I love yours Jeri.

Here is one of mine.

I very recently got myself another start of it, my previous one having fallen victim to major roof/pergola repairs, just when it was really getting good, a few years ago. It grew well here, too. I am so looking forward to getting blooms like those in your photos again! I love your photos of it on HMF, Jeri, especially the whole-trellis one -- was just looking at them the other day, in fact.

Jeri, has there been any insight into who the ummm, ahem, *actual* breeder was? We all know who it WASN'T, lol. I've always wondered if it were bred in Europe, since Wyant was known to import a lot of roses.

I have a not too thriving plant of it, not in the right place, of course. It's another on my tentative list of roses to propagate. I've never cared for the fragrance, but find it one of the most lovely of all roses.

Fig, we think he got it from one of his neighboring breeders, and released it under his own name after that man's death. He'd been known to do that. Then, he gave it to ROY&T. Shortly afterward, they were hit by a bad flood -- a lot of stuff was mixed up -- names lost. THEN ROY&T introduced it as Sombreuil -- let's say by accident? Anyway ALL of it in commerce comes from that release.

Jeri, I knew Wyant wasn't the breeder. I've heard he falsely claimed more than one rose as his when they weren't. I was hoping that someone might have discovered the real breeder of CW. Someone deserves legitimate credit for one of the all-time greatest climbing roses. He/she will probably remain nameless for all time, unfortunately.

No proof, Fig. All we have is guesses. And, well, everyone it COULD have been is dead -- and likely was dead before it appeared as 'Sombreuil'. The last chance was the death of Wyant's daughter, a few years back -- and that chance was lost with HER death in the Bay Area.

And the last "semi-official" name given it was "Colonial White" which came from Wyant.

That's a wow Jackie.

That is a magnificent monster of a rose - I call mine Colonial White, too. I have a 'real' Mlle de Sombreuil - of course, nothing like CW. Can I ask whether you get a lot of rain where you are?

tuderte -- No. We are deeper and deeper into drought -- Although, we did get an unusual lot of rain last winter, and an El Nino year is predicted. But, essentially, our little part of California is a coastal desert. Sad but true.

We do also grow 'Mlle. de Sombreuil', having collected it in a Central California pioneer-era cemetery as "Jesse Hildreth".

Both of these roses - "Colonial White" and 'Mlle. de Sombreuil" - are lovely. I appreciate you sharing these close-ups.

Colonial White is so pretty, and wow! @jacqueline9CA, how astounding!

Hey!! jjkOC!! You're able to login again!

@jerijen, YES! happy to be back!

Here is a pic of the same Colonial White rose bush which was growing up 3 stories to the roof of our house in the old pic above in this thread. I just took the below pic a few days ago - it is happy staying as a self supporting bush - we just have it pruned gently (to keep it more rounded, and stop it from getting delusions of grandure again) about once a year.

Jackie

@jacqueline9CA, Beautiful! and grand!