Danaë

Where to plant. Historic flower beds, romantic cottage gardens, next to paths (for the scent); copes well with partial shade, so it suits planting under trees; as a climber, on a low support or a wall.

Climate. Down to −23 °C; overwinters across Ukraine with moderate protection.

Care. Minimal, thanks to its legendary disease resistance. Only sanitary pruning; shaping is not needed. Regular feeding supports abundant flowering.

Name. Danaë, in Greek mythology the daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos, and mother of Perseus, conceived by Zeus in the form of a golden rain. The variety's yellow colour echoes the 'golden rain' myth. It is often written without the diacritic as 'Danae'.

Breeding. Raised by the Reverend Joseph Hardwick Pemberton (1852-1926) at Haywards Heath, Great Britain, 1913. Parentage: 'Trier' (Hybrid Multiflora, Lambert 1904) × 'Gloire de Chédane-Guinoisseau' (Hybrid Perpetual).

Significance. One of the first two Hybrid Musks in history (together with 'Daphne', also 1913). It is the founder of the whole Hybrid Musk class, from which Cornelia, Penelope, Felicia and Buff Beauty later emerged. In commerce for over 110 years, a phenomenon of longevity. A benchmark for resistance and repeat flowering in its era.