Souvenir de la Malmaison

Where to plant. In classic cottage gardens with a nineteenth-century feel; in Old Garden Roses collections; near a bench or terrace because of its strong scent; in 'French' corners of historic style; not in rain-prone areas — to avoid bud balling.

Climate. Central and southern Ukraine without winter protection (USDA 5b–10b); in the east and north, winter protection is needed; a dry site is best — a wet winter and rainy summer reduce flowering and encourage disease.

Care. Full sun; prevention of black spot and powdery mildew; feed 3× per season; prune by ⅓ in spring; water at the root, not on the leaves; deadhead after the first flush for a second flowering.

Name. 'Souvenir de la Malmaison' = 'Memory of Malmaison'. In honour of the famous garden of Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763–1814, Napoleon's first wife) at the Malmaison château near Paris. Joséphine assembled there the largest rose collection of her time — more than 250 varieties, painted by the artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté (his albums 'Les Roses', 1817–1824, are still the benchmark of botanical illustration). 🇷🇺 The name was suggested by the Russian Grand Duke Nicholas Pavlovich (the future Emperor Nicholas I) during a visit to the Château de Malmaison in 1843 — he ordered a rose for the imperial garden in St Petersburg and gave it this poetic name in honour of Joséphine.

Breeding. Bred by Jean Béluze in Lyon (France). Introduced 1843. Parentage: 'Madame Desprez' (Bourbon, Desprez 1831) × unknown tea variety. There is a Climbing Souvenir de la Malmaison — a climbing sport bred by Henry Bennett in 1893 (UK), a separate popular variety.

Significance. WFRS Old Rose Hall of Fame 1988 — an inaugural variety of the first intake (one of the most important roses in history). One of the most famous Bourbons of all time — it has remained in culture for almost 200 years without a break. A classic example of 'Old Garden Roses', a term that officially means varieties up to 1867 (the year the first Hybrid Tea was introduced). Repeat flowering in the Bourbon-class was a revolution of the 1830s–40s that made modern breeding possible. The complex scent, with notes of tea, apple and clove, is a benchmark of the nineteenth century. A Russian diplomatic connection: one of the few roses whose name was suggested by a foreign monarch — Nicholas I Romanov. Bud balling in rain is a classic problem of very double Old Roses, inherited from Damask-type blood.