COLLECTION “FRAGRANCE IS THE HEART OF ROSES” (PART 3)
By Paul Smith, pemdasgarden.com
Some collections are about color. This one is about the thing you can't photograph.
Welcome to Part 3 of "Fragrance Is the Heart of the Rose" — four more varieties chosen for one reason above all: their scent. They bring color, form, and long-lasting blooms too, but fragrance is the headline.
These four varieties bring the complete package — unique colors, long-lasting blooms, beautiful form in all kinds of weather — but above all, they bring scent. The kind that stops you mid-step.
Breathe deep. Let's go.
1. Earth Angel
Blush pink · Champagne-raspberry · The beloved
Bred by Kordes in Germany, Earth Angel (Herzogin Christiana) is the rose people write love letters about. A tall bush (120–160 cm) covered in 8–12 cm blooms of pink blush melting into white-pink — the color of the inside of a seashell.
The fragrance is a journey: it opens fresh, like lemon and apple in the first summer rain, then deepens as the bloom unfurls into rich raspberry with seductive champagne. One flower, two perfumes. It's no wonder she's one of the most beloved fragrant roses in the world.
Blooms last 5–7 days, flushing year-round every 4–5 weeks in warm climates, with good disease resistance. She's the heart of this collection for a reason.
This is for you if… you want the fragrant rose everyone else already loves — join the club.
2. Blue Moon Stone
White hearts of violet · Intense perfume · The moonlit one
Junko Kawamoto's Blue Moon Stone returns — because a fragrance collection without her would be incomplete. This tall shrub (150–200 cm) bears large clusters of 5–8 cm blooms: white petals with hearts of purple, pink-purple, or soft pink.
The scent is intense: apple and cherry woven with myrrh, lemongrass, and lemon. It's the most complex perfume in this collection — fruity, resinous, citrusy, all at once.
Blooms hold 4–8 days, flushing every 4–5 weeks. Practical note: those heavy clusters need support — stake or cage the plant so the weight of all that beauty doesn't pull branches down.
This is for you if… you want fragrance with intrigue — perfume as complex as the color.
Meet her smoky-purple siblings in our Junko Kawamoto purple rose guide.
3. Yves Piaget
Deep pink · Strawberry-milk · The French classic
From Meilland in France — bred before 1981 and still going strong — Yves Piaget is old-rose romance in modern form. A bushy, sturdy 120–150 cm plant with 8–12 cm blooms in pink blush deepening to rich pink.
The fragrance is pure indulgence: sweet and fruity, and as the flower fully opens, the petals seem to melt like cream, releasing a rich aroma like strawberry milk mixed with fresh orange and lemon. It's the most delicious-smelling rose on this list — in the most literal sense.
Blooms last 5–8 days, flushing every 4–5 weeks, with average disease resistance. She grows slowly — those big blooms take energy — but she thrives even in hot climates, holding her own where fussier roses fade.
This is for you if… you want a rose that smells good enough to eat. (Don't. Just smell.)
4. Yves Maiden Heart
Pure white · Ice-cream cool · The fresh one
Bred by Imai Horticulture in Japan, Yves Maiden Heart is the cool contrast to Yves Piaget's warmth: pure white, 8–13 cm blooms on a bushy 100–150 cm plant.
The fragrance is like nothing else here: fresh and cool, like a glass of ice cream — yellow lemon, tangerine, and orange peel up front, deepening to blueberry and ripe raspberry as the bloom matures. Cool, then rich. It's a perfume with a plot twist.
Blooms last 4–6 days, flushing every 5–6 weeks, with good disease resistance. Her slender stems can droop under those big white blooms, so support helps — think of it as giving a ballerina her barre.
This is for you if… you want white roses with a modern, unexpected perfume.
The Full Series: Your Fragrance Garden
Three parts, twelve roses, one unforgettable garden. If you're building a fragrance border, here's how the series fits together:
Part 2 brought the drama — Grafin Diana's black-red honey, Swan Antike's myrrh, Pope John Paul II's orchard-fresh apple, Ebb Tide's wine-dark jasmine.
Part 3 (this one) brings the romance — Earth Angel's champagne, Blue Moon Stone's complexity, Yves Piaget's strawberry milk, Yves Maiden Heart's cool citrus.
Plant them together and you don't have a border. You have a destination.
Growing Them from Seed
Our standard honest seed note: seedlings are genetically unique. Rose seeds from these varieties grow into fragrant, beautiful roses in each variety's family — but no seedling is an exact clone of the named parent. Every plant is one of one.
Stratify 6–8 weeks in the fridge, sow ¼ inch deep in spring, expect germination in 3–6 weeks at 65–70°F. Full sun, rich well-drained soil, deep watering, feeding in spring and after each flush.
For the droopers (Blue Moon Stone's heavy clusters, Yves Maiden Heart's slender stems): install supports at planting time. Future you will be grateful.
Fragrance intensity and bloom rhythm shift with your USDA zone — warm climates get near-year-round perfume; cooler zones get a concentrated, glorious season. Adjust sowing dates by a few weeks for your region.
Fragrance Collection FAQ
Which of these four is the most fragrant?
Blue Moon Stone is the most intense; Yves Piaget the sweetest; Earth Angel the most evolving; Yves Maiden Heart the most unusual.
Which is best for hot climates?
Yves Piaget — she thrives in heat. Earth Angel appreciates a little afternoon shade in scorching zones.
Can fragrant roses grow in pots?
Yves Maiden Heart (100–150 cm) manages in a large container (20+ inches). The taller ones really want the ground.
When is fragrance strongest?
Morning, just after the dew dries — that's when volatile oils peak. Plan your garden strolls accordingly.
Wrapping Things up!
Champagne and strawberry milk. Myrrh and ice cream. Apple, cherry, lemon, raspberry.
Part 3 closes our fragrance trilogy — but your perfume garden is just beginning. Plant these where life happens: by the door, along the path, under the window. Let the scent do the rest.
Ready to plant perfume? Browse our rose seed collection here — and revisit Part 2 to complete the set.
And as always, if you ever need help choosing, planning, or growing… we're here!
Free planning tools: put this guide to work with the When to Prune and Planting Calendar on our Gardening Tools hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the most fragrance from my roses?
Plant in full sun, water and feed well (stressed plants produce less scent), and visit in the morning when perfume peaks.
Which fragrance family is strongest?
Damask and old-rose perfumes tend to be the most powerful; tea and fruity scents are lighter but carry well on warm evenings.
Do I need special soil for fragrant roses?
No — rich, well-drained soil with regular feeding suits them. Healthy plants simply smell better.
Can I grow fragrant roses in pots?
Yes, in large containers (15 gallons or more) with quality potting mix. Place the pot where you will brush past it daily.