The Rosary Section

Emplacement and area

The rosary section or the rose – garden is situated at the intersection of the main access ways and the intersection of the principal sections of the Botanic Garden "A. Fatu". Presenting about 1,7 ha area, it groups together approximately 600 roses varieties distributed in horticultural groups, taking into account their proportions, forms and colours.
In the rosary’s centre are placed the noble roses varieties and in the peripheral zones are placed the wild genitor species, divided depending on their geographic origin.

Description

By moving down from the main entrance on the cut stones steps, in the laterals sides can be admired the ancestors of the noble roses, the ancestors of the park roses and the ancestors of the climbing roses. After that, by a path from the left, we can reach to a triangular small square whence starts the peripheral alley that surrounds all the rose-garden.
Beginning from this small square, in the left side of this alley, we can notice:

• Chinese or Bengalese roses (Rosa chinensis), presenting an important role in the noble roses creation process;
• Damascus roses (Rosa damascena), that have represented the obtainment basis of the varieties used for perfume extraction;
• Bourbon roses (Rosa borboniana) used to create varieties presenting remounted flowering;
• climbing roses (Paul's Scarlet Climber and Crimson Rambler – red flowers);
• roses presenting leafs similar to potato leafs (Rosa rugosa) decorative by flowers and fruits and used in alimentary, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries (Rosa kordesii, Rosa moschata);
• other illustrative varieties: ‘Bonn’, ‘Elmshorn’, ‘Eva’, ‘Munchen’ etc.;
• Wichura’s rose (Rosa wichuraiana), originating in China and Japan, used to create a valuable group of climbing roses, presenting glossy leafs and diseases resistant.

In the same place, but on the right side of the surrounding alley, are cultivated roses that have been used to create noble varieties:

• the tea rose (Rosa odorata) brought to England from China in 1789;
• the Thea group roses, that together with the Chinese roses represents the basis ancestors for the actual noble varieties creation process;
• the yellow rose (Rosa foetida) re-brought in Europe in 1837 from Persia;
• Rosa centifolia (used for jams obtainment) and Rosa gallica;
• wild roses: Rosa x alba, Rosa sempervirens and Rosa spinosissima presenting good fruits and flowers garlands;
• mountain rose (Rosa pendulina), unpretentious to light and soil characteristics and severe cold and smoke resistant.

In the central zone of the rosary are cultivated the noble roses – creation of human intellect – classified in horticultural groups and rigorous sorted according scientific, didactic and other criteria:

• the Remounting roses, presenting repeating flowering and considered the oldest group of noble roses. The first of them have appeared around 1820 and represented creations of Laffay by crossing Bourbon and Damascus roses with Chinese and Thea roses. A part of these varieties have been maintained in culture until today as 'Frau Karl Druscki' variety (white flowers) created in 1901.
• the Thea hybrids characterized by robust shrubs, big, diverse coloured and perfumed flowers, created by the crossing of the remounted roses and Bengalese roses (R. chinensis var. semperflorens), Rosa foetida and others. This group of varieties is the most numerous and valuable and occupies the most of the collection area;
  • 'La France 1867' variety is the first created Thea hybrid;
  • varieties presenting white flowers: 'White Christmas', 'Matterhorn', 'Mount Shasta';
  • varieties presenting flowers in varied nuances of pink: 'Mme. Caroline Testout';
  • soiuri de culoare roz de diferite nuante: 'Mme. Caroline Testout';
  • varieties presenting yellow flowers: 'Diamond Jubilee', 'Peer Gynt' etc.;
  • varieties presenting bi-colour flowers (red and yellow or white): 'Peace' (= 'Mme. Meilland'), 'Caprice', 'Sutter's Gold' etc.;
  • varieties presenting brown flowers: 'Kardinal', 'Crimson Glory', 'Erotika', 'Ernest H. Morse' – dark red, velvety and perfumed petals;
  • varieties presenting mauve – lilac flowers: 'Eminence', 'Mainzer Fastnacht'.

Around the small square, in two semicircular layers disposed one in front of the other, are cultivated low stature roses from Polyantha horticultural group, having little, one or bi-coloured flowers, grouped in bunches. In the last decades the ameliorators have oriented to create Mini type varieties, adequate to borders realization or cultivation in flower pots as 'Little Scotch', 'Perla de Alcanada', 'Cricri'. In the centre of the rosary section, the attracting red colour of 'Luchian' variety (a valuable Romanian creation) can be remarked. In the semicircular layer of the rose garden, two Romanian creation, 'Foc de tabara' and 'Rosa bunda', can also be admired. A special place has been reserved to a semi-climbing roses group named Climbing.

Theme

Presently, the noble roses collection of the Botanic Garden includes 600 varieties. This valuable roses collection is unique in Romania and has been recognized by "The World Federation of Rose Societies". Leaving the rosary, besides the agreeable impressions generated by the beauty of flowers, the visitor remains with a edifying image of the cultivated roses evolution.