Saturday Series ♥The Sweetheart Rose♥

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Saturday February 13, 2016

Close your eyes and you may have vivid memories of running through the lush, green grass of your grandmother’s yard as a young child. Suddenly, a wave of sweet fragrance stops you in your tracks and captivates your senses. A luscious, pink rose bush bursting with many, small, delicate blossoms invites you to spend the rest of the day embraced in fragrance and charm.

There’s a good chance this was your first introduction to Cècile Brünner. Also known as The Sweetheart's Rose, it is one of the most beloved Old Garden Roses and easiest to grow roses. During the Victorian Era, the young ladies would grow Cècile Brünner in their yards. When they were dating a young gentleman, they would take a bloom and place it in his lapel to alert the other young ladies that he was spoken for.

Introduced in 1881, Cècile Brünner produces enchanting, profuse blooms that delight you from early spring until the first frost. The blossoms are a soft, silvery pink and look like a hybrid tea in miniature form. They appear in clusters and have a strong, sweet fragrance. The plant is upright and bushy with dark green, slightly shiny leaves. The foliage is soft with sparse thorns, making it a nearly thornless variety.