The Five Different Types of Rose Fragrance

by Rebecca, Phoenician and our Rose Expert

When we plant roses, we think first with our eyes when we consider the colour and form of the bloom. Certainly choosing one’s favourite colour or the perfect hue for a that magical colour combination is extremely important. Next, since we’re talking roses, we should think with our noses. Roses are famous for their visual beauty but also their fragrance. Roses can have strong, medium strong, light, or no fragrance, depending on the cultivar. But beyond the intensity of the fragrance roses also offer different types of fragrances to choose from. Let’s explore the different types of scents offered by the world of roses.

There are five distinct fragrances used to describe roses:

Old Rose is the classic scent that comes to mind when we picture a bouquet of red roses. This is the romantic scent that is beloved in perfumes, baking, and even skincare. The traditional old rose fragrance is warm with a hint of sweetness and is a special scent all on its own. This fragrance can typically be found in red or pink roses. It is the fragrance used in making rose water for which only the most strongly scented of roses are used.

Fruity fragrance is a broad term used to describe various different fruit-like rose perfumes. Fruit fragrance can include fresh apples, different sweet berries, and zesty citrus. Overall, this scent is light and can occur as a single fruity scent or be a combination of different fruits. Roses with fruity fragrance are an ideal choice for someone who does not like the traditional old rose fragrance.

Myrrh fragrance is quite unique. It is typically described as a sweet anise or black licorice scent which is warm and spicy. This fragrance is divisive in the rose community as people either love it or hate it. Myrrh is mostly found in English roses. Though some people might not love this fragrance, that aspect is often overlooked because the shapes and forms of English style roses can be so spectacular.

Tea fragrance is a mixture of fresh tea leaves with warm notes of nutmeg and violet. Apricot and yellow roses typically present tea-like fragrance. This fragrance is complex in that it can sometimes be a little fruity.

Musk fragrance is unique in that the scent does not come from the rose petals but rather from the stamens. One would have to smell the rose up close to smell its warm, sweet and spicy notes. This fragrance is typically used in perfumes because it has long, lingering notes that can remain present longer than other types of scents.

The experience of rose fragrances can be complex. Some roses might offer a combination of these five main types of perfumes. Also, what one person smells and experiences when they put their nose deep into the petals of a beautiful rose might not be the same as the next person. We also all have different olfactory capabilities in terms of the sensitivity of our noses to detect fragrance in general and then to appreciate the different nuances within them. Though experiencing fragrance can also be learned. You need to keep smelling the roses!

People who are sensitive to fragrance can choose to plant roses with strengths from light to strong while people who have a weaker sense of smell should choose roses listed as having a medium to strong fragrance. After that, decide which are your favourite types of fragrances and how you want to enjoy them. Do you want to smell your roses as you walk about the garden or sit on your patio? Do you want to use your roses for baking or to scent your bath water? Or do you want to cut your roses to enjoy in a vase indoors?

Here is a list of the five different types of rose fragrance and different cultivars that offer these heavenly perfumes. We offer most, if not all, of these roses each year in our Great Rose Pre-Order.

Old Rose Fragrance
Brother Cadfael
Desdemona
Eglantyne
Gentle Hermione
Gertrude Jekyll
Harlow Carr
Honeymoon
Julie Andrews
Melody Parfumee
Silas Marner
Summer Romance Parfuma
Tess of the D’Ubervilles
Thomas A Becket
Tranquility
Westerland
Yves Piaget

Fruity Fragrance
Anne Marie
All Dressed Up
Arctic Blue
Beverly Anne Clay
Bliss Parfuma
Bolero
Bordeaux
Cinco de Mayo
Cinderella Fairy Tale
Crown Princess Margareta
Darcey Bussell
Dee-Lish
Double Ambre
Earth Angel Parfuma
Elegant Fairy Tale
Emily Bronte
Eustacia Vye
Forever Amber
Full Sail
Gabriel Oak
Gold and Great
Honey Dijon
Honeymoon
Hot Cocoa
Imogen
James L. Austin
Jump for Joy
Kiss Me Kate Arborose
Lavender Crush
Life of the Party
Livin’ Easy
Love at First Sight
Melody Parfumee
Moonlight in Paris
Moonlight Romantica
Olivia Rose Austin
Pop Art
Princesse Charlene de Monaco
State of Grace
Summer Romance Parfuma
Sweet Mademoiselle
The Poet’s Wife
Top Cream
Violet’s Pride
Westerland
Yves Piaget

Myrrh Fragrance
Anne Marie
Bathsheba
Boscobel
Claire Austin
Distant Drums
Gentle Hermione
Harlow Carr
Honey Perfume
Hot Cocoa
Julia Child
Julie Andrews
Mary Lou Whitney
Melody Parfumee
Polka
Queen of Sweden
Sceptr’d Isle
Strawberry Hill
Summer Romance Parfuma
The Generous Gardener
The Pilgrim
Wollerton Old Hall

Tea Fragrance
Beloved Bill
Burst of Joy
Charlotte
Colette
Devotion
Emily Bronte
Golden Celebration
Graham Thomas
Leonardo da Vinci
Molineux
Port Sunlight
Princess Alexandra of Kent
Princess Anne
Roald Dahl
Summer Song
Teasing Georgia
The Lady Gardener
The Pilgrim
Vanessa Bell

Musk Fragrance
Lichfield Angel
Malvern Hills

Roses with a Complex Mix of Different Fragrance Types
Emily Bronte
Golden Celebration
Honeymoon
Hot Cocoa
Julie Andrews
Melody Parfumee
Summer Romance Parfuma
The Pilgrim
Westerland
Yves Piaget

These roses are usually rated as hardy to zones 4 or 5, depending on the cultivar. For tricks on how to grow these roses in colder zones than their official rating, read our article on “How to Grow David Austin Roses in Zone 3”.

At Phoenix Perennials we offer one of Canada’s largest selections of David Austin and other English style roses each year for Canadian gardeners plus a selection of other top rose cultivars. We launch online pre-ordering as part of our Great Rose Pre-Order every fall or winter for the following spring with options for gardeners in Richmond, Greater Vancouver and beyond in British Columbia to pick-up your roses as potted plants at our Richmond, BC nursery or for bare root mail order shipping across Canada from March to early April as weather warms up in your region. You can also shop for roses in person at Phoenix Perennials through the spring, summer and fall.

If the Great Rose Pre-Order is currently running, you’ll find it in our Pre-Order Area. To be the first to know about the launch of the Great Rose Pre-Order and to receive articles on roses, subscribe to our Rose Alert.

To learn more about the roses we carry, read our articles David Austin Roses for Canadian Gardens and English Style Roses for Canadian Gardens (other than David Austins!).