There are over 150 types of roses and thousands of hybrid roses growing on almost all continents. Damasc rose and Bulgarian rose is among the most popular types of roses in perfumery.
With a classic scent appeal, roses are associated with seductive perfumes. They can be used by themselves as rose water or they can be part of a perfume composition, typically with other floral notes.
The various types of roses by category
There are so many rose varieties that they wouldn’t fit in a short blog post. However, we can have a look at a few categories to understand roses better.
Hybrid tea roses
Growing on long stems, these roses are easy to recognize. They grow with a single flower per stem and you can easily associate them with the ones you see in movies or at your local florist.
Floribunda rose
These bush-type roses are the ones responsible for growing multiple flowers looking very much like natural rose bouquets.
Ground cover roses
Low in the spread, these roses tend to grow close to the ground. They are normally grown as ornament roses.
Hedge roses
These roses are recognized by their long heads and their multiple flowers, mostly used as decorative roses.
Climbing roses
As their name suggests, these roses grow vertically. Similarly to grapevines, these roses can climb for tens of feet.
Shrub roses
These roses grow in a bush and you can grow them ornamentally to create natural flower fences around your home.
Types of roses ordered alphabetically
Altissimo
This climbing rose features bright red flowers. It prefers moist humus-abundant soil and it produces flowers early in the summer.
Avon
Pale pink or pearl white flowers are produced by the Avon rose. These flowers are known for being very hard to grow but highly fragrant.
Bonica roses
These roses are known for very light fragrance flowers. You can also grow these roses yourself from late spring onwards.
Bulatta
These roses are highly aromatic. You can easily recognize the plant due to its crinkled leaves which are very different from the lettuce-like leaves you see on the roses at your local florist.
Bulgarian rose
This is one of the different types of roses popular in the fragrance world. Native to Bulgaria, it has inspired popular women’s perfumes. Its unique fragrance is specific to the Rose Valley of Bulgaria, shielded from winds with high mountains and based on cinnamon-forest soil.
You can smell Bulgarian rose in the following perfumes: Demeter Fragrance Bulgarian Rose, Stella Stella McCartney for Women, La Fille de Berlin Serge Lutens, Eau de Cartier Goutte de Rose, Harem Rose Fort And Manle, Roses Al-Rehab, and Taif Roses Montale.
Catherine Mermet
Light and pink, these roses are known to be highly aromatic. It blooms throughout the growing season.
Cecile Brunner
This climbing rose can be used to decorate your garden or house. It blooms in late spring and it is also used for its fragrant rose scent.
Cherry Parfait
Characterized by white petals with vermillon petal edges, these roses look unique. Their fragrance is mild.
Damask rose
Rosa Damascena is one of the most popular types of rose used in perfumes. The flowers are commercially harvested to make rose oil which is then turned into fragrance. Summer Damasks are a type of Damask rose flowering in a short season. Autumn Damask flower longer into the autumn.
You can smell Damask Rose in the following perfumes: Eau Rose Diptyque, Rose Millesimee Jovoy Paris, Rosa di Damasco I Profumi di Firenze, and Givenchy Harvest 2007 Irresistible Damascena Rose.
David Austin
David Austin hybrid roses good for fragrance include Gabriel Oak, Emily Bronte, Charles Darwin, Claire Austin, The Mayflower, and the Poet’s Wife.
Distant Drums
Part of the floribunda types of roses, these roses are known for their striking look. They resemble pink orchids in color.
Dorothy Perkins
Salmon is the color of these small roses. Growing in clusters, they can be recognized by their high number of petals. A single flower can grow with more than 40 petals.
English rose
These roses are a category encompassing British roses such as Strawberry Hill, Wollerton Old Hall, and Vanessa Bell.
Eternal Flame
Creamy white-yellow petals are characteristic of these roses. They unfold with up to 40 petals blooming continuously. In perfumes, they are known for their citruses fragrance undertones.
Falstaff
These roses smell like Old Roses. But their fragrance is not their only strong point. Falstaff rose flowers grow with 40 petals which meet at the center.
Flower carpet amber
You can recognize the roses by their pale orange color. You can even grow them at home as they’re known for their high resilience and disease resistance.
Foolish Pleasure
White at the base of the petals and intense pink at the edges of the petals, these roses have an upright growing pattern. They’re typically grown among other garden roses.
Gold Metal
For perfumes, Gold Metal offers a richer fragrance with plenty of fruity undertones. For decoration, Gold Metal is a safe garden rose as it barely grows thorns.
Graham Thomas
These rich yellow types of roses are real upright climbers. You can see them in action on entire homes in the villages of England and Wales.
Iceberg
The busy roses are quickly growing. They climb whatever stricter they’re closest to and they produce clusters of flowers.
Julia Child
Also known as the Fabulous Rose, these flowers are named after chef Julia Child. You can recognize them by the unique golden-pineapple color.
Klima
These roses are climbers. Thy blossom rich yellow flowers and they are also known around the world as Savaklim.
Lemon Delight
These roses only grow in warm climates. You can recognize them by their pale yellow lemon petals.
Louise Odier
With prickly stems and vigorous shrubs, these thick roses are pink with lilac undertones. They date back to 1851.
Mollineaux
These roses are known for their orange color when they start blooming and pale yellow color in late season.
Nootka Rose
Originating from the Nootka Sound of Vancouver Island, these roses are known for their intense or very strong fragrance. They now grow through North America.
Octoberfest
With various shades of orange, these roses look summery. When fully grown, they feature anywhere between 26 and 40 petals.
Patron
These roses are known for their bright red color and low petal count. They normally grow up to 25 petals.
Princess Alexandra of Kent
Highly aromatic, these roses can be used for rose oil and fragrances. They come with tea aroma with hints of lemon and blackcurrant.
Renaissance roses
These strongly scented roses come from Denmark. These rose types also come in red, yellow, and other bright colors.
Rosa Gallica
Deep pink and highly fragrant, these roses are also known as French or rose of Provins. They usually grow 5 petals only.
Rosa Mundi
The flowers of Rosa Mundi resemble orchid with their white stripes on red petals. Their blooms are highly scented.
Sugary Baby
These roses are also known as patio roses. They sit on dark green foliage known for its leather undertone.
Swany
The large flowers of Swany are white with pink hints. They look fantastic on their dark green leaves.
Tahitian Sunset
If you are imagining apricots, these are just how the Tahitian Sunset types of roses look like. Pink undertones may also become visible on the petals during the high summer heat.
Teasing Georgia
These types of rose bushes grow easily as they climb. Growing yellow flowers, they have the aroma of Tea Roses.
Tickled Pink
When putting this list of different types of roses with names together, I wanted to include these Royal Horticultural Society awarded roses as well. They are only lightly fragrant and they’d suit complex perfumes.
Venus
Typically small, Venus roses are normally used for decorative purposes. They only reach heights of up to 10 inches. (You can sample Bramasole’s Venus rose perfume which includes Venere, Botticelli, and Renaissance roses).