Whether sweet or intoxicating, the scent of roses always offers some moments of happiness. There are several families of perfumes, each one quite distinct, let us see how to differentiate them.
Sweet or intoxicating fragrances
The fragrance of a rose will always be intensified by the right climatic conditions. Thus, a warm and humid weather will allow the perfumes to exhale at best. It is little known, but it is when the flower is in bud that the perfume develops.
The petals emit the majority of the fragrance, which is why English roses and old roses with a lot of petals generally smell better than hybrid tea roses selected for the straightness of their stems, the shape and the color of the flower rather than for the fragrance.
The stamens also emit fragrances often reminiscent of clove or musk, so a single rose can combine several types of scents.
The different fragrances of roses
1. Old rose
This is the scent that most reminds us of the rose in the collective unconscious. The scents are rich, strong, sometimes haunting but always balanced.
The most classic examples are "Harlow Carr", "Bolshoi", "Gertrude Jekill" or "Falstaff", which are very characteristic of the genre.
2. Musk
As we have seen, it is usually the stamens that give off the musky scent. There are few roses that smell only of musk. The smell is often associated with that of the old rose as on "The Generous Gardener" "Monica Bellucci" or "Francine Austin". Many hybrids from the well named "Rosa moschata" have invaded the market for the pleasure of our senses.
3. Tea
Often present in yellow or slightly orange colors, the scent of tea has no equivalent other than the opening of a box of fresh tea. Two well-known examples of this delicate scent are "Graham Thomas" and "Crown Princess Margarita".
4. Fruity
Apple, citrus, pear, apricot, raspberry, grape or even guava: some roses have a very fruity and complex scent. Among them, "Rene Goscinny", "Botero" or the famous "Jude The Obscure" an example of the genre!
5. Myrrh
Perfume with oriental connotations, the roses exhaling the scent of myrrh remind, some spices or incense. A strong, powerful and bewitching scent characterizes these roses. "Contance Spry" is the most beautiful example.
