Fill Your Garden With The Fragrance Of These 15 Beautiful Rose Varieties
There’s nothing like walking through the garden and catching that sweet, classic scent of roses in the air. I’ve grown all kinds over the years, but these 15 varieties truly stand out for their fragrance and beauty.
Some smell like fruit, others like old-fashioned perfume—and each one brings something special. If you’ve ever wanted a garden that smells as lovely as it looks, these are worth planting.
Trust me, once they start blooming, you’ll find every excuse to wander outside.
1. Damask Rose
The legendary Damask rose dates back thousands of years, prized by perfumers and gardeners alike. Its rich, complex scent combines notes of citrus, spice, and honey that intensify during warm mornings.
Ancient Romans used these roses for their celebrations and medicinal properties. Today’s gardeners appreciate their reliable blooming habits and disease resistance. Plant them where afternoon shade protects the intensely fragrant pink-to-white petals.
2. Mr. Lincoln
Velvety red petals unfold to reveal one of the most powerful and distinctive fragrances in the rose world. This classic hybrid tea rose produces large, well-formed blooms on long stems perfect for cutting and bringing that incredible scent indoors.
Growing up to 6 feet tall, Mr. Lincoln makes a statement in any garden with its deep crimson color. The strong damask perfume carries hints of raspberry and spice that waft through the garden, especially on warm evenings.
3. Gertrude Jekyll
Named after the famous British garden designer, this English rose produces perfectly rosette-shaped blooms in a rich pink shade. The fragrance is described as a strong, old-rose scent that’s reminiscent of the most beloved antique roses.
David Austin bred this variety to combine classic scent with modern disease resistance. When established, it forms a robust shrub reaching about 5 feet tall. The warm, sweet perfume fills the air even when just a few blooms are open.
4. Double Delight
Famous for its striking color combination, this hybrid tea rose unfurls creamy white petals dramatically edged with cherry red. The color intensifies with sun exposure, creating a stunning visual display that changes throughout the bloom cycle.
What truly sets Double Delight apart is its powerful spicy-sweet fragrance that fills the garden. Consistently ranked among the most fragrant roses available, it produces medium-sized bushes with glossy foliage and continuous blooms from spring through fall.
5. Mister Lincoln
Gardeners have treasured this classic hybrid tea rose since its introduction in 1964. The tall, upright plants produce magnificent deep crimson blooms with velvety texture and exceptional staying power when cut for arrangements.
What makes this rose truly special is its intense, damask fragrance that carries notes of spice and fruit. Even a single bloom can perfume an entire room. The vigorous plants show good disease resistance and continue flowering throughout the growing season.
6. Munstead Wood
Deep crimson-purple blooms with a distinctive old rose shape characterize this David Austin English rose. The color is particularly striking, appearing almost burgundy in certain lights and creating a dramatic focal point in the garden.
The fragrance is exceptional – strong and fruity with notes of blackberry, blueberry and damask. Growing to about 3 feet tall, this compact rose works beautifully in smaller spaces or containers while still delivering an intoxicating scent that fills the surrounding area.
7. Honey Perfume
Apricot-yellow blooms with hints of peachy-pink edges make this floribunda rose as visually delightful as it is fragrant. The flowers appear in abundant clusters, creating waves of color throughout the growing season.
True to its name, the fragrance carries distinct notes of honey and apricot with spicy undertones. Winner of multiple fragrance awards, this relatively compact rose grows to about 3-4 feet tall and shows excellent resistance to common rose diseases like black spot and powdery mildew.
8. Jude the Obscure
Large, incurved blooms in soft peachy-yellow tones make this David Austin rose visually stunning. The loosely cupped flowers have an informal charm that blends beautifully in cottage gardens and mixed borders.
What truly distinguishes this variety is its unusual fragrance – strong notes of guava, sweet white wine, and citrus create an exotic perfume unlike any other rose. The medium-sized shrub produces waves of these wonderfully scented blooms from early summer through fall.
9. Lady Emma Hamilton
Tangerine-orange buds open to reveal blooms with a stunning mix of orange, yellow, and apricot tones that seem to glow in the garden. The color changes throughout the bloom cycle, creating a kaleidoscope effect on a single bush.
Beyond its visual appeal, this David Austin rose produces a strong, fruity fragrance with notes of pear, grape, and citrus. The bushy, medium-sized growth habit and glossy, mahogany-tinted young foliage add to its ornamental value in mixed borders or dedicated rose gardens.
10. Madame Isaac Pereire
Often described as having the strongest fragrance of any rose, this Bourbon variety produces large, cabbage-like blooms in a deep raspberry-pink shade. The intensely perfumed flowers have a classic old rose scent with hints of raspberry and vanilla.
Dating back to 1881, this historic rose grows as a large shrub or small climber reaching 5-8 feet tall. Despite its age, it remains popular specifically for its unmatched fragrance that can perfume an entire garden when in full bloom during early summer.
11. Scepter’d Isle
Soft pink cups filled with neatly arranged petals characterize this elegant English rose. The blooms have a distinctive myrrh fragrance with notes of honey and almond that’s especially noticeable on warm days.
David Austin bred this variety with disease resistance in mind, making it relatively easy to grow. The arching shrub reaches about 4 feet tall and wide, producing continuous waves of these beautifully scented flowers from early summer until frost.
12. Sharifa Asma
Perfectly formed rosettes in the softest shell-pink create a sense of delicate beauty in this David Austin creation. The blooms appear almost pearlescent in certain lights, gradually fading to almost white as they age.
The fragrance is extraordinary – complex notes of fruit, musk, and classic old rose combine into a strong, sweet perfume that fills the surrounding area. This compact rose grows to about 3 feet tall, making it perfect for smaller gardens or containers where its exceptional scent can be appreciated up close.
13. Princess Alexandra of Kent
Enormous, deeply cupped blooms in glowing warm pink dominate this showstopping David Austin rose. Each flower contains hundreds of petals arranged in perfect symmetry, creating a lush, romantic appearance that’s impossible to ignore.
The tea rose fragrance carries delicious notes of lemon and blackcurrants that become stronger in warmer weather. Growing to about 4 feet tall and wide, this robust shrub makes a spectacular focal point in any garden, combining exceptional beauty with an intoxicating scent.
14. Chrysler Imperial
Classic hybrid tea form meets velvety dark red petals in this longtime favorite introduced in 1952. The perfectly shaped blooms appear on long, straight stems ideal for cutting and bringing the magnificent scent indoors.
Known for its powerful damask rose fragrance with hints of fruit and spice, this variety consistently ranks among the most fragrant roses ever created. The upright bushes grow 4-5 feet tall and produce waves of these richly scented blooms throughout the growing season.
15. The Generous Gardener
Pale pink blooms with hints of apricot in their centers create a soft, romantic appearance in this climbing David Austin rose. The loosely formed flowers have a delightfully informal charm that works beautifully in natural garden settings.
The fragrance is exceptional – a perfect old rose scent mixed with notes of musk, myrrh and honey. Growing up to 10 feet as a climber, this variety can transform walls, fences or pergolas into fragrant features, releasing its sweet perfume throughout the summer months.