Duchesse de Montebello

class: Gallica
breeding: Laffay 1824-1825
photographed by Daphne Filiberti in her garden
another photo of Duchesse de Montebello

Duchesse de Montebello is an exquisite rose that wouldn't look out of place in a Botticelli painting. The roses of Duchesse de Montebello are blush pink, very old-worldly, quartered and flat. The stems are long and slightly lax, making a wonderful rose for bouquets. My Duchesse de Montebello is about six feet high. It is a strudy plant that doesn't need support; the tops of the canes gracefully arch down from the weight of delicate, small to mid-sized blooms. The foliage is a healthy sage green, which complements the flowers nicely. The scent of the rose is strong and sweet. It has a greater display than other Gallicas in my Southern California garden, and seems to be more consistent with the tendencies of a China Hybrid. This rose has been classified as a Gallica, an Alba, and a Centifolia. Laffay presented the rose as a China Hybrid prior to 1826. The rose was named after the wife of Marechal Lannes, a soldier who was honored by Napoleon and given the title Duc de Montebello.