I love your story L G. This does not look like Madame Lombard to me. ML is warmer colored. Baby flowers can look so different so I would love to see more photos over time.

Thank you Sheila!

Houzz continuously erased the photos I tried to post, but I will try to post some more photos as wella s one or two of the bud soon. It also did not let me add comments under the photos. THe colour of the open bloom was somewhat darker on my phone than on the computer screen (which I am trying now), it is more mid pink with a slight lavender undertone at present although the bud is quite a dark pink.

The trip was a beautiful surprise, and quite a mission to get the cuttings home :-) The kind lady literally gave me an armload full of cuttings, and, as It was a surprise. I did not have any pruning scissors etc with me to prepare the cuttings. The place where we stayed was more like a small village than a town and we had to drive up and down for towelling paper, disposable cups, plastic bags etc to keep the cuttings moist. I furthermore went to beg the owner of the guesthouse for some boxes and a pruning scissors so that I could find someway to transport them. Nobody thought I was serious in taking back all those cuttings... but they were too special not to take them with. My dear old hubby flew back with with our youngest on his lap (she was about 8 months old at the time) while I clinged onto the box of cuttings with all my might (I am not a good flyer :-)

Anyway, I really hope the following ones made it, although I am not so sure that they were some of the surviving ones: Mons Tillier (I love love loved the colour of the one I saw blooming in the garden!) Mme Franziska Kruger, Mme Lambard, Louis Philippe, Devoniensis, Catherine Mermet, Fanny la France, Ma Tulipe and Solfataire.

That is a great story.!I've been lucky enough to have a similar experience and had to ask the hotel desk to use their fridge as mine was filled with cuttings! Unfortunately, I had no experience with cuttings so all the rarities blackened and died, while The Fairy and Pink Pet survived. You made out pretty well with 12 varieties making it, especially such a rare Austin. What is the name of this garden and might they possibly have a list of the roses grown as it might help eliminate a few? I'm also anxious to see it. It must have been a dream.

Thank you very much for your input Jeri. I believe you are indeed correct (without me even having to post the pictures of the leafs and buds). "Parson's Pink China"/ Old blush was indeed one of the roses in the garden, although I could not even remember that I got a cutting from it. Thank you for guiding me in the right direction. Vaporvac, If only all our cuttings took! I am much better at raising seeds to maturity than with keeping cuttings alive, I've also received several other rare cuttings in the past that simply did not make it. I usually baby them too much, whereafter they turn black and die. My success has improved slightly in the past year or two but still... I am still busy to try and practice grafting (REseseek has wonderful, clear directions on his blog which I discovered a few years ago) but between toddlers, babies, working and everything that happened in the last year or two (including moving house) my time was a bit limited. Hopefully I will be able to try again in the coming year :-)

By the way, the heritage rose garden was the SA Rosarium, a really lovely place. It was a wonderful experience to see some of the heritage roses in the garden and then realize just how special and rare they are. They were still busy with creating and updating their inventory when I enquired the previous time but hopefully I will have it someday :-)