About the name
Name. “Thisbe” — after Thisbe from the ancient myth “Pyramus and Thisbe” (Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book IV), the tragic story of two lovers from Babylon that foreshadowed Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet”. Pemberton gave all his Hybrid Musks poetic, literary names: Pax (peace), Penelope, Moonlight, Felicia, Daphne, Cornelia, Thisbe — each a “little heroine” from classical or British culture. Breeder: bred by Rev. Joseph Hardwick Pemberton (UK). Introduced 1918. Parentage: 'Marie-Jeanne' × 'Perle des Jardins' (according to HMF). Pemberton was an Anglican priest who began breeding roses as a hobby at 60. In 12 years (1912–1924) he created an entire new class, “Hybrid Musk”, which had not formally existed before him. Thisbe was one of his last works before his death (1926).
Significance. The Pemberton Hybrid Musks family is the foundation of modern healthy Hybrid Musks: Pax, Penelope, Moonlight, Felicia, Daphne, Cornelia, Thisbe. The Pemberton-Bentall line: after Pemberton's death the class was developed by Ann Bentall (the same woman who created The Fairy in 1932!), so Thisbe and The Fairy are linked by one breeding line. The “fountain” shape of the bush was inherited by Sally Holmes from Ballerina (another Pemberton-Hybrid Musk). The strong musky scent is the same as in R. moschata, from which the whole class descends. The literary name Thisbe makes it ideal for “literary” corners of the garden. There are no major international awards (ADR, AARS, RHS AGM, WFRS HoF) — there was no tradition of awarding Pemberton Hybrid Musks at that time. Thisbe is valued above all for its historical and breeding significance.