Fair Bianca

class: David Austin Rose
breeding: Austin, 1990
photographed by Daphne Filiberti in her garden

'Fair Bianca' is a modern rose with snow white blooms that have an old fashioned quality. These roses are reminiscent of heirloom white roses that my great grandmother would have loved. 'Fair Bianca' opens into shallow cups that are full of many petals. The stems are full of small, fine thorns that add character like a Gallica rose. One of the most charming features is the green button eye at the center of the perfumed, silky, white cups. The scent of the roses is like myrrh and a soft hint of lemon. Here in Southern California, I treasure these white roses that have a good repeat bloom and an old fashioned quality. 'Madame Hardy' is like the archetype for a beautiful, old-fashioned white rose, but it hasn't had too much bloom for me here (I still grow and love the roses for the few roses I get a year). I have three roses of 'Fair Bianca' planted about a foot and a half apart. The foliage is light green and seems to be healthy. I have read that fungal diseases could pose a slight problem to this rose's otherwise fairy tale existence. My rose bushes are about three feet high. The habit of the shrub is neat, modern, and upright. They make lovely cut roses.