I’ve had this rose for quite a few years–at least twenty. I had the unimproved Bonica before this and it had lovely flowers but no disease resistance. The improved version blooms nicely and has better disease resistance but lacks any fragrance at all. How do you breed and sell a non-fragrant rose? And who would be dumb enough to buy one? Oh. Well, it IS pretty and in my defense, I think the tag said “light fragrance.”
This rose was moldering away on the fence in front of the woodland garden for years, but I moved it to the bed in front of the greenhouse, a much sunnier spot, about seven years ago. Since then, its depression has faded and some spectacular happy blooming has replaced it.
My future plans for this plant are to keep it pruned and well-fed so it will stay happily blooming every June.