William Grant

All of the pictures above are of the same rose, 'William Grant' (Click on the thumbnails to go to a page on each one). 'William Grant' is quite a chameleon of a rose, yet it has a dependable charm of bloom. These roses open into semi-double, bright, clear, opaque-pink blooms. The petals age into a delicate, sheer, transparent beauty with a diaphanous quality. They can easily be blown away by the slightest breeze. A lovely crown of golden stamens ornaments the rose. The rose was named after William Grant, an eminent American rosarian who found it in Brooks, Oregon. William A. Grant is a garden writer and photographer, whose work has appeared in many publications. He was the consultant for Botanica's Roses and the chief consultant of the paperback edition. The rose is believed to have been hybridized by Father George Schoener, around 1915 or 1917. Its original name has been lost.

I love the delicacy of these roses. They bloom nicely in my Southern California climate. My rose has attained a height of about 7 feet, and semi-climbs against a fence. The rose has Gallica foliage, and it blooms at the same time as my other Gallicas. It is healthy, and spraying isn't really necessary. I have planted a deep purple clematis into 'William Grant'. There is only a brief period when 'William Grant' and my clematis flower together; after which 'William Grant' acts like a perfect support for the clematis once the rose has finished blooming. This rose seems to be classified as a Gallica Hybrid.