Mme Alfred Carrière

Where to plant. On a north wall of the house, a unique advantage among climbers (most need a south exposure); on a pergola, a large arch or a trellis; for a 'white garden' in the Sissinghurst style; as a 'living wall', covering up to 5 m high and 3 m wide; good for shady corners of the garden with no sun.

Climate. All of Ukraine (USDA 5b–10b); in Sumy and Chernihiv regions, light protection of the base; one of the hardiest Noisettes.

Care. Minimal formative pruning in early spring (remove only old canes over 5 years old); tying canes horizontally encourages flowering on the sides; feed 2–3 times a season; undemanding, it tolerates poor soils.

Name. 'Madame Alfred Carrière', named after Louise Élisa Marie Périer (1836–1903), the wife of Léon-Antoine Alfred Carrière, a cement manufacturer and president of the Dauphiné Horticultural Society (Dauphiné, south-eastern France). A touching tribute to a woman patron.

Breeding. Bred by Joseph Schwartz in Lyon, France; raised from seed in 1875 and introduced to commerce in 1879. Class: Noisette / Tea-Noisette (climbing). Parentage is not documented; it is probably a seedling from a Tea-Noisette line, which explains its strong fruity fragrance.

Significance. WFRS Old Rose Hall of Fame 2003, a worldwide recognition. RHS Award of Garden Merit 1993. National Rose Society UK, 1908: named 'the best white climbing rose'. The first rose of Vita Sackville-West at Sissinghurst: she planted it on the south wall of South Cottage in 1930, before the documents for buying the estate were signed (a touching detail: Vita was so sure of the purchase that she had already started planting!). The original bush died in 2019, but a descendant cutting was planted. Its unique trait is that it blooms well on a north wall, which made it a favourite of English gardeners. 146 years in cultivation, one of the few Noisette XIX-century roses still in active circulation.