Katarina's Garden
A birthday joy Boule de Neige
Bourbon Roses are named for the Île Bourbon, now called Réunion, in the Indian Ocean, where they traditionally are supposed to have originated from a natural cross between the China 'Parsons' Pink' and the red 'Monthly Rose' (the original Damask Perpetual), two roses which were used as hedge material on the island. (Seeds of this plant, and cuttings of the plant, showed up in Paris in 1819 and 1821 respectively. A typical Bourbon will have the arching growth harkening back to its Damask ancestors, with the lush flowers and fragrance from much the same source; but it will also have a strong tendency to rebloom from the China ancestor, as well as a certain often subtle influence of the China flower form. They range in color from deep reds through pinks to blush and white (www.google.com)
