I would like to add one rose to my herb garden, and don't generally have real good luck with roses. I plan to use the petals in lotions and rinses. So, looking for a very fragrant rose with lots of flowers, preferably long blooming rather than all at once. Any suggestions? I live in the Pacific NW with cold damp winters, pleasant summers. The intended spot will have full sun, good air circulation, and rich soil. Thanks in advance. Deb

Here's a link (I hope it works) to Northland Rosarium's list of continuously blooming roses with a strong fragrance. Northland Rosarium is in Spokane, so the roses they grow probably will grow well in your location.

http://northlandrosarium.com/s...

Of course, the link only takes you to the general search page, so you'll have to click on "Search by attributes" and then click on "blooms continuosly" for minimum repeat and "strong" for minimum fragrance. The rest depends on your aesthetic preferences. For me, the stars on the list are Betty Boop and Julia Child, but you may prefer other bloom shapes or colors.

Thanks, Zuzu, that link is perfect for what I need. I plan to make a list of potential roses and head out to my local nursery to see if I can match one up.

Betty Boop is a beautiful rose, but it doesn't have a strong fragrance here (zone 5.) Hardly any.

I've rather narrowed my choices down to either Jubilee Celebration or Lady Emma Hamilton. Both appear to have strong fragrance with repeat blooms. Jubilee is disease resistant, not sure about Lady Emma. Anyone had luck with either of these? I'll continue researching and also see if my go-to nursery has either of them.

Lady Emma Hamilton is healthier and more vigorous in my garden than Jubilee Celebration, but that might be attributable to various causes. Lady Emma gets more sun and is in a newer bed than Jubilee. The Jubilee bed might need some amending to nourish depleted soil. Aside from that, I prefer Jubilee Celebration because its colors are more varied.

Thanks, Zuzu. What can you tell me about the relative size of either? My local nursery lists both in their inventory list, so looks like I'll have my choice of either provided I scurry out there soon enough.

In theory, they're supposed to be the same size, but Lady Emma is much larger in my garden -- 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Jubilee has always been smaller, 3 feet by 2 feet, perhaps because of its location.

Both of those are super healthy in my garden through some extreme weather conditions. Jubilee has better colors. I love them both!

Thank you, rose people. I bought Lady Emma today for a variety of reasons, but foremost was I rather liked the name better than Jubilee (dumb, but there it is...) Wish me luck. Plan on using the petals for hair rinses , lotions, and such.

I understand completely. I recently saw a picture of a rose I fell in love with at first sight. It turned out to be one I had never even considered buying because it had such a stupid name: Hanky Panky.

I know it's a little late (I haven't been here in a while), but I would recommend Sheila's Perfume. I know some people here who use that rose for soaps. She smells wonderful, is always in bloom, big blooms, but I can't really help you with blackspot as that's not something I deal with regularly here (VERY rarely do I get it).

Floribunda Rose (Rosa 'Sheila's Perfume')

Sheila's Perfume isn't on Northland Rosarium's list of continuous bloomers with a strong scent. It might not be a good candidate for Washington State.

Deb, how much space do you have reserved for this rose?

I understand why a repeat bloomer is more appealing, but for herbal use, that can be troublesome. Most recipes require a pretty fair amount of rose petals, which on a repeat bloomer may only pan out on first flush (depending on how large and vigorous the rose is).

Traditionally, once blooming super fragrant varieties, like Bourbons, would provide lots of petals to work with. The most richly fragrant varieties with the highest petal count are best for herbal use.

I have a Bourbon called Banshee, (from Melva several years ago) that I smell before I see it. The first little buds start showing color, and the scent will beckon me to find the source- amazing! I've often thought I must make rose water for cooking desserts!