23 Most Fragrant Roses

by John Bagnasco

After an initial attraction by the color and beauty of the flower, the head is bent and the nose is drawn hopefully into the bloom. Often a wave of disappointment washes over the olfactory experience as little or no fragrance is detected.
Just as often, the comment that modern roses have lost their aroma is heard.

Truthfully, this remark belongs in the file with other urban legends. The noted rose scientist, Dr. Walter Lammerts produced findings in 1951 that many of the old varieties had very little if any scent. Further investigation by Dr, James A. Gamble in 1956, found that the distribution of rose fragrance followed a traditional bell curve. In an examination of 3900 varieties, he found that 20 percent were strongly fragrant, 25 percent had no odor, and the rest had some amount of scent.

In an effort to persuade hybridizers to breed for more fragrant roses, Dr. Gamble gifted the American Rose Society with finances to award breeders who produced roses of outstanding fragrance. Winners of the James Alexander Gamble Fragrance Medal must also have an ARS rating of at least 7.5 on a 1-10 scale. Since the first honor to Crimson Glory in 1961, only 23 roses have received this prestigious tribute. The most recent recipient was last fall and was bestowed upon Olivia Rose Austin in 2020.