Does anyone have any lavender colored roses to recommend that are preferably strongly scented? Any unique or unusual roses would be great too!

I'm not completely up-to-date in this area. And not all of my ideas are actually lavender...

Stainless Steel is the old workhorse in this area. Not sure it is any good at all. I grew Lagerfeld long ago and I loved its unique color, its perfect form, and its delicious scent. It's hard to find commercially, but I think it is sometimes possible to find. If you have thrips, they could do some damage. I'm trying to grow Angel Face. And failing.Its offspring Playgirl might also be worthy of consideration.

Fragrant Plum I smelled for the first time in a California garden a week ago and it was delicious, unique, glorious. But my only try with it was a failure. It is good enough that when Palatine Roses offers it I'll snatch one up immediately. And try again several times. Palatine has recently offered Charles de Gaulle; definitely lavendery and not a hackneyed rose. I forget about the fragrance, but this seems to me to be one of the best lavender HT roses. Paradise and Paradise found might be worth considering. They are not the most robust of roses, but given perfect conditions and lots of attention they may be the prettiest of the lot. I'm not sure if Big Purple is very fragrant, but it is a beautiful rose. And, as HT roses go, it seems to be quite durable. Definitely worth a try.

Among old roses, rugosa rubra might be worth considering. Please do consider Madame Isaac Perriere. Not really lavender, and in a color some dislike, it might work near a lavender rose and. "The fragrance is among the most delicious to be found among roses" (attr to David Austin.) I love both.

I hope you find something that grows vigorously, looks good, and smells delicious. I'm really looking forward to seeing more comments on this one.

Nyx: Palantine Nurseries sold me a climbing Musk called "Lavender Lassie". It is loaded with blooms, and both very lavender and very fragrant, and it is Kordes bred (read hardy, usually disease resistant). They say Sold Out when I just checked their site, but that could change for their Fall orders. Cheers!

One of the frustrations in this area is that not all the roses that claim to be lavender will always render blossoms in that color range. In my own garden Lavender Lassie was a very good plant until it collapsed; but IMO the blooms were a cool pink. Not lavender. Something like the same problem occurs with Magenta. I forgot to mention Neptune, which might be a pretty good rose since it has been popular since its introduction more than a decade ago.

The lavender's that I have in my garden that I would recommend:

Blue Moon (very hardy and fragrant)


Heirloom (very hardy and fragrant)


Neptune (new in my garden, very fragrant)


Stainless Steel (with Twilight Zone) - very light lavender, good fragrance, not quite as hardy, beautiful blooms)


For "near" lavender, and highly unusual: Koko Loko (very prolific, no fragrance, blooms start very light brown/chocolate, then blooms turn lavender as they age - I LOVE this rose)


Those I have in my garden, that I would hesitate to recommend as they are either disease prone, or not very prolific:

- Angel Face (fragile, single blooms)
- Barbara Streisand (weak un-hardy bush, fragrant)
- Sterling Silver (beautiful and fragrant, but week bloomer)
- Paradise (disease prone, no fragrance)
- Blueberry Hill (borderline on her - single blooms, not fragrant, but fairly hardy)
-

Koko Loco at San Jose Municipal gardens recently. A beautifully formed rose in a unique color.

my all time favorite most vigorous lavender is Poseidon. Lavenders are my favorite.

A lovely photo. They should ship praying mantis with the fragrant lavender roses, it may be the only way to keep the thrips and aphids from destroying them.

I just picked up a lavender Kordes rose at Lowes a couple weeks ago... it's at my in-laws', in a big container. I'll check the label next time I go over, as I've forgotten the name. It had a couple of blooms when it jumped into my cart, very clearly lavender... but when the blooms first open they are more rose-pink, then they age to a strong (not pale) lavender. Alas, it has little fragrance. Maybe I'll tuck a little lavender plant in with it!

The Kordes rose Magenta is blooming in my garden for the first time ever after being planted four or five years ago. Kinda hard to find, but unmistakeably darkish lilac, not pink. It's hard to get to, so I could not say whether it is fragrant.

One of my favorite lavenders is Plum Perfect. Its blooms aren't huge and don't think its fragrant, but for me, it is disease free and blooms all the time. I have several - its become my favorite lavender.
Judith

Judi, I too have Plum Perfect. I just planted two of those in my yard (own root from Northland Rosarium--great roses!). They were little babies when they shipped in October last year and this spring I planted them in my garden. I am loving what I am seeing so far. They are blooming machines! Mine are still small (about a foot tall) and I can't wait to see what they will do when they put on a bit of age.

I have a mini rose that gets big for a mini (about 2 plus feet) called Lavender Crystal. Don't know if you wanted a mini and I don't know about a scent for it but if I recall, I think it is slight. Not sure how it would grow for you in your zone.




It is not an easy rose to find but I know Burling carries it. Since, I think you are in Washington, check with Northland and see what they recommend. They should know what would grow well for your zone.

I'll vote for Veilchenblau, although it may be too blue to be considered lavender. It's easy to grow, and cuttings root practically at the sight of water or dirt.

Love Song is really pretty. I have two that got cut to the ground from canker. I believe I caused it, so they aren't getting any special treatment this winter. They got a little blackspot their first spring, so I sprayed them for it this spring. I've only sprayed them 3 times, and they look good, so it might have been unnecessary. Both are own root, and still small. Plum perfect is darker purple, but I love that one too.

For the first time my Kordes shrub rose Magenta bloomed this year. I found it to be marvelous in its soft lavender coloration, not quite so pink as Lavender Lassie. Both bloom nicely in bright shade. Not sure if it's in commerce right now, though

MIL got rid of the tag, but I'm pretty sure 'Magenta' is the dusky lavender rose I picked up at Lowe's this spring. New blooms *are* magenta, and then they age to lavender. Stunning. It jumped off the shelf into my cart, wasn't on sale or anything.

HarmonyP - oh come on!!! Your roses can't really be that gorgeous can they?
Man, you can grow roses!!!! I especially love your 2nd picture!

Steve - that Koko Loco is stunning!!! If only it had fragrance.

Dana - what an amazing praying mantis!!!!! Great shot!

Blusanne - !!!!!!!!!!!! Is that zuzu's picture? She did a fabulous job with that rose!!! It's incredible!!! I can't believe it's that huge and glorious!!! Wow!!!

Carol

This is mine just before it hit peak bloom, it's second year in my garden.

Wow Sue! Just....Wow!

I can't post links, but my impossible dream rose is yellow and lilac. If you search hmf for Nr. 130 , you will see it. Distant Drums is pretty unique too, and available.

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