Bourbon Roses are named after Ile de Bourbon a small island in the Indian Ocean (now known as Reunion) which was once a French Colony but is now an "Overseas Department of France", whatever that means. The Bourbon Rose was a natural cross between Rosa chinensis and Rosa damascena bifera, these two pollen parents being a popular choice for hedging on the Island so there was obviously some horticultural hanky-panky going on in the hedge-rows. There are several disputed claims as to who saw this chance seedling first however it remains undisputed that seeds of this "new" rose were sent to France around 1817. There they were grown by the head gardener to King Louis-Philippe and became known as "Rosier de I'lle Bourbon". A very similar rose - many say exactly the same - grew in the Calcutta Botanic Gardens around the same time and was known in India as Rose Edouard. Perhaps the original seed was more widely distributed than first thought?

Still, no matter who did what with whom and where they were when they did it, there is no doubt that French horticulturists were the first to recognize the potential of the Bourbon. They went on to reproduce an extremely popular group of roses which we still enjoy in our gardens today. Perhaps the most celebrated of these is Souvenir de la Malmaison - named after Empress Josephine's garden at Malmaison. The Empress, better known to gardeners as a great Rosarian rather than being the second Mrs Bonaparte continues to be a constant and important thread in our Rose story. Souvenir de la Malmaison is a rose that loves the warmth perhaps harking back to its origins in that little Island in the sun. Other desirables are La Reine Victoria, Mme Isaac Pereire, Mme Ernst Calvat and Commandant Beaurepaire (Vince's favourite Rose) - I know, that's a "treadful" joke!

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