Hybrid Musk; shrubLouis Lens, 1996Pink

Alden Biesen

Soft pink 'marzipan' flowers with a white centre in large pyramidal clusters; as they fade the petals turn green — a decorative effect; abundant red hips in autumn; 🇧🇪 a classic Hybrid Musk by Louis Lens.

Named after the Teutonic Order commandery castle in Belgium

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat flowering

Repeat-flowering, almost continuous from June to the first frosts. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Awards

Monza 1997

No. 87 at a competition (Italy)

Plant size

125–200 × 150 cm

Habit: Upright, vigorous, with arched/drooping cane tips; readily produces basal shoots
Dimensions: 125–200 cm tall × ~150 cm wide — a large bush for a free-flowing hedge or drift
Support: Does not need; a light support can be given in windy spots
Shoots: Long, flexible — hold well in a free-flowing hedge
Branching: Long, flexible, arching canes

Flower

3–4 cm

Bud shape: Small, soft pink
Open flower: Single to semi-double, cup-shaped; in large, long pyramidal clusters (resembling hydrangea flower heads)
Centre: White, with yellow stamens
Fullness: Single to semi-double, 4–11 petals
Flower carriage: In large pyramidal clusters of many small flowers

Fragrance

Barely noticeable

Barely noticeable / light (mild).

Disease resistance

4 out of 5

~4/5: Lens Hybrid Musks are generally quite healthy.

Sun

Sun + shade

Tolerates light partial shade.

Thorns

Few

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

No precise data — Hybrid Musks are usually low in thorns.

Foliage

Dark green, slightly glossy, long-elliptic.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Hybrid Musk; shrub
Breeder: Louis Lens, Belgium, 1996
Bud shape: Small, soft pink
Open flower: Single to semi-double, cup-shaped; in large, long pyramidal clusters (resembling hydrangea flower heads)
Centre: White, with yellow stamens
Colour: Soft pink 'marzipan' with a white centre; the reverse of the petals is white-cream; as they fade, the petals hang on for a long time and turn green
Fullness: Single to semi-double, 4–11 petals
Flower carriage: In large pyramidal clusters of many small flowers
Flowering: Repeat-flowering, almost continuous from June to the first frosts
Fragrance: Barely noticeable / light (mild)
Hips: Yes — decorative oval red hips, abundant from September
Habit: Upright, vigorous, with arched/drooping cane tips; readily produces basal shoots
Branching: Long, flexible, arching canes
Shoots: Long, flexible — hold well in a free-flowing hedge
Thorns: No precise data — Hybrid Musks are usually low in thorns.
Dimensions: 125–200 cm tall × ~150 cm wide — a large bush for a free-flowing hedge or drift
Support: Does not need; a light support can be given in windy spots
Foliage: Dark green, slightly glossy, long-elliptic
Resistance: ~4/5: Lens Hybrid Musks are generally quite healthy
Variations of the variety: Code LENgrati (LLX 8964). Parentage: Pleine de Grâce × Pretty Pink (both Lens Hybrid Musks). Bred in 1989, introduced in 1996

Colour scheme

Soft pink 'marzipan' with a white centre; the reverse of the petals is white-cream; as they fade, the petals hang on for a long time and turn green

Rose neighbours

Guirlande d'Amourwhite

Heavenly Pinksoft pink

Dinkyfuchsia-pink

Corneliaapricot-pink

Perennials to plant nearby

Lavenderlavender

Catmint (Nepeta)blue-lilac

Woodland sageblue-purple

Lady's mantle (Alchemilla)lime greenWoodland sage

Neighbouring roses

The Lens family of Hybrid Musks — light flowers in large clusters:

Guirlande d'Amour Heavenly Pink Dinky Cornelia

Perennial companions

Lilac-blue perennials bring out the soft pink and the greenish tint of the petals:

lavendercatmint (Nepeta)woodland sagelady's mantle (Alchemilla)

What makes it special

⭐ A rose for a natural, 'wild' garden:

🍂 petals turn green — an unusual decoration🔴 abundant red hips in autumn🌥 tolerates light shade🏰 named after a Belgian commandery castle

More about the variety

Hips: Yes — decorative oval red hips, abundant from September
Variations of the variety: Code LENgrati (LLX 8964). Parentage: Pleine de Grâce × Pretty Pink (both Lens Hybrid Musks). Bred in 1989, introduced in 1996

How to grow

Where to plant. In natural or romantic gardens, in free-flowing flowering hedges and drifts; it tolerates light shade — a good choice for a 'wild' corner.

Climate. USDA 6b–9b; in harsh winters in central and eastern Ukraine, protecting the base is advisable.

Care. Fertile, moist but well-drained soil; care is minimal — sanitary pruning and thinning in spring; some of the spent clusters are left for the green petals and the red hips in autumn.

About the name

Name. 'Alden Biesen' — after the Landcommanderij Alden Biesen, a commandery castle of the Teutonic Order near the town of Bilzen (Limburg province, Belgium), one of the best-preserved complexes of the Order in the Benelux. The rose was christened in 1996 for the 25th anniversary of the commandery's handover to the Flemish Community.

Breeding. Bred by Louis Lens (1924–2001) at the Belgian Lens rose nursery — world-famous for its Hybrid Musks. Code LENgrati. Parentage: Pleine de Grâce × Pretty Pink (both Lens Hybrid Musks). Bred in 1989, introduced in 1996.

Significance. A classic Belgian Hybrid Musk — undemanding, healthy, with large 'hydrangea-like' clusters, an unusual 'greening' of the petals and abundant red hips. No. 87 at the Monza competition 1997. Ideal for a natural garden and a free-flowing hedge.

Frequently asked questions about Alden Biesen

How many times a season does Alden Biesen flower?

Repeat-flowering, almost continuous from June to the first frosts.

How big does Alden Biesen grow?

125–200 cm tall, about 150 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Alden Biesen?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Healthy foliage (typical of Lens Hybrid Musks).

How much sun does Alden Biesen need?

Sun + shade; tolerates light partial shade.

What does Alden Biesen smell like?