Photo: Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0

Portland (Damask Perpetual)Lilac and purple

Rose de Rescht

An old Portland rose of mysterious origin; compact, dense bush; repeat-flowering; exceptionally hardy.

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat-flowering — a Portland group variety, one of the most repeat-flowering old garden roses

Awards

RHS AGM

RHS Award of Garden Merit

Winter hardiness

−31 °C

RHS H7 · Ukraine: without winter cover.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

90–120 × 60–90 cm

Habit: Compact, dense, upright
Dimensions: 90–120 × 60–90 cm
Support: Needs no support
Shoots: No data available
Branching: No data available

Flower

≈ 6 cm

Very full, up to 50 petals, flower diameter ~6 cm petals.

Bud shape: Round, tightly packed, bright crimson
Open flower: Dense pompon rosette with a distinctive “button” in the centre
Fullness: Very full, up to 50 petals, flower diameter ~6 cm
Flower carriage: No data available

Fragrance

Very strong, Damask

Strong, very rich, Damask.

Sun

Full sun

Tolerates light shade.

Thorns

Moderate

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

There is no exact data on the number of thorns.

Foliage

No data available.

Other names

Rose de Resht, Gul e Reschti

All characteristics in a table

Group: Portland (Damask Perpetual)
Bud shape: Round, tightly packed, bright crimson
Open flower: Dense pompon rosette with a distinctive “button” in the centre
Colour: Bright purple-raspberry / fuchsia-pink; a violet sheen appears in cool weather
Fullness: Very full, up to 50 petals, flower diameter ~6 cm
Flower carriage: No data available
Flowering: Repeat-flowering — a Portland group variety, one of the most repeat-flowering old garden roses
Fragrance: Strong, very rich, Damask
Hips: No data available
Habit: Compact, dense, upright
Branching: No data available
Shoots: No data available
Thorns: There is no exact data on the number of thorns.
Dimensions: 90–120 × 60–90 cm
Support: Needs no support
Foliage: No data available
Resistance: Fairly healthy, though not fully immune to the usual fungal rose diseases
Variations of the variety: Parentage unknown; synonyms — Rose de Resht, Gul e Reschti

Colour scheme

Bright purple-raspberry / fuchsia-pink; a violet sheen appears in cool weather

Rose neighbours

Heritagesoft pink

Queen of Swedencool pink

Olivia Rose Austinpure pink

Keriosunny yellow · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Lavenderlilac-blue

Catmintblue-violet

Stachys (lamb's ears)silver foliage

Gypsophilawhite

Neighbouring roses

Soft pink roses — one colour family:

Heritage Queen of Sweden Olivia Rose Austin Kerio

Perennial companions

Blue, lilac and silver neighbours set off the soft pink:

lavendercatmintStachys (lamb's ears)gypsophila

Variety features

A compact old garden rose with a very rich fragrance and, unusual for its time, the ability to repeat-flower.

Portlandvery fragrantto −31 °Crepeat-flowering

More about the variety

Hips: No data available
Variations of the variety: Parentage unknown; synonyms — Rose de Resht, Gul e Reschti

How to grow

Where to plant. Thanks to its compact, dense shape it looks good at the front of a mixed border, in a rose garden, or in a small garden where a rich fragrance matters.

Climate. One of the hardiest old garden roses — it withstands down to −31 °C (RHS H7, USDA 4b–9b); in Ukraine it overwinters without cover.

Care. Undemanding; responds well to full sun and tolerates light shade. Despite its repeat flowering it is generally quite healthy, although it is not fully immune to the usual fungal diseases of roses.

About the name

Name. “Rose of Resht” — according to legend, the Englishwoman Nancy Lindsay brought this rose from the Persian city of Resht and presented it to the world in 1945. However, researchers doubt this story: the variety most likely comes from Europe and dates back to before 1900.

Breeding. Breeder unknown; the variety belongs to the Portland class (Damask Perpetual) and is known under the synonyms Rose de Resht and Gul e Reschti.

Significance. A compact, very fragrant, repeat-flowering old rose that stands out for its exceptional hardiness among the varieties of its time.

Frequently asked questions about Rose de Rescht

Does Rose de Rescht need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −31 °C. Overwintering depends on the conditions.

How many times a season does Rose de Rescht flower?

Repeat-flowering — a Portland group variety, one of the most repeat-flowering old garden roses.

How big does Rose de Rescht grow?

90–120 cm tall, 60–90 cm wide.

How much sun does Rose de Rescht need?

Sun; full sun; tolerates light shade.

What does Rose de Rescht smell like?