Historical Rose

40-071-1
40-071-2

Irène Watts

Old garden rose

- – Pierre Guillot

Delicate, warm-toned salmon and light pink blend with a subtle yellowish undertone. - historic, china rose - medium-intensity, noticeably fragrant rose - delicately sweet, tea-scented

– Medium-intensity, delicately sweet tea fragrance
– Elegant, very full cupped historic blooms
– Reliable repeat flowering through the season
– Compact, upright shrub for beds or pots
– Good colour retention in sun and heat
Gné speisialta: Fadú grástúil ó bándearg bradán go bándearg pale.
Refined forms – Soil-friendly approach
Irène Watts
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root potted rose
19,40 €
Out of stock. In cultivation. Temporarily unavailable.
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IRÈNE WATTS – salmon-pink historic China rose - Guillot

If You dream of a romantic old-fashioned rose that still suits today’s small Irish gardens, Irène Watts is a charming choice. This compact, upright shrub carries clusters of very full, cupped blooms that repeat all summer, bringing a refined cottage character to front beds and borders. The petals open in a soft salmon-pink, then gently fade through light and pastel pink to almost white edges, so each cluster shows several tones at once – a living watercolour in the garden. Its medium, tea-scented perfume is noticeable without being overpowering, ideal beside a path or near a terrace seat. Thanks to good self-cleaning, the spent petals drop away neatly, keeping the plant looking tidy with little effort. As an own-root, 2-litre pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL plant, it settles in reliably and offers a naturally long garden life, gradually forming a balanced bush that fits well into smaller borders and cottage-style schemes. It copes reliably with our damp climate and the higher risk of fungal problems near the coast and in heavy soils, provided You give reasonable drainage and basic care. In a generous 40–50 litre container, it becomes a long-lived, versatile accent for terraces and balconies, while in the ground it works equally well as a low hedge, a flowering edging or a single centrepiece rose that simply “does its job” without demanding complicated gardening routines; in year one it concentrates on roots, in year two You see stronger shoots, and by year three it reaches its full ornamental value.


Irène Watts in different opening phases, from bud to fuller bloom.
Irène Watts with very full, cupped blooms and a dense petal centre.
Irène Watts shows a refined, cupped flower form.

Use cases

Target areaReason
Front garden focal shrub The compact, upright habit and medium height make Irène Watts ideal as a front-of-house feature that never overwhelms a small space, giving a graceful historic look that stays in proportion for beginners
Low cottage-style border Clusters of cupped, salmon-pink flowers repeating through the season create a romantic cottage feel along paths or driveways, especially when underplanted with simple perennials, suiting those who enjoy soft, traditional colour for homeowners
Neat edging or low hedge Regular spacing at 40–50 cm forms a continuous, low flowering line; the plant’s moderate vigour and upright structure help maintain a tidy outline with basic pruning, attractive for gardens needing gentle structure for busy
Container rose for terraces and balconies Performs well in a 40–50 litre container with regular watering, offering repeat flowers and fragrance close to seating areas, very suitable for urban patios and small spaces where ground planting is limited for town-dwellers
Mixed flower bed with perennials The moderate size and historical charm pair beautifully with companions such as asters, liatris or coneflowers, adding season-long structure and colour without crowding other plants, ideal in relaxed, informal schemes for garden-lovers
Romantic seating-area planting The medium, tea-scented fragrance and repeat flushes make it perfect beside a bench or terrace, where You can enjoy scent and colour at close quarters with only occasional deadheading and light shaping for tea-rose
Family garden with limited maintenance time Good self-cleaning means many spent petals drop away on their own, keeping the shrub presentable between visits to the garden, suiting households who want flowers but cannot commit to frequent grooming for families
Small garden in damp, mild Irish conditions Moderate disease resistance and reliable growth fit well with our wet, often humid climate where fungal problems can be frequent, provided You give reasonable drainage and avoid waterlogging in heavy soils for Irish

Decorating ideas

  • COTTAGE BORDER DUO – Combine Irène Watts with dwarf asters like Aster dumosus ‘Apollo’ for a low, soft-edged border that echoes traditional rural cottages – ideal for lovers of nostalgic front gardens
  • ROMANTIC PATIO POT – Plant one Irène Watts in a 40–50 litre terracotta pot with trailing thyme at the rim for fragrance and gentle colour on terraces – perfect for balcony and patio owners
  • SOFT SUMMER RIBBON – Use a row of Irène Watts as a low hedge along a path, interplanting with Rudbeckia fulgida for yellow highlights and a long flowering season – great for family gardens needing easy structure
  • MIXED PERENNIAL PATCH – Place Irène Watts among Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’ and airy ornamental grasses to blend historical roses with contemporary textures – suited to gardeners who enjoy relaxed, naturalistic beds
  • SCENTED SEATING NOOK – Position Irène Watts near a garden bench, adding lavender or rosemary in front for extra scent and evergreen presence – appealing to those who want a calm, low-effort rest corner

Technical cultivar profile
PropertyData
Name and registration Irène Watts is a historic China shrub rose, part of the Old garden rose collection. Registered cultivar name Irène Watts; commercial name IRÈNE WATTS – salmon-pink historic China rose - Guillot.
Origin and breeding Bred by Pierre Guillot in France from a seedling of ‘Madame Laurette Messimy’. Introduced by Guillot & Fils in 1895 as a historical China rose with refined flower form and reliable repeat bloom.
Growth and structure Compact, upright shrub, around 60–100 cm high and 50–90 cm wide. Moderately dense, mid-green, slightly glossy foliage with dense prickling. Suited to beds, borders, low hedges and containers.
Flower morphology Very full, cupped blooms with 40+ petals, large-flowered clusters. Flowers borne in heads on short stems, remontant with generous second flushes when well watered and lightly deadheaded.
Colour and phenology Closed buds are pale cream with rosy and yellow tints. Flowers open soft salmon-pink, then fade through light and pastel pink to almost white edges, with a deeper centre and generally good colour retention.
Fragrance and aroma Noticeable, medium-intensity perfume with a delicately sweet, tea-scented character. Best appreciated at close range near paths, doors or seating areas, especially in warm, still weather conditions.
Rose hip characteristics Occasional small spherical hips, about 6–10 mm across, coloured red RHS 53A. Mainly of ornamental rather than wildlife value, appearing sparsely after the main flowering period.
Resistance and hardiness Hardy to about −15 to −12 °C (H6, USDA 7b, Swedish zone 2). Moderate resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; tolerates heat with extra watering during prolonged dry spells.
Horticultural recommendations Best in well-drained soil with regular moisture and feeding. Space 40–75 cm depending on use; 4.2–4.8 plants/m² for mass planting. Suitable for partial shade, borders, flower beds, hedges and 40–50 litre containers.

Irène Watts gives compact romantic flowers, gentle fragrance and a neat, repeat-blooming shrub that, as an own-root rose, matures into a long-lived, easily maintained feature; it may suit You if You prefer planting once and enjoying for years.

Detailed product attributes

Product Identification Data

Product Name: IRÈNE WATTS – salmon-pink historic China rose - Guillot
Product Type: pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL - 2-litre own-root potted rose
Cultivar Authenticity: Verified:04.09.2025
Cultivar Merit Rating: premium silver
Item Number: [1025] 40-071 (14.02.2026) pharmarosa.ie

Name and Registration

Cultivar Name Meaning: The name is a combination of the female given name Irène (of Greek origin, meaning 'peace') and the surname Watts, presumably in honour of a woman named Irene Watts.
Synonym Name: Pink Gruss an Aachen
Registered Cultivar Name: Irène Watts
Trade Name: Irène Watts Old garden rose Irène Watts
Rose Group: China, Bengale
Commercial Type: historic, china rose
Commercial Group: Historical rose
Exhibition Category: shrub rose
Collection: Old garden rose

Origin and Breeding

Initial Distributor: Guillot & Fils (France)
Registration Year: unregistered cultivar
Breeder: Pierre Guillot
Breeding Company / Institution: Guillot & Fils Roseraie
Breeding Year: France, 1895
Parentage: Seedling from 'Madame Laurette Messimy'

Growth and Structural Characteristics

Height: 2-3.3ft (60-100 cm)
Spread: 1.6-3ft (50-90 cm)
Growth Habit: upright
Foliage: The variety has moderately dense foliage. Its leaves have a slightly glossy surface and a mid-green shade (RHS 137A).
Prickliness: densely thorned
Self-Cleaning Description: Most of the spent petals fall off on their own.
Self-Cleaning Intensity: Self-cleaning: good

Flower Morphology

Flower Fullness: very full-flowered
Flower Form: cupped
Flower Size: L (2,75-3,95 in)
Inflorescence Type: cluster-flowered
Colour Code: ARS code: pb RHS code: 36C (outer), 36D (inner)
Repeat Flowering: Remontant, producing a plentiful second flowering.

Colour Data and Phenology

Colour: salmon-pink
Flower Colour: Delicate, warm-toned salmon and light pink blend with a subtle yellowish undertone.
Closed Bud: Pale cream-coloured with a rosy tint and a faint touch of yellow at the tip.
Freshly Opened Flower: Soft salmon pink, with a creamy-yellow glow at the base of the inner petals.
Full Bloom: Pure light pink with a deeper, more vivid shade at the centre.
Pre-Fading Flower: Fades to pastel pink; the outer petals are almost white.
Colour Fading Description: During opening, the soft salmon-pink fades to light pink and then to pastel pink; the outer petals ultimately become almost white.

Fragrance and Aroma

Fragrance Strength: medium-intensity, noticeably fragrant rose
Fragrance Character: delicately sweet, tea-scented
Pollinator Attraction: Its double flower form and limited accessibility of the stamens reduce its attractiveness to pollinating insects.
Pollinator-Friendly Rating: Its very double blooms conceal the stamens, making it primarily an ornamental variety.

Rose Hip Characteristics

Rose Hip Shape: spherical
Rose Hip Colour: red (RHS 53A)
Rose Hip Notes: Occasionally produced, 6–10 mm in diameter, spherical, red (RHS 53A) rose hips.

Resistance and Hardiness

Hardiness (°C): -15–-12 °C
Heat and Drought Tolerance Description: Tolerates heat well and requires watering during prolonged dry periods.
Disease Resistance: moderate
  • powdery mildew – moderate
  • black spot – moderate
  • rust – moderate

Horticultural Recommendations

Recommended Spacing: for mass planting 50 cm, for hedging 40 cm, as a specimen plant 75 cm
Planting Density: square planting 4,2 plants/m², hexagonal arrangement 4,8 plants/m²
Partial Shade Tolerance: suitable for partial shade
Maintenance Requirements: Maintenance requirement medium; occasionally requires plant protection.
Key Uses: flower bed, border, container, terrace

Notes

Strengths: Refined forms – Soil-friendly approach
Companion Plants: Aster dumosus ‘Apollo’ - dwarf aster Liatris spicata 'Kobold' - dense blazing star Rudbeckia fulgida - showy coneflower
Note: -
IRÈNE WATTS – salmon-pink historic China rose - Guillot
Delicate, warm-toned salmon and light pink blend with a subtle yellowish undertone. - historic, china rose - medium-intensity, noticeably fragrant rose - delicately sweet, tea-scented
Online rose order - salmon-pink - historic, china rose - Irène Watts - (2-3.3ft (60-100 cm))
Inflorescence: cluster-flowered Height: 2-3.3ft (60-100 cm) Flower shape: cupped Winter hardiness: 4b salmon-pink - Guillot & Fils (France) historic, china rose - Flower size: L (2,75-3,95 in) Flower size: L (2,75-3,95 in) - Height: 2-3.3ft (60-100 cm) Height: 2-3.3ft (60-100 cm) - Flower fullness: very full-flowered Irène Watts - Roses in the garden | pharmaROSA® Original - premium silver Pierre Guillot

We showcase the external appearance of the roses available for online purchase from our webshop.


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Information

In what condition do we send the rose from our online webshop?

Let us ask ourselves the question. What would I like to use the rose for?
Flower? - Location? - Screening? - Fragrance? - Height? - Breeder? - Rose hip?

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Care guide

Our product is a rose grown with unique pharmaROSA® cultivation technology!

2 litre, own-root, potted rose.
With shoots appropriate to the season.
With roots thoroughly interwoven through the growing medium.
Quality in line with the requirements of the E.N.A. (European Nurserystock Association).
In unique packaging that prevents damage.
Can be planted during frost-free periods.
True-to-type rose plant with an individual identifier.

The pharmaROSA® own-root potted rose is a well-rooted plant that supports reliable establishment when planted and cared for properly, so it can be planted whenever the soil is not frozen.


Stock: several varieties and several stages of development in a short stock section.
Shoot system: intensive growth of fresh basal shoots on a young plant.
Root system: presentation of the strong root system interwoven through the growing medium with the pot removed.
Balance: mature plant where the development of the root system and the shoots is in harmony.

Information about the videos
The video series is not a “seasonal showcase”, but makes the essence of pharmaROSA® own-root production tangible: how the plant is built, what the root system is like and how the shoots renew themselves. The footage was therefore taken at different times, showing plants at different stages of development, so mixed leaf coverage or differing growth stages may appear in the videos. This is not a “sample” of the batch delivered, but an illustration of how the technology works. The current condition of the rose available to order — typical of the given period and similar to what you can expect to receive in the parcel — is shown at the top of the product page.

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Product types

Pages for private customers
Garden roses for the family garden, with minimal care  → ORIGINAL®
Premium garden roses – instant impact, a truly showpiece garden  → EXTRA®
Pages for professionals and private customers
Roses for public spaces – large areas, sustainable maintenance  → NATURAL®
Roses for projects – hedge and row planting, fast implementation  → RAPID®
For professional partners only
Production – propagation material for garden roses, wholesale  → NEONATAL®

Company details

PharmaRosa Ltd.
Company registration number: 01-09-717479
VAT number: 13075314-2-43
Plant health registration no.: HU130721
Bank account (IBAN):
HU85117631891388688400000000
BIC (SWIFT): OTPVHUHB
Bank name: OTP Bank Nyrt.