Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Visit to the Past: Roses of Yesterday

"Frequently it is said that 'old-fashioned roses are all singles', or 'they bloom only in small, rosette clusters', or 'they only flower in spring'. I am reminded of Artemus Ward's Definition of Ignorance - 'Knowin' So Many Things that Ain't So.' "

Queen of Denmark, alba
This is a quote from my copy of the 1959 rose catalog published by Roses of Yesterday, probably the oldest antique rose nursery in the US.

As far as I understand, the nursery used to be called "Roses of Yesterday and Today" and then dropped the second half of its name



This nursery is located just outside Browns Valley near Watsonville, conveniently on the way between our house and the beach. The valley is full of orchards and vineyards and is a beautiful, serene place to visit.



On my first visit to the nursery I was sure our GPS was wrong when it told us to drive into a deeply shaded canyon overgrown with giant redwoods covered with moss and ivy. Who could grow roses with so much shade?

Felicia, hybrid musk
And what about root competition from so many trees?

F.J. Grootendorst, hybrid rugosa











Despite my reservations, roses appear to have been flourishing here for many decades.

Common Moss, moss


The nursery does sell a few modern and David Austin roses, but most roses in the display garden are antiques.

Buff Beauty, hybrid musk


Because it is cooler and shadier than where we are, their roses bloom at least a month later, and on our recent visit we were rewarded with big displays of once-blooming roses...

Newport Fairy, hybrid multiflora






...some of which ramble hundreds of feet up stately redwoods, a spectacular sight.


It was very refreshing to come here on a hot day and stroll in a cool shady garden full of blooms....

Sally Holmes, hybrid musk

.... along paths strewn with fallen petals.....

Paul's Himalayan Musk?, rambler

... and turn a corner to come upon an unexpected view of a blue hydrangea smothering an old bench.



When I started collecting roses, I was surprised to discover that such a seemingly peaceful and innocent hobby can arouse strong feelings and heated debate, not the least of which concerns various rose vendors. The debate as to which is the best one still continues, and is unlikely to be settled in the foreseeable future :), as there seem to be as many opinions as there are customers...

Souvenir de la Malmaison, climbing bourbon
For myself, I can say that all my roses purchased from this nursery are thriving (as well as the vast majority of my roses bought from other rose vendors), and I would certainly buy from them again if I had anywhere left to plant.

Penelope, hybrid musk, purchased from Roses of Yesterday, in my garden
I hope this old nursery will continue in business for a long time to come, as a living reminder to us of generations of rose gardeners so passionate and devoted to their pursuit.

Mme. Hardy, damask

All rose pictures (except Penelope) were taken at the display garden of Roses of Yesterday. Their roses are tagged, but some tags are missing, and some are illegible, and some have been engulfed by a spreading rose. Therefore, I have supplied the names of most of the roses in these pictures myself, as best I could :). If you are interested, here is their website.

41 comments:

  1. I can't tell you, Masha, how jealous I am !!! All those beautiful roses ... Thank you, for showing us such a lovely, romantic nursery.

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  2. I wish I was there! You always take charming pictures. I like your posts.
    Alberto.

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  3. I love roses, and in this beautiful garden they are so romantic!!

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  4. You are really good with photography. Congrats!

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  5. We don't have a lot of display gardens that have roses for sale here, I think because of the climate. Its funny too, because as an old city planted long ago, so many roses are thriving in the oddest conditions, (slit of dirt between house and sidewalk), under trees, all over the place, competing with everything. Personally, I find roses to be some of the easiest things to keep alive. But if I ask a local they'll say, 'ooh, to hard'.

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  6. I remember this company and I think I even ordered from them way back in the early 90s when I was first getting started in roses. Didn't they close for a while because of a virus in their stock? I don't recall the details but I do remember their lovely catalog.

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  7. Many thanks for this post about this established old nursery. I always wanted to go there, but never had a chance, so I am very happy that you are taking us on a tour through their garden. Your photos are lovely as always! In terms of the roses especially 'Penelope' and 'Mme. Hardy' speak to me. How old, tall, and wide is Penelope in your garden?
    Christina

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  8. Dani, Alberto, Delia and Taro, thank you for your compliments. I will keep taking pictures then!

    Jess, what a sad comment... I am glad you appear to be so observant and notice which roses do well in your neighborhood. Maybe one day you will start a display garden?

    Phillip, their catalog is a gem, nobody writes like this anymore... I did hear stories about the RMV, but haven't heard about the nursery actually closing.

    Christina, thank you for the compliments. My Penelope is about 4 by 3, she likes to spread, a very graceful fountain shape with branches arching and drooping almost to the ground. The specimen at the Heritage is probably 5 by 4. The nursery grows Mme. Hardy next to Raubritter, they look great together. Their Mme. Hardy is very big, I am tempted to say 5 by 8, but not dense at all.

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  9. Oh how beautiful - I want to hop on a plane and visit right now!

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  10. Masha, this is really a beautiful Rose garden and nursery - I enjoyed my walk through it! Thank you!

    The photo of the "Paul's Himalayan Musk" with all the rose petals on the ground ... well that is just too beautiful!

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  11. So pretty. I remember how surprised I was to learn about giant rambling roses and other older types - very different from the modern hybrid teas I had seen. And I thought the roses in Sleeping Beauty were exaggerated - but they certainly could exist! Now I have heard that there are no double roses in the wild, as the extra petals take a lot of energy and confer no advantage for pollination. Perhaps that is where the confusing quotes come from?

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  12. Thank you, the sproutling, I hope you will!

    Christine, thank you, I agree with you completely.

    VW, interesting comment. I think you are right in general, although I can think of a few species roses that are not single, such as r. palustris plena, and r. roxburgii plena, the double chestnut rose. R. banksiae, of course, also comes in a double form...

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  13. I thought the first quote too. Maybe there's confusion between old roses and wild roses. I assume that old roses were the predecessors of hybrid teas ?

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  14. What a beautiful setting for a beautiful roses! Thank you for sharing

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  15. So very lovely. You are slowly but surely making me want to plant more roses. In NC, I saw a rose called 'Verdun' growing in full shade--very beautiful.

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  16. Beautiful photos, Masha! Carla

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  17. B-a-g, that's a great comment. You are right, there is a lot of confusion. Antique roses are mostly garden hybrids, more or less predecessors of HTs, but being garden hybrids with centuries of breeding they come in lots of shapes, colors and sizes...

    klaraau01, thank you for your compliment.

    Carolyn, I am sure that in every climate you can find roses that will grow with minimal care. I like Verdun although its vibrant color puts me off a little :).

    Thank you, Carla, I am glad you liked them.

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  18. I am with the Sproutling, get my ticket and fly to see the roses. There, they are disease free and healthy. Here, with all the rain, they are looking a bit haggard.

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  19. Thank you, Donna, I hope you will too :). It is easy to love roses in California.

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  20. This is the nursery that started my obsession with roses. I used to read the catalogs in a furnished house we had rented for the summer. And then, when my parents got a house in the country, my mother subscribed to it and asked me to consult with her on which to buy from it. The descriptions were so vividly written that I soon had the catalog practically memorized, and Graham Thomas's rose books, as well.

    It was to be over ten years before I had my own plot of land, but scarcely a day went by when I wasn't thinking or reading about old roses -- making lists, visiting arboretums. Thanks, Will Tillotson and Dorothy Stemmler, for enriching my life so immesurably.

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  21. To wspaniały pomysł stworzyć taki ogród . Chętnie bym też tam pooglądała te piękne róże. Pozdrawiam

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  22. Oh, what a beautiful place this must be! I love the picture of the fallen petals. I can imagine how peaceful and romantic this place must be - and the scent must be wonderful! Thanks for the tour!

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  23. Ellen, thank you for sharing your story, it was so wonderful to read it.

    Giga, thank you, you are right, it is a lovely garden.

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  24. Holley, it is beautiful and peaceful, and full of roses, which is a joy for a rose addict like you or me :). I am glad you liked the tour.

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  25. Gosh, it looks like Heaven! So there's hope for those of us with shade gardens! I'm planning an upcoming post on my limited experience with Roses--stay tuned.

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  26. I ordered the Alchymist that went over our apartment door years ago when DH was in medical school; I still have their catalog for reference. How nice that the nursery is still in business and even nicer that you got to visit it!

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  27. What a wonderful post. I only wish I lived closer to this fabulous rose nursery. I am so jealous... and it's on the way to the beach? You clearly live in heaven!

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  28. Beth, I am looking forward to it!

    Sweetbay, yes, it feels nice to bring a bit of history back to life. I visit them a few times a year, I just can't resist it when we are driving by on the way to the beach...

    Cathy, thank you. Sometimes I think so too, especially when I forget about the cost of living (especially the cost of water in our annual dry seasons).

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  29. What a lovely place ! If I had to go back to California, I would know where to go. Thanks for sharing through your blog, Masha !

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  30. Merci, Isabelle, I hope you can come over one day.

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  31. Thanks Masha for the info regarding 'Penelope' and 'Mme. Hardy'!
    Christina

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  32. It's always a pleasure came here!
    Have a nice day!
    Monica

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  33. Grazie, Monica, I feel the same about your blog!

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  34. Masha, I know you really enjoyed your visit there. The Sally Holmes is very pretty. Have a friend who has one. So beautiful.

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  35. Thank you, RR. My neighbor has one too, I love the subtle peach and blush and cream colors on the huge blooms. If only I had more room...

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  36. Thank you for the treat, Masha.
    It's great to see your photos of these ancient plants!
    I think High Country Roses is the closest rose vendor to me, at about 400 miles. Some day I'll just run on up there.
    Sandra

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  37. Thank you, Landbohaven, and welcome!

    Sandra, thank you. I have heard good things about Hight Country Roses. 400 miles seems quite a trip, but I hope you make it and blog about it. I am sure I will enjoy your post.

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  38. I enter your blog as if it is the rose garden, amazing. Photo of flowers and bench and the view of the valley are my absolute favorites.

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  39. Thank you, Irina, for your compliments. I appreciate them a lot.

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I am so glad you have stopped by!