we don't have that much of it.

I don't think our humidity is like New Orleans or like New York. I really don't know how to describe our weather.

Yes, I have driven everyone here crazy with my switch to a no spray garden. I hope my new rose work well. The ones I listed had black spot, but not enough to discourage me from growing them.

Jaxondel, I hope that guy arrives soon. I hate to be cold.

Sammy

Jaxondel, at least you won't be the only one spending money. Your winner's list made me go check out some of the 'top' teas, and now I'm going to have to make another purchase since I'm missing some.

Hope the heat's on soon and that it's a cheap and easy fix (more $$$ for roses that way!)

My bush Lady Hillingdon is still under 3 feet in its 2nd year. It has the best of everything but it just doesn't seem to have the vigor of the other teas, sigh. It's also the only tea with blackspot issues. But I could never give it up, oh noooo!

Barbara, I can send you cuttings of my LH in spring, if you are interested in rooting. It will not resove BS issues, but can help with vigor.
Olga

{{gwi:221114}}
Souv. de Claudius Denoyal is the red rose
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Mme. Antoine Mari
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Mme. Berkeley
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Marie van Houtte
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Clementina Carbonieri
These are some of the prettiest to my mind.
la

Oh yum la thank-you.

i have only five that are more than a year old. These four have stolen my heart~

Mrs. BR Cant

{{gwi:330714}}

Mme. Joseph Schwartz

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Mlle. Franziska Krueger

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Duchesse de Brabant

{{gwi:205028}}

It looks as though most of my favorites have been listed, except for 'Miss Atwood' -- a Bermuda Mystery rose. My roses are in Lakeland Florida, on very sandy soils with a lot of organic matter in the planting holes. Long, hot, humid summers, and moderately warm winters. The Teas bloom year-round except right after pruning (around March 1). Here's my list, in order:

1. Mrs. B. R. Cant -- the ultimate rose, IMHO
2. Miss Atwood -- huge plant, apricot-colored, fragrant flowers)
3. Mons. Tillier

Those three will all grow to be gigantic shrubs here (we graft all of them to 'Fortuniana' always).

Then to continue the list, not necessarily in order of preference:

4. Cl. Devoniensis
5. Mrs. Dudley Cross
6. Duchesse de Brabant
7. Miss Caroline (cactus-flowered sport of DdB)
8. Lady Hillingdon
9. Rosette Delizy

10. Safrano
11. Trinity (Bermuda Mystery)
12. Papa Gontier (Bermuda's form of it)

Malcolm Manners

Malcolm, I always enjoy reading what your opinion is. I wish you would pop in more frequently. Now I need to look up Miss Atwood, Trinity, and Papa Gontier.
Thanks from me even though I didn't start the thread.

Sammy

I meant to point out that 'Miss Atwood' is a Bermuda Mystery rose. I had thought I remembered that the folks at Vintage had identified it with some historic Tea, but looking at their website listing, they do not suggest any synonyms.

I noticed that so far only Jill Perry has mentioned Anna Olivier, which is my favortie tea of all. See pictures, description, etc. in the Australian tea rose book, "Tea Roses, Old Roses for Warm Gardens". Accd to Vintage, the correct rose has only recently been available in commerce in No Am, so that may be why. It is available at Vintage Gardens now.

In my garden it is disease free, and is still blooming and setting new buds right now. It blooms in partial to not so partial shade, also. A gorgeous combination of buff with brick red on the back of the petals, to light pink to light yellow, depending on the weather and its mood.

Other teas that are great in my garden:

Mme Joseph Schwartz
Duchess de Brabant
Niles Cochet
Le Vesuve (blooms 12 months of the year)
Safrano (also still blooming now)
Mme Alfred Carriere (tea noisette - climbs tall trees, buildings, mountains...)

I'm glad to hear the positive report on 'Anna Olivier'. It's now offered by Roses Unlimited, & is one that I was considering adding to my list for spring. Enabled again.

Mine are young but I can tell already some that are going to be outstanding.

Mons Tillier - easy care, great performance, my favorite - I love the guy!
{{gwi:330718}}
Rosette Delizy - love those flowers!
General Schablikine - he must be MT's cousin; I think he's going to be just as great
Mme Antoine Rebe - red crepy flowers last a long time on the bush, very healthy
Mme Antoine Mari
Mrs B R Cant
Louisiana Arcadia Tea - very healthy in a lot of shade
Maman Cochet
LaSylphide - very delicate lovely pale pink flowers
Marie d'Orleans

Sherry

Oh, I should have put LeVesuve at about #3!
And I just realized it's Arcadia Louisiana Tea not the other way around.

Sherry

Good heavens, I forgot 'Général Schablikine'! It definitely belongs in the group of great Teas. Thanks for reminding me, Sherry.

How 'bout an update:
1. Mrs. B. R. Cant 9
2. Duchesse de Brabant 8
3. Monsieur Tillier 8
4. Lady Hillingdon 8
5. Maman Cochet 6
6. Mrs. Dudley Cross 6
7. Mme. Berkeley 6
8. Rosette Delizy 6
9. Baronne Henriette de Snoy 5

10. Mme. Joseph Schwartz 5
11. Clementina Carbonieri 5
12. Georgetown Tea 5

I should tell you why I'm asking. I am replanting an antique rose garden at the arboretum where I work (Chesapeake, VA which is just west of Virginia Beach). It had been filled with damasks, gallicas, and Portlands and albas all of which were failing or had reverted to an unknown rootstock. The garden was replanted with teas, chinas, noisettes, and polyanthas-- and some long-cane Bourbons were replaced with Maggie and SDSA. One section remains to be redone, currently occupied by Sir Thomas Lipton, Mme. Isaac Pereire, and Hansa-- none of which is very satisfactory here. SO thank you, all. I've no public garden to go to anywhere nearby where I can see tea roses in person. I wanted to be sure that the best are included in our garden, and these results help a lot!

hi, Barbara,
I've been keeping quiet because my roses are all so young, but since no one has spoken up for General Gallieni, I would at least like to mention his name.

If you have room for a workhorse and want some red, you might think about him. Even now, he has no bs leaves, is still green despite temps that have dropped to the low 20's and looks as if he would be happy to start blooming at any moment. Not a run of the mill pretty face - lots of character and strength, though! Think "rugged individual!"

Great family connections as well: Rosette Delizy is a child and Souvenir de Therese Levet a parent... How could you go wrong?

Barbara,

I'm new to growing Teas as well. I do happen to have all of the roses in your last list (except Georgetown Tea which got lost somehow). I will add a few more to consider..these are doing wonderfully in my garden so far:

Etoile de Lyon
Safrano
Marie van Houte
Mme. Antoine Mari

I would also suggest Mme. Lombard. I have seen a glorious mature specimen of this rose in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond. I do have a small potted one to plant this spring.

Robert

I love the pictures. Luanne's Marie van Houtte is gorgeous.
Sherry and Mauirose, beautiful pictures.

Carla

What a great question!
My favorite peach and pink Teas include
1. 'Anna Olivier' which is to my nose, the strongest scented colored Tea.
2. 'Comtesse Emmeline de Guigne' a great garden plant, changing from totally peach in spring, to pink.
3. 'Adam' Deeply fragrant to my nose.

Yellow Teas
4. 'Alliance Franco-Russe' for its' changing hues from season to season, now white and pink, and then pure yellow. For the same hue changing reason I love my
5. "Mrs. Dudley Cross' which my landlady saw and said "there's something special about that rose...,
6.'Etoille de Lyon' its' scent was called 'delicious' by one author, to me it has a scent like honeysuckle and cream.
7.'Marechal Niel' I've never seen a modern rose with the grace and hue of this rose.
Pink and white
8. "White Maman Cochet' love it love it love it.
9. 'Mme. Antoine Mari' I've wanted this ever since I saw it in Luannes garden.
Tree sized

10. 'Susan Louise' hybrid gigantea, I love those big Tea blooms that dangle from the tree sized plant, so temptingly.

Thank you for the question, now, if I ever buy property I'll know what I want to plant first. I grew up in Seattle and never cared for my mothers modern roses,(but loved her Mlle. Cecille Brunner') but since I've moved to California and Luanne introduced me to O.G.R.s, Teas have been my favorite class of rose.

Luxrosa

I've met very few Tea's that I don't love, but my favorites are (right now, anyway)

William R. Smith(huge blooms held somewhat upright, cream blushed with pink. Lots and lots of blooms)
General Gallieni( red, beautifully muddled blooms.Little disease)
Marie d'Orleans (blooms herself silly all summer long)
Lady Hillingdon (big yellow blooms framed by maroon new growth)
Rainbow(love the soft stripes)
Devoniensis (the fragrance!!!!)
Noella Nabannond (she's just huge and gorgeous.)
Clementina Carbonieri(wonderful sunset colors. The fragrance!!)
Mrs. Dudley Cross(big ole color shifting blooms from cream to pink)
Francis Dubreuil (He's still considered a Tea. Gorgeous and the fragrance is amazing)
Mlle. Franziska Kreuger (except in spring when she balls, she is a thing of beauty)

These are in no particular order. I guess my absolute favorite will always be Lady Hillingdon.

Carol

What a marvelous thread to discover! Since we live in coastal CA, Jeri has inspired me to focus on teas, chinas, noisettes and tough survivor-foundies. Then I got the Tea Roses book for my birthday so I'm well and truly hooked.

In our coastal CA garden these are doing well for us so far:

Mrs. B.R. Cant - a bloom machine
Gilbert Nabonnand - gorgeous blooms and few thorns
Mrs Dudley Cross - ditto and next to the hedge so the thornless idea is important for the hedge trimmer!
Georgetown Tea -- is it really Duchesse de Brabant without the mildew? Whatever it is, it's lovely.
M. Tillier
Mme. Lambard

Those we're not so enthusiastic about:

Lady Hillingdon - canes blackened and then she died.
Duchesse de Brabant -- so gorgeous but we saw heritage roses at an old home in Cambria that were martyrs to mildew so we've avoided her
Marechal Niel -- still sulking, but he's young so we're hoping.

It's interesting that most of us seem to grow the same teas or at least those are the ones we're listing as favorites. It would be fun if someone would come up with favorites that we've barely heard of and that no one else grows. Do we really have so few varieties in commerce that are really good plants? This is something I'm really wondering about.

Ingrid

This is a horrible, horrible thread. My only tea so far has been Sombreuil, and because of this thread, I had to order "Duchesse de Brabant" and "Mme. Joseph Schwarz" to try (Mauirose, your photos are so beautiful I HAD to try these!) I don't NEED more roses! And because I ordered 2, I had to order 2 more to get the full benefit of the shipping (Heinrich Karsch and Pink Gruss an Aachen)....so much for Christmas money!

Ingrid--One probable reason the lists are similar is that teas are BIG and take a long time to mature. Few people have the space to maintain dozens of them and everyone wants to make sure the ones in which they invest their time and real estate are proven successful varieties.
Also there most likely would have been more variety to the list if the request was to write down ALL teas grown, not just the best. Many of us probably have a few more. Those with the most mentions are so consistently good in so many situations they naturally float to the top.

Colleen

There are 28 pages of tea, tea noisettes and tea climbers listed on hmf. At an average of about 30 roses per page, that is about 840 plants. Not all are in commerce or available here, but that is a lot of roses, anyway.

I have about 20 teas; I love them. But they are big, like Colleen said. I'm trying to branch out and buy some different teas, but it takes time to evaluate them and they take up a lot of room. We just have to figure out other creative ways of finding places to plant them and we need people in our own areas who try out and grow them to see how they do. I've realized it's important that I participate in hmf because it's a good way to see who grows what in an effort to learn what else will grow and thrive in our own areas, lest we lose all of them except the ones designated as 'earthkind' and the ones talked about most readily.

I appreciate people who grow many, esp people like Connie, growing so many and then starting a nursery to sell them. Melva is doing the same; her list above includes some different ones that I've had to check out. And BarbaraG, growing them in a public setting. And a lot of other people, I'm sure ...

Good point, Colleen.

Although it's wonderful to discuss favorite roses, we don't want to discourage each other from trying some lesser known or appreciated varieties. While many may be disappointed in a particular rose, sometimes it's just a matter of having a healthy specimen, getting the cultivation right, being in the right climate, or being adequately nurtured long enough to get established.

Many a wonderful rose has bloomed unnoticed and faded away forever. So sad. I want to bring these orphans to the bosom of my yard, but my yard is too small. So if you hear of an sunny acre plus in the vicinity of Santa Cruz for sale cheap please let me know. I we can't find something with established old roses, I'll settle for an abandoned fruit orchard. Visualize, visualize, OMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

-Gala

Connie's starting a nursery?

Hi, Gean, one little aside on those "840" teas on HMF. Most of them have synonyms, and many of them have many synonyms, so that reduces the number greatly. When I have poured over those many pages of teas, it was surprising (and frustrating) how many are presumed extinct. And many are only available in Europe not in the US. So the actual available roses aren't that many. And then the found roses that are similar to or could be the same as another rose create the problem of duplications which is not acceptable in a small garden. I've been going for the unusual in my garden as well as the tried & true and have 21 now, but as you mentioned, they're babies mostly, and when I went back over my list, they're really weren't any that weren't mentioned above by someone else. Size is a big issue (no pun intended), so as much as I'd love to have some of them, I can only fit so many monsters, those being Mons Tillier and Mrs B R Cant. That means I'm hoping Maman Cochet won't be a monster. I think we're not alone in this regard.

It's just a pity so many have been lost. I wish there were more (and the ones in Europe make me drool) since they are the ones along with Chinas that will do best in my climate.

Sherry

Sorry Sherry, but Maman Cochet is a beautiful monster, at least at San Jose Heritage Rose Garden. I believe that she and Wht MC are the largest of the teas. Exquisite blooms though. And the garden only was planted in the 90's so... sorry to be the bearer of such news, but I figure that it's best to know, so you can plant appropriately.

Gala, Friend of Plants

Ingrid -
I have a few that are not mentioned and that only have one or two vendors listed in their pages on HMF - but they are just babies, so I don't know how they will perform. One is Mlle. Jeanne Philippe, which I expect to LOVE, but I really can't comment at this point. Right now, my roses all look healthy, but WINTRY. Can't wait for Spring!!!
Laura

I'm surprised that 'Mme Alfred Carriere' wasn't more popular or 'Sombreuil' both appeared to have a large fan club here for a while.

Lux.

Gala, I was afraid of that so I planned ahead. Almost half of MC will overhang onto my neighbor's yard - with her permission. But the fact is my garden style will soon be shown to be "thicket", I'm afraid.

White MC is one I would have loved to have and Souv de Pierre Notting looks nice.

Sherry

Lux, you're right, there's lots of MAC (Mme. Alfred) and Sombrueil fans out there-- but neither rose is classified as a tea. MAC is a tea-noisette, and Sombrueil was recently re-classified as a large-flowered climber. I'm sure MAC was mentioned on a recent thread of most fragrant noisettes-- there were lots of responses on that thread too, I think almost every noisette out there got at least two votes!

Sherry, you're right, there is a lot of duplication through synonyms, a number of roses are out of commerce or not obtainable right now. But there are still a lot of plants. Consider that Vintage caries 179 different teas, tea/china climbers and tea-noisettes (if I counted right). That's just one vendor. Many of the other nurseries that carry teas do carry duplicates but there are many others that Vintage doesn't carry.

I was just trying to say that there is a lot that is available and to remind myself to branch out a little and order some that are unknown to see how they will do. Otherwise, what we do have will be lost.

If we don't have room, we can try to find someplace creative to plant one and reminding myself to get my garden onto hmf. Most of you are ahead of me in that regard.

Gean, you're right, too. I wasn't even counting the climbers. There IS a lot available. Maybe I'm just frustrated that I have no more room. But I really would probably succumb to the temptation if some of those European Teas were to come available. There are just so many pinks and shades thereof, and I itch for something a little different. I know they can't all be Rosette Delizy, but I love the variable, multi-colored roses. I'm tacky that way. They just take my breath away. That's why I love LeVesuve with her darker & lighter shades of pink.

I think about planting in the common areas of our small neighborhood - when I'm done with MY yard. The neighbors will certainly think I've gone off the deep end if they see me digging elsewhere! There's also the matter of watering them, so maybe not.

Sherry

Sherry, have you seen Mme. Willermoz on the Vintage site? I ordered it because it's a beautiful pic (peach-ivory), Old Rose Advisor had some wonderful things to say about it, and it is a type 1, small(er) rose. How will it do in Alabama? I am going to find out.

A new rose that Lisa at Countryside has is a tea that she says is recently imported from England, Souv. de Francois Gaulain; beautiful red-violet with a white streak. Ashdown and RU carry it too. Another I'll let you know about in three years.

Have you seen Beaute Inconstante? or you have that one, don't you? I just ordered it. That's different.

I am planting an old rose in a new cemetery that our church has just started on its grounds. I'll have to hand water it for a year or so, but I think it will be worth the effort. If I can do it, you can too. :)

duchesse, I also recently acquired Mme. Willermoz from Vintage and will be interested to see how she turns out. She seems to be standing still compared to the other bands I ordered at the same time but I'll be patient.

>>>Souv. de Francois GaulainI am ordering this one, too, from Lisa. She told me they would not be ready until late April. I'd better get my order in now. Lol...

Veronica

Here is a link that might be useful: Francois

Gean, Ingrid & Veronica, those are two good ones, and I've been pining over Mme Willermoz at Vintage for a while, but the shipping always puts me off. But I've just seen that RU has her. If they're small(er), I may bite on them because only one of my seven Gruss an Aachens (5 pink) aren't doing too well.

I think Beaute Inconstante is a big one. That's the reason I don't have it even though I can get it locally. If it's not I need to know.

I also like Comtesse Festetics Hamilton and Mme (or Mlle) Something Soupert. I think Melissa? Oh, I think she's in Ashdown's Library.

Sherry

Are there hybridizers working crossing the teas with smaller roses (polys?) to get the beauty of the tea look but in a smaller size?

Correction. It's Mme Constant Soupert. But she's a 1905 HT - not a Tea - at least according to HMF - even though both parents are Teas???

Sherry

lbuzzell, have you tried 'Perle d'Or'?
I was thinking you might like that poly/tea.

Randy

Please note these are not in order of excellence, but as they came to mind.

1. Souvenir de Pierre Notting
2. Etoile de Lyon
3. Monsieur Tillier
4. White Maman Cochet
5. Niles Cochet
6. Rosette Delizy
7. Mrs. Dudley Cross
8. Baronne Henriette de Snoy
9. Safrano

10. Lady Hillingdon

I had a hard time leaving out some others, which I'll put in the "also great here in OC" list

11. Mme. Lombard
12. Mme. Berkeley
13. Marie van Houtte
14. Beaute Inconstante
15. Le Pactole

All these roses are first-rate.

Jerome

(OT)
Jerome, you're back! Where have you been?
Melissa

great listings!
..i would like them less tall because i have a lot of them in beds..
he're some of my favourites:

1. madame jules gravereaux - a gorgeous mix of oranges and salmon nuances
2. archiduc joseph ( your monsieur tillier) - fine foliage
3. gloire de dijon - heaven on earth
4. madame lambard - she's so variable through the seasons
5. francis dubreuil - the fragrance of damasks
6. paul lédé - even if it's listed as a hybrid tea some
times
7. madame bérard - soft temptation
8. marie d'orléans
9. e. veyrat hermanos

10. général schablikine

should i tell you about the other 65 favourites...?

Here is a link that might be useful: mme jules gravereaux/ austin, uk

gartenjockel, I wish you would tell us about the other 65 because there are bound to be some that we're not familiar with that we would like information on. How nice that you can grow so many teas in Germany, but I see you're in a fairly warm zone. How nice to have you be a part of the forum. Willkommen!

Ingrid

I have most of the top teas listed, and love them. Therefore, I'm going to share a few oddball teas that aren't mentioned.

Rose Nabonnand--I was lucky and grabbed it up from Countryside, and I've never seen it offered again. It's pale to blush pink, very vigorous and smells like fruit.

Thomasville Old Gold-from Vintage, a found tea rose. Love the changeable colors, the wood is a very pretty russet, and very vigorous. Smells sort of fruity too. (Downside--not good in a vase at all. It fails to open and breaks my heart every time I try.) Also, it roots quite easily.

Bridesmaid--the pink sport of Catherine Mermet. For me it stays on the smaller side for a Tea, it has a strong fruity scent and absolutely incredible fully opened blossom.

Elaine

thank you ingrid for the warm welcome - i'm so happy to meet you here on a fascinating theme.
tea roses are indeed a rare thing in germany and rather for freaks...but we're getting more and more...
i'm participating in a set of tealovers and found the way to you via morrisnoor about identification of some doubtfull teas in european collections and commerce. we have the same problems as the oz tealovers in this regard.
thus i hope that i will find here some answers to open questions concerning mislabeled, forgotten and found specimens.

ahhhhh..the rest of the fovourites...it's hard to say much about because they are still little plants that i've purchased one year ago. among them the better known items of the lists above. in a few weeks will arrive some found teas from vintage which we feared they would give up their business.
let's tell me more next season..the total listing of my plants you will find on hmf.
let me at least apologize for my halting english.
best,
kai-eric