(Photo credit:  R. Normandeau) 

In mid-June, my husband and I took a quick trip to northern Alberta to visit family.  While we were there, we had a chance to spend some time relaxing in my Mum and Dad’s garden.  At the time, the ‘Hansa’ roses were just getting started on a real show, heavy with buds and open flowers.  I’m a huge fan of this rugosa rose:  they’re extremely cold hardy (zone 3), and they have exceptionally fragrant bright purple-red blooms that really make a statement in the garden.   Characteristically wrinkled bright green leaves and fierce thorns add extra visual interest (the latter also keep the critters out of the garden and offer a constant reminder to wear a good pair of gloves while pruning!).   Give them some room to grow:  ‘Hansas’ are a large shrub rose, reaching up to 2 metres in height, with a 1.8 metre spread.

My parents have planted their ‘Hansa’ roses alongside a fabulous fence/gate/arbour combination that my Dad designed and built, a beautiful entrance to the back yard.

(This photo was taken just after installation; the roses have greatly matured now!  Photo credit:  H. and R. Mueller)

Other rugosa roses include ‘Henry Hudson’ (white flowers, more compact size), and pink-flowering ‘Therese Bugnet’ (which has a distinctly Alberta connection:  it was introduced in 1950 by rose breeder George Bugnet, in the town of Legal).

Are you growing any rugosa roses in your garden?  

Related articles

• Wild rose petal jelly. (myfloweryprose.wordpress.com)  ‘Hansa’ roses would also be excellent candidates for this scrumptious treat!  🙂
• Book review:  Growing roses in Calgary (Flowery Prose)
• Wild rose extravaganza (Flowery Prose)
• Rosa rugosa Hedge (heavyclay.wordpress.com)

Read some more about rugosa roses at http://www.rosemagazine.com/articles04/rugosa_roses/  and http://gardening.about.com/od/rose1/p/Rugosa-Roses.htm.