Hybrid MuskLambert, 1904White and cream

Trier

'Aglaia' × seedling; this rose started the whole Hybrid Musk class.

Ancestor of the class · Lambertiana line

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat-flowering through the season; rare for 1904, and this is exactly what made Trier key for breeding

Historical role

Progenitor

Of the whole Hybrid Musk class · bred in Germany in 1904

Plant size

150–250 cm

Habit: Tall and spreading; can be trained as a large shrub or as a small climber on a support
Dimensions: 150–250 cm; on a support up to about 300 cm as a small climber
Support: Not essential; it holds up as a free-standing bush, and if wished it can be trained along a low support or wall
Shoots: Long, arching
Branching: Vigorous; many flexible shoots

Flower

3–4 cm

Bud shape: Small, golden yellow
Open flower: Small, semi-double, flat cupped; open yellow stamens; about 3–4 cm across
Centre: Open, with a cluster of bright yellow stamens
Fullness: Semi-double, about 10–20 petals
Flower carriage: In large pyramidal trusses (panicles) at the tips of the shoots

Fragrance

Strong

Pronounced, sweet, with a note of clove; the characteristic musky scent.

Disease resistance

4 out of 5

Good; clean, healthy foliage, the same trait that made its descendants famous.

Sun

Sun to part shade

Shade-tolerant (a characteristic trait of Hybrid Musks), it flowers even in light dappled shade.

Thorns

Few

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Few thorns, an inheritance from the multiflora line.

Foliage

Light green, healthy, with many leaflets (multiflora type).

All characteristics in a table

Group: Hybrid Musk
Breeder: Lambert, 1904
Bud shape: Small, golden yellow
Open flower: Small, semi-double, flat cupped; open yellow stamens; about 3–4 cm across
Centre: Open, with a cluster of bright yellow stamens
Colour: Creamy white, often yellowish from the bud; occasionally a light pink blush
Fullness: Semi-double, about 10–20 petals
Flower carriage: In large pyramidal trusses (panicles) at the tips of the shoots
Flowering: Repeat-flowering through the season; rare for 1904, and this is exactly what made Trier key for breeding
Fragrance: Pronounced, sweet, with a note of clove; the characteristic musky scent
Hips: Small and reddish, if spent blooms are not removed
Habit: Tall and spreading; can be trained as a large shrub or as a small climber on a support
Branching: Vigorous; many flexible shoots
Shoots: Long, arching
Thorns: Few thorns, an inheritance from the multiflora line.
Dimensions: 150–250 cm; on a support up to about 300 cm as a small climber
Support: Not essential; it holds up as a free-standing bush, and if wished it can be trained along a low support or wall
Foliage: Light green, healthy, with many leaflets (multiflora type)
Resistance: Good; clean, healthy foliage, the same trait that made its descendants famous
Historical role: Progenitor of the Lambertiana and Hybrid Musk lines

Colour scheme

Creamy white, often with a yellowish tinge from the bud; occasionally a light pink blush

Rose neighbours

Prosperitypearly white

Moonlightlemon-white

Paxcreamy white

Munstead Wooddark raspberry · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Catmint (Nepeta)sky blue

Delphiniumblue

Salviapurple

LavenderlavenderPerovskia

Neighbouring roses (Trier's descendants)

White and cream Hybrid Musks — direct descendants of Trier: the same airy clusters, health and shade tolerance.

Prosperity Moonlight Pax Munstead Wood

Companion perennials

Blue and lavender perennials set off the creamy whiteness of Trier's clusters:

catmint (Nepeta)delphiniumsalvialavenderperovskia

Contrast accents

For depth beside the creamy-white Trier, choose darker roses or purple foliage:

Bukavupurple heucheradark-leaved hosta

More about the variety

Hips: Small and reddish, if spent blooms are not removed
Historical role: Progenitor of the Lambertiana and Hybrid Musk lines

How to grow

Where to plant. As a large shrub in a natural garden, as a small climber on a low support or wall, as a free-flowering hedge, or as a backdrop to a mixed border. Shade-tolerant, so it suits places where other roses lack sun.

Climate. Good winter hardiness (zones 5–9); it overwinters reliably over most of Ukraine, an inheritance of the hardy multiflora line.

Care. Undemanding and healthy, an almost trouble-free rose. Pruning is minimal, with light shaping after flowering; historically it was valued precisely for its ease of care.

About the name

Name. Peter Lambert named the rose after his home city of Trier (German: Trier), the oldest city in Germany.

Breeding. Bred in 1904; parentage 'Aglaia' × unknown seedling. Lambert founded a separate line with it, 'Lambertiana'.

Significance. Trier is the progenitor of the whole Hybrid Musk class. It was its repeat flowering and large pyramidal trusses that the English clergyman Joseph Pemberton used as the basis for his famous Hybrid Musks, Danaë, Moonlight, Pax and others. Without Trier there would be no whole class, which is why it fittingly closes our musk section.

Frequently asked questions about Trier

How many times a season does Trier flower?

Repeat-flowering through the season; rare for 1904, and this is exactly what made Trier key for breeding.

How big does Trier grow?

150–250 cm tall. On a support — up to 300 cm.

Which diseases affect Trier?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Healthy, clean foliage; a characteristic trait that Trier passed on to all its musk-hybrid descendants.

How much sun does Trier need?

Sun to part shade; shade-tolerant (a characteristic trait of Hybrid Musks), it flowers even in light dappled shade.

What does Trier smell like?