History of Roses: Noisette Roses
By Jerry Haynes
Noisettes, like several other classes of Old Garden Roses, came about by chance.
The Noisette roses can be traced back to the time when a rice farmer in Charleston, South
Carolina named John Champney received 'Old Blush' (also known as 'Parsons’ Pink China', a
China rose that had been growing in China and Asia for more than a thousand years.) as a gift
from his neighbor, Philippe Noisette.
Philippe Noisette came from a family of distinguished horticulturists in France. He arrived in
Charleston, South Carolina from France, via Haiti, around 1800. Philippe became the
superintendent of the South Carolina Medical Society's Botanical Garden. A large tract of land
was purchased on the outskirts of the city where there was room for gardens and a nursery. This
became known as the Noisette farm.
John Champney crossed 'Old Blush' with ‘Rosa moschata’, a 1540 species rose from the
Himalayas. This resulted in 'Champneys’ Pink Cluster' (before 1810), a major contribution from
an American grower to the rose family. John Champney then gave Philippe seedlings of
'Champneys’ Pink Cluster' in return for Philippe having given John 'Old Blush'. Philippe sowed
the seeds of 'Champneys’ Pink Cluster' and produced 'Blush Noisette', which he sent to his
brother, Louis, (Philippe had 15 siblings...) in France in 1814.
This started a new craze to breed a group of roses known as the Noisettes. Thomas Rivers wrote
about 'Blush Noisette' or 'Rosier Noisette' in The Rose Amateur's Guide in 1877. "Perhaps no
new rose was ever so much admired as this. When first introduced its habit was so peculiar, and
so unlike any other known variety, that the Parisian amateurs were quite enraptured with it."
‘Champneys’ Pink Cluster’
(Photo from http://www.antiqueroseemporium.com/)
‘Blush Noisette’
http://www.vintagerosery.com/roses/blushnoisette.htm
‘Blush Noisette’
http://store.encore-editions.com/Artist/botanical.html
Redouté painted 'Blush Noisette' in 1821 under the name Rosa noisettiana. The rose was also
classified and described by the botanist Claude-Antoine Thory to accompany the Redouté.
The early Noisettes combined the broad, shrubby habit and scented large clusters of the Musk
Roses with the pink coloring, larger flowers and continuous blooming pattern of the Chinas.
'Blush Noisette' is blush colored, but other varieties come in a spectrum of colors ranging from
pure white to crimson. Around 1825, French rose breeders tried to hybridize yellow Noisettes by
crossing 'Blush Noisette' with 'Parks’ Yellow Tea-Scented China'. This produced many great
beauties. When the early Noisettes (Musk x China) were crossed with Teas, they produced the
Tea-Noisettes.
‘Aimee Vibert’
Bud pinking; flowers pure white, 5 cm., double, rosette, borne in small to medium clusters, strong, musky fragrance;
repeat blooming; foliage semi-evergreen; nearly thornless; vigorous growth; 1828; Vibert
[Champneys' Pink Cluster × a double form of R. sempervirens] http://www.classicroses.co.uk/search.php
‘Celine Forestier’
Flowers pale yellow, buff, with slight touches of pink, darker at center; 6-8 cm.; double; frequently quartered; borne
singly or in small clusters; moderate fragrance; repeat blooming; foliage dark, glossy; vigorous (to 6 ft.) growth;
1842; Trouillard
[Champneys' Pink Cluster × a tea]
http://www.chambleeroses.com/order/Own-Root-Garden-Roses//Celine-Forestier/50
‘Mme Alfred Carriere’
Bud pearly pink; flowers white with pink tones in heart; 10 cm.; double; globular; borne in small clusters; intense,
fruity fragrance; good repeat; prickles few; vigorous, climbing growth; 1879; J. Schwartz
http://www.chambleeroses.com/order/Own-Root-Garden-Roses//Mme.-Alfred-Carriere/274