That looks like a bed of Gallicas, or other old European once-blooming roses. The really purple rose could be 'Cardinal de Richelieu' or one of the other Gallica-like Hybrid Chinas. The pink beyond it may be a Centifolia. There are lots of possibilities for creating a similar effect, but the results would last about a month, then be done for the year. Perhaps some English roses could substitute for a similar look. Another factor is your location -- your gardening zone will affect your possibilities.

:-)

~Christopher

Lower right....the H Musk Ballerina

The larger flowered magenta/purple on the right could be Charles de Mills.

Thanks everyone, interesting about Darcy Bussell. I thought they could be Gallicas with colours like that but was actually hoping for something else since I don't think Gallicas will love my climate :(

I have Reine des Violettes so I could try that with something like Darcy Bussell for a similar effect. The deeper pink rose at the back looks to have very large cupped flowers, I'd love to know what it is so if anyone has the book then please have a quick look!

I have the book and don't see that photo. But it would be fun to make it up on your own, with a mix of old and new roses...I could see, from left to right, A Shropshire Lad, Huntington Rose, Belle de Crecy or Reine de Violettes, Monsieur Tillier or Boscobel or Sonia Rykiel, Munstead Wood, Ballerina.

If those are Austins the second one back could be Rook.

I actually think I've seen that photo in an Austin catalog. I'll try rounding up my old ones and see if I can locate it.

John

I should think the deep blue-purple rose (second from the top of photo) might well be "Bleu Magenta" or maybe "Minerva Floribunda", while the next one along, the red-purple rose, looks to me like it might be "Indigo" (an Old Rose, 1830).

OMG, that is PERFECT ! I'd like to imitate that, too...Brightstar, what did you Google in order to find that photo? I'd love to save it on my computer, but have found that Houzz threads don't get saved for very long, so I'd like to find a way of keping it . That is exactly the "look" (lol) that I want to obtain!!!

Bart, unfortunately brightstar hasn't posted here since she moved to New Zealand several years ago. I love the look too.

@titian1 10b Sydney

Rats! Thank you for the info, Titian. I was just thinking of you and Comtesse and Australia. I pulled my Tea Roses book off the shelf to remind myself of blush-white options. I absolutely love that book by the wonderful Australian Tea Rose ladies, and I envy your climate for that wonderful class of old roses. I also follow a couple of Australian experts on HMF. So much great info to geek out with! :-)

@User

Bart, like Fig (a few years ago), I think that photo was from a David Austin Catalog. I MAY still have a copy because I’m such a rose pack rat. If so, I’ll let you know. I THINK 3 were Cardinal de Richelieu, Munstead Wood and Ballerina.

Carol

@User

Bingo! I found another shot of the same bed from the 2012 catalog. The caption doesn’t state the other rose names, but Darcy Bussell (not Munstead) is central. Ballerina is in the foreground and the other is either CdR or Hippolyte as I recall. With that noted, Darcy is never this darkly colored in Portland. Either Munstead or Tradescant hits that deep shade. Not sure of the other rose names. Carol