Hi Damask Rose,

I did visit the souk, and one of the things I remember was the sound of the drink sellers with large metal cans like backpacks, and little metal cups -- and they would clank the metal cups in a rhythm kind of like castanets. That sound was so cheerful! Also the old city of Damascus was the first place I ever saw stretchy ice cream -- I remember it being pink or white, and I was amazed by how it formed a sort of long rope of ice cream rather than a scoop. I think they put gum arabic in it. One of my favorite foods from the Levant, which is probably not in season at this point because it is a hot drink for winter, is sahleb -- a delicious sweet, thick beverage made of milk and orchid root powder. Topped with some crushed pistachios it is delicious! I don't think I had it in Syria, but thinking of the drink sellers brought it to mind. I truly hope you get there some day, Damask Rose -- it is an extraordinary city! I can't tell you how sad I am about what has happened in Syria. I just hope that somehow time heals the Syrian people, and good times return.

Hi K S 8b Seattle! You have a beautiful way of writing things. It makes me feel like I am there, taking in the sights of the city. I read your post to my mom, and she smiled and said you took her back home. My mom was reminiscing about the foods and drinks you mentioned. She said the name of the first drink you mentioned is Erk Soos (made from licorice root), and that the stretchy ice cream is called Éma’a. Sahleb was another one of my mom’s favorite treats. (My mom has a sweet tooth : )). My mom is now planning to make Kanafeh (a shredded noodle dough dipped in syrup stuffed with a creamy cheese filling) for Easter dessert.

I can’t thank you enough for your kindness and your kind words about the Syrian people. Have a wonderful weekend my friend,

damask_rose_5 : )

This has been the most enjoyable and moving thread. I just wanted to thank @damask_rose_zone9b for sharing and thank everyone else for all of the really lovely responses shared. I learned so much and so much was really touching. I'm glad a recent comment bumped up this thread!

Any updates on your garden @damask_rose_zone9b? Madam Hardy was the rose that made me fall in love with roses and I'm glad you found a spot for it even if it's not an original damask. Ispahan has been on my to consider list for a while...I think I'm going to have to find a spot for it and order it next fall!

I also enjoyed this thread and would love an update! Plus pictures since IspaHan is one I want!

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm so happy you enjoyed reading this thread! I truly enjoyed reading everyone's lovely responses and seeing all the beautiful pictures. That rose ice cream looks delicious! : ). I'm so sorry I haven't been on GardenWeb very much for the past few months, I have been so busy with school and college applications, but as summer nears hopefully I will have more free time. Ispahan is just coming into bloom and Madame Hardy is soon to follow, so I will be sure to post lots of pictures starting tomorrow, and I have lots more stories to share! : ). I'm looking forward to reading everyone's beautiful stories, recipes, and pictures! : )

Have a lovely evening,

damask_rose : )

I just ordered Celsiana from Burlington Roses. If she had Ispahan, i would have ordered that one, too!

...and because I enjoyed this thread so much, I have just ordered Kazanlik from Rogue Valley. I have no idea how damask roses will do in my yard, but I am about to find out!

That icecream makes me want to grow Damask roses!

That's wonderful @BirdsLoveRosesSoCalCoast! I hope they bloom beautifully for you!

Here's a couple of pictures I took of Ispahan today. It is just now coming into bloom so I will take more pictures in the coming weeks. The scent is delightful, pure rose scent with notes of honey. Sometimes I like to harvest some of the petals to put in tea, but maybe this time I'll use them to make some of that delicious looking rose ice cream : ).

Have a lovely evening everyone,

damask_rose : )

This was such a wonderfully educational thread. Are all these roses once bloomers or do they re-bloom from spring to fall? I love using fragrant rose petals in my booking, baking and drinks. Cooking, Baking and gardening are some of my favorite activities. I can’t wait to try making the rose jelly and ice cream.

I LOVE your Ispahan! Absolutely gorgeous!!

Hi Ann,

Most of the Damasks are once bloomers (but they bloom A LOT when they do). There are some like Autumn Damask that have a second bloom in the fall, but most of them just bloom once. If you really really need a reblooming rose just look for one with a fantastic fragrance (there are lots of fragrant hybrid perpetuals, for example, and modern roses like Gertude Jekyll with fabulous fragrance -- the latter is one I use to make jelly and rose vodka). If I had a bigger garden I'd replace Gert -- right now though she looks great in my tiny garden, blooming in flushes through the summer next to my front gate, so she stays.

Hello everyone! Ispahan is at the peak of her glory right now. The stems are arched over and cascading with blooms! Here are some pictures from yesterday and today:

Hey damask, beautiful pictures! Is she always this light for you? For some reason thought she was a bit darker

Glorious pictures! I wish I could smell the fragrance over the internet. :)

Such a wonderful thread! Damask, I can well relate to your desire to grow something historic from your parent's time. In my case it's English Miss, a little pink modern rose my Mom used to have. I put one near my driveway so I can see it every day and think of her.

I also have Kazanlik, Gloire de Guilan, Ispahan but they haven't opened their blooms yet. The yard will be glorious when they do - a treat both for the eyes and the nose.

I'm so glad I discovered OGRs back when I was just starting my garden. Kazanlik and GdG were two of the first roses I planted.

Does anyone have any experience with Leda, the painted damask?

'Leda' is very pretty, but in my experience it doesn't have near the same vigor as many of the other Damasks.

Leda is one I am hoping to get from HCR next year

@User thank you for your honesty, that's a bit disappointing to hear (the review, not the honesty).

@oursteelers 8B PNW I hope it does well for you! It is so beautiful in pictures.

Man, some seriously beautiful roses here! The history adds to their beauty!

@Ann-SoCalZ10b SunStZ22 - I think we are made of the same mold. when I stopped baking during Covid lockdown, I think I went into depression. So I started baking again anyway.

Here’s last weekend’s project, of variable success, but well enjoyed.

@damask_rose_zone9b - wow! Fabulous. It seems to be more pale now. Does it tend to fade? I can’t wait for mine to start blooming!

@oursteelers 8B PNW -let us know how it does for you. I’ve been eyeing Leda for years.

Beautiful photos! Thank you for the update!

@noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque) what a delicious project!

Noseometer - what a yummy looking dessert!!! The toasted meringue on top makes it extra special!!! I could never make anything that looked that nice. I just can't do "looks pretty" in a dessert. LOL

Thank you @oursteelers 8B PNW! Ispahan tends to vary a lot in color for me. Some blooms are dark pink, some blooms are light pink, but I would say the majority are dark pink in the center and light pink on the outside. The blooms tend to be darker pink in cooler weather, and lighter in warmer weather. I think Ispahan bloomed darker pink in the previous two years because this year the hot weather has come early.

Thank you @K S 7a Yakima! I hope that one day they will invent some form smell-o-vision, so that we can send rose fragrances over the internet : )

Thank you @slumgullion in southern OR! It is so wonderful to be able to combine my love of history with my love of roses : ) OGRs really are pieces of history! I looked up English Miss and it is just lovely! The blooms look so delicate and beautiful, almost like painted porcelain. What a beautiful rose to honor your mom. Please post pictures of your roses when they bloom, I would love to see them : )

Thank you @rosecanadian! I agree! The history of OGRs is so fascinating!

Thank you @noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque)! The blooms do not fade, but open to be lighter or darker pink according to the weather.

I would love to see pictures of your Ispahan when it blooms : ) Also that dessert looks delicious!

Thank you @librarian_gardner_8b_pnw!

Also Madame Hardy has started to bloom! Here are some pictures I took a couple days ago. The petals are so beautiful, they look like layers and layers of tissue paper or crinkled silk. The smell is heavenly too.

Have a lovely evening everyone!

damask_rose : )

She is a beauty that’s for sure!

damask - holy cow!!! What a stunner! The first picture looks like a painting! How is school going?

Such perfect blooms on Madame Hardy! I wish there was a repeat blooming Madame Hardy. I suppose there is Fair Bianca...

@damask_rose_zone9b your Madam Hardy is beautiful. (So is your Ispahan--this thread has put Ispahan on my wishlist for 2022).

Madam Hardy was my first rose and will always hold a special place in my heart. Im eagerly awaiting her blooms and excitedly watching her rosebuds form. With her sepals she's even gorgeous in the early stages. Thank you for sharing your lovely photos! They've brightened my day.

@oursteelers 8B PNW - She sure is : ) I would highly recommend Madame Hardy for anyone who is looking for a pure white OGR with a strong fragrance. She is just lovely!

@rosecanadian - School is going pretty good : ) My teachers are giving a lot of last-minute projects and assignments, but we are nearing the end of the school year and I can't wait till it's over! ; ) Thank you so much for asking : )

@noseometer...(7A, SZ10, Albuquerque) - It would be so wonderful if there was a rose like Madame Hardy that bloomed throughout the year. Fair Bianca is very beautiful and looks very similar. I was at the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden yesterday and I saw the most beautiful pure white floribunda, but I can't remember the name. I think it may have been Bolero. I'm going back in a few weeks so I will see what the name is then.

@librarian_gardner_8b_pnw - Thank you, I'm so happy you are enjoying the photos! : ) I agree, the frilly sepals are one of the things I love most about Madame Hardy! Please post pictures when she blooms, I would love to see them : ) I hope Ispahan grows and blooms beautifully for you : )

Have a wonderful day everyone!

damask_rose : )

Damask - I'm glad for you that school is almost over! :) You'll have more time for your roses. :)

I'm getting a bareroot Bolero in a few days! I've heard so much about it here, that when I had a chance to get one, I jumped on it! Well....not "on" it. :)

@rosecanadian - How exciting! I've heard many glowing reviews for Bolero as well, and it is so pretty! I hope it blooms beautifully for you : )

Thanks!! :) :)

Lovely photos, damask!

I was so excited to get Kazanlik from RVR. But when the box arrived it was bent in half! I opened it right away, but the two roses both had their growing tips snapped off. Over the next couple of days all the leaves on Kazanlik (only about 6 - she was pretty tiny) completely wilted. I wrote to RVR to tell them of the shipping disaster and sent photos. Scott refunded me for Kazanlik. So that was good, but I'm so disappointed. I really wanted that rose. I took all the leaves off and since the stem is still green, I am just leaving it in a shady spot to see if she will recover...maybe...

Sorry to hear about that, BirdsLoveRoses. But I would keep hope - I've seen roses recover from very severe damage.

Yes, I've been quite surprised by how people here have saved severely damaged roses. Keep us posted. :)

I'm so sorry to hear that @BirdsLoveRosesSoCalCoast. I agree with @slumgullion in southern OR and @rosecanadian, there is hope yet. Roses are very resilient plants, and I have had a couple come back from the brink. Just in case it doesn't make it, I believe Rose Petals Nursery has Kazanlik available right now if you are interested. I have not ordered from them before so I am unsure about the quality of their roses, but perhaps other rose forum members who have ordered from them before could provide some input. I have had a very positive experience with High Country Roses; Kazanlik is out of stock on their website right now, but they sometimes restock in the fall. I hope Kazanlik revives and thrives for you, it is a very special rose : ).

Thank you so much, damask! I am hopeful for the one i have, but i am leaving tomorrow for 3 weeks away, So she will be on her own...

If i find that she has succumbed while I was gone, I will try to find another somewhere. I am very intrigued by Kazanlik - and Ispahan - so I will find them.

Agree with damask_rose_zone9b. I ordered roses from high country rose. Came as a twig, it just took off after planting. Within 2 seasons I was getting 60-70 roses from each.

My Kazanlik just started opening blooms and it's definitely one of my most powerfully fragrant roses. Much moreso than Ispahan, Gloire de Guilan, Mme Hardy, etc.

@damask_rose_zone9b, here are pics of English Miss:

She's a cute little thing. My mom's favorite shade of light pink.

I had Kazanlik for many years, but it everbloomed. Several years ago I moved one of my plants to a location where it would be less likely to lose buds from late frosts, and the next year I was rewarded with a few blooms. Winter before last, I moved the other Kazanlik to a protected location and now it is blooming well, too.

Here in Virginia we almost always have warm days in late winter, sometimes followed by April frosts. This combination is disaster for once-blooming Damasks which are among the first to break dormancy and form buds.

I had the same problem with Bella Donna which I had to move to a more protected location.

All of my European roses are in the north eastern part of my garden.

Lindsey

Just FYI, the quality of plants from Rose Petal Nursery is great! I have ordered from them several times and I am always impressed with the plants I receive. Also, I grew Leda for years and it did very well for me. No disease, and made a beautiful, rounded, plant that was absolutely covered in blooms. Her only fault was very little fragrance.

if you had a choice between kazanlik or Ispahan ? Im torn (seriously, choose 1. i have room for 1)

I just planted 47 roses in 8 hrs ! cannot wait. I'm Armenian so Kazanlik has more Constantinople/Hagia Sophia history of my culture....but Ispahan is gorgeous. I intend to make Rose Jam/water.

I don't know what to tell you. I have both, but Ispahan is much larger and cleaner and puts on more of a show for me than Kazanlik. When we have late freezes, Kazanlik tends to drop its buds whereas Ispahan does not.

While I don't have your cultural connection to Kazanlik, I do have a strong feeling about it as a true Damask from the same cross as Autumn Damask, which, of all roses, is my favorite. It's hard to imagine that anything so beautiful as the true Damasks could have developed as a natural three-way hybrid, and in my mind AD will always be the rose responsible for the twice-blooming rose gardens of Paestum.

Lindsey

@Lindsey. so you'd recommend AD over Ispahan (which I was leaning towards). I like a Darker pink but seeing "real" photos that they're a light pink? I don't have a frost: I'm in S.Cali

@LindaLu LindaLu--If you are in Southern California, I would recommend finding out how well Ispahan would do in your climate before you make a decision. My understanding is that it, like all European once-bloomers, needs a certain amount of cold weather in winter to form buds when spring comes.

I don't know how your climate would affect a repeat-bloomer like AD or its once-blooming relative Kazanlik.

What I can tell you is that Ispahan, Autumn Damask, and Kazanlik are all about the same shade of pink, which I would describe as medium. The portland hybrid Marchesa Boccella is just about the same color if you are familiar with it.

In growth habit, Ispahan is tall. Mine is probably close to seven feet--some of the canes are upright, several which were arching over with the weight of their blooms this spring are now producing new upright laterals. When people see my roses, Ispahan always draws attention. in my climate it has a long bloom cycle and is spectacular in bloom. When not in bloom, it is a clean, neat, healthy rose. I would not want to be without it. In fact, I have two and when the smaller plant was killed by a vole, I propagated another to take its place.

Autumn Damask, for me, is a smaller plant, and though beautiful in a different way, does not draw the attention of strangers as Ispahan does . I am fascinated by it partly because of its history and its link to the rose trade--I love that connection even though it isn't part of my cultural heritage. I had read about this rose before I ever saw it, and when I did see it at a nearby botanical garden it took me by surprise, announcing its presence in a small courtyard as I entered by the heavenly scent of its flowers. There were six plants in full bloom, flanked by Rosa Mundi and Apothecary, and when I saw the ID, I knew I was looking mentioned by Vergil. It was exotically beautiful--canes and foliage as well as flowers--and did not resemble like any rose I had ever seen; it has been my special favorite ever since.

Do, please, let us know which rose you select. I never tire of hearing about Damasks, and am glad to know others who love them, too.

Lindsey

Ispahan is great here and it is a spectacular rose.