Growing ‘Comtesse de Rocquigny’ Bourbon Rose
Continuing our celebration of roses this month, I am so excited to share a fairly recent addition to our garden: ‘Comtesse de Rocquigny’ a Bourbon rose from 1874. The Comtesse was purchased from Vintage a couple of years ago and spent the requisite time in a smallish container before being planted out into the garden last spring.
That first season, as the Comtesse was still getting her sea legs as it were, she barely grew at all, the leaves were spotty, and not a single bud was formed. She reminded me of Mme Calvat, actually, when I first introduced her to our garden, and since I love Mme Calvat I was willing to give Comtesse de Rocquigny a chance.
I’m so glad I did! This past summer she took off in her new location, stretching out several long canes topped with clusters of the most perfectly formed blossoms in a creamy pink with pale salmon centers. Ours is planted in the back garden which, due to the mature trees planted nearby, receives varying degrees of sunlight throughout the day but she didn’t seem to mind. As a Bourbon/Hybrid Perpetual we were given more than just one flush of blooms; in fact the final cluster of blooms never actually opened being frozen on the spot in our first hard frost.
Comtesse de Rocquigny is listed as being hardy to zone 5b. This will be the first winter with our planted out so I’m anxious to see how she comes through considering this is a difficult rose to find and I was lucky to snap up one of the few remaining from Vintage Gardens’ final sales. We haven’t had any significant snow to act as an insulation which makes me nervous. Then there are the rabbits which have been making their way through the garden biting off chunks of rose canes–they do this every year–and the Comtesse was not spared. (I was so cross when I found a long CdR cane just laying there on the ground. I mean, if you’re going to take a bite at least have the courtesy to finish eating it!) Do you worry about your roses all winter or is it just me?
Well, whatever the winter brings we have “just” 73 days until spring which means it’s time to start reserving your roses. Since we’re in a real state of flux right now I haven’t been able to do that which means I’m going to have to live vicariously through you. So! Do you have anything special you’re looking forward to growing in the coming spring?
This is a very cool rose, I remember when you posted the first picture on IG, you could hear the collective “gasp” across Instagram – it’s a stunner. Thanks for hosting the rose party this January, great idea to make it through this month!
Haha that comment about IG made me chuckle. 😉
Thank you for being here!
Forgot to mention the roses we’re “expecting”:
Queen of Sweden
Alchemist
Shropshire Lad
Lady of Shallot
Pomponella Fairy Tale
Eden Climber
Aloha Climber
and possibly Wisely 2008
What a great collection of roses!! Well chosen! Let me know how you like Pomponella…I had reserved that one for last spring and at the last minute found out it was no longer available. Seriously beautiful rose. I keep meaning to try Aloha, too. Ahh so many roses and so little time!
So, so pretty! Makes me want to buy one, it is so pretty and feminine in an understated way. You are making me want to add more roses to my garden when I swore I wouldn’t this season, LOL! I also want to get Royal Jubilee! Just found Chrysler Imperial which is a great rose for me for only $ 5.98 as a barefoot. Am soaking her now to plant today. Love, love, love your blog and Instagram!
Hi Holly! Thank you for your kind comment! 😀
I do know the feeling about wanting to add more roses when I shouldn’t. Boy have I ever been there! Chrysler Imperial is so gorgeous. What a find for only 6 bucks! Let me know what you think of her…
Thanks again for stopping by!
Not sure how I missed this post, but I’m glad to be catching up!
She’s gorgeous! The other night I had a dream about roses. There were so many blooming in my garden and I hadn’t noticed, so I was rushing to take photos and cut flowers. Kind of funny, actually. But I’ll take a dream about roses any night.
I’m looking forward to getting all my bands into larger containers and seeing what they’re going to do in their second year. Still holding off buying any new ones, but I can’t help reading through the David Austin catalog and mentally making lists thanks to all the roses you’ve been mentioning. 🙂
Yeah, I’ll take a dream about roses any day of the week!
It’s been such a weird winter, with all that stuff up in the air that I was telling you about, I haven’t reserved a single rose for spring. When the latest DA catalog arrives in the mail it might make me lose my mind a bit. 😉
I am so thrilled that you decided to keep writing this blog – I love it, and have found it one of the most helpful (and beautiful) rose blogs I have found! Now if only I can find this rose in the UK… Thank you for posting!!
Hi Karen, welcome! Thank you for your kind words…I’m so pleased you are enjoying the roses! 🙂
You find the most beautiful rose and since I’m not allowed any more roses (but we see about that!) I would like to get one more I brought Leda with me to the new house and a hybrid tea called tropics a that my sis in law gave me as a house warming gift now and I need a stunner and this is such a beautiful colored rose and I do like bourbons and hybrid prep. I had archduchess de something that the winter killed last winter so I’m really bummed about that. But can wait for spring to come!!!
Just 60 days until spring! We can make it, right? 😉
Thank you for posting the lovely photos of this beautiful rose. I am forming a collection of Bourbons and bought one of these earlier this year. I am looking forward so much to seeing it flower. Keep blogging!
Wow that sounds like an awesome idea…a collection of Bourbons. Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed the photos! 🙂
I love your blog! It seems we have the exact same taste when it comes to roses. How big does this rose get for you? I see it listed some places as a climber? I hope all your roses make it through the winter! You are not the only one who worries about their roses during the winter. Thank you for sharing all your beautiful roses.
Hi Lisa, thank you for your kind comment! So happy you’re enjoying this little ol’ blog. 🙂
Our CdR definitely looked like it could have been trained as a small climber as it threw out some longish canes the year this post was written. However, I couldn’t tell you how big it would have gotten at maturity because we’ve moved from this garden. I will say, however, that it did not like the cold winters we had in PA and when I visited that old house last June saw that she did not make it through the previous winter. Super bummer. So if you grow this rose, make sure to give it some winter protection. I hope this helps and thank you again!
Oh My Heavens! I am head over heels for this rose! Trouble is, I don’t see it for sale online…anywhere! She must be a rare one. I will pay you for a cutting!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing and I’ll be keeping my eyes open for this beauty online.
Hi Lauren, she’s a beaut isn’t she? Unfortunately, I got one of the last ones that Vintage Gardens was selling when they went out of business a few years ago….and this one, seen in this post, didn’t survive the Pennsylvania winter. I’m hoping to track another down myself and I’ll be sure to update everyone if I can find a vendor that has them currently in stock!
I have one of these roses, 5B Ontario Canada and she has been going strong for over 10 years. A very small bush, doesn’t really take off but beautiful blooms. I am considering digging her up and potting her to keep the japanese beetles off, but then again I am scared that it might not make it if I disturb it. I may just take a cutting and try to propagate 🙂
I think propagating is a good idea. Since she’s so difficult to find in commerce nowadays, it’s a good idea to have a backup. 😉