Rosa ‘Cloth of Gold’
Noisette rose. Under good conditions this is a very vigorous climber, producing magnificent spring and autumn flushes of very double, lemon-yellow, delightfully fragrant flowers. It produces smaller flushes of flowers throughout the growing season. My plant is rarely without one or two flowers. [Paul (1848, 1863, 1888, 1903), Amat].
Horticultural & Botanical History
Introduced by Coquereau in 1843. ‘Cloth of Gold’ was probably the most discussed rose in the pages of The Gardeners’ Chronicle in the ten years after its introduction. It was difficult to flower regularly in England, but such are its qualities that immense effort was expended in the attempt. Rivers wrote of ‘Cloth of Gold’: ‘To [‘Lamarque’] we owe that most glorious of all yellow roses (when in perfection), ‘Cloth of Gold’, and ‘Solfaterre’. Even at this distance of time I have not forgotten the delight I felt on seeing these roses in full bloom at Angers in 1843. The flowers of the former, in particular, were like large golden bells.’ [Rivers (1854, 1857, 1863)]. Henry Curtis quotes River’s memories of his first sight, 12 months earlier: ‘In the month of July, 1842, I was at Angers, and looking over the garden of M. Vibert, when his foreman brought me a bunch of yellow roses, some in bud and some half expanded. I had never in my life seen anything so beautiful, and I warmly expressed my admiration: in reply to my enquiry, he informed me it had been raised from the seed of Noisette Lamarque, by an amateur, living in the neighbourhood.’ [Henry Curtis p. 4 vol.1/1850]. In the first great National Rose show held in July 1858, and organised by Dean Hole, ‘Cloth of Gold’ featured amongst the roses appearing in multiple (6) winning collections.
History at Camden Park
Listed in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [T.875/1850].
Notes
Published Feb 11, 2010 - 12:17 PM | Last updated Jul 30, 2011 - 03:33 PM
Rosa 'Cloth of Gold' | Photograph Colin Mills
| Family | Rosaceae |
|---|---|
| Category | |
| Region of origin | Garden origin, France |
| Synonyms |
|
| Common Name | |
| Name in the Camden Park Record |
Rosa Cloth of Gold, Noisette
|
| Confidence level | high |