Zuzu...
HPs... were actually the transitional class from the once blooming roses to the repeat blooming roses when the china and tea roses were introduced into crosses with the European ogrs. They were the first class ... other than the chinas and teas which were imported ... that had repeat bloom. At the time, no one could figure out how to classify them. In some rose literature they are classified as ogrs, but in a lot of rose literature, the writers kind of skipped over this class simply because they didn't know where to put it. That's common with a transitional class.
In a way, it's kind of silly to think of the what we call ogrs as the "old garden roses" because the roses bred in China had repeat blooming roses approximately 7,000 years before the European roses, with their class system evolving to define the original European classes as ogrs. I am certain there were other HTs before 'La France', but they were not recognized as the "first hybrid tea". 'La France' was another rose which defied classification systems at the time was introduced. If I remember correctly, it was about 30 years before the hybrid tea class was officially recognized. So, there is a lot of wiggle room with the dates.
Then rose breeders continued to mess up formal classification systems by introducing polyanthas and then floribundas. It's possible for roses during those times to be designated in several different classes .. depending on the author and the nursery introducing the roses. In a way, it's kind of fun to look back and see how they muddled through the process of classification.
Smiles,
Lyn
