OUR PEMBERTONS

Situated near the house our collection ot roses bred by either the Rev. Joseph Hardwick Pemberton or his gardeners. the Bentalls, provide a lovely fragrance to enjoy when you are sitting on the patio. Our range of their roses, which are mainly hybrid musk roses, include both some of their earliest roses, as well as their later ones but sadly not at present Kathleen. One of my favourites being Ballerina.

Pemberton, who was born in Mile End, London, on October 4th, 1852. was an Anglian Minister who had a passion for roses. a lifelong batchelor, he lived most of life with his sister, Florence, in the Round House at Havering-atte-Bower. There passion, which they had developed from their father, resulted in them setting up their own nursery, where they were to grow in excess of 35,000 roses. He was to become a prominent figure in the rose world and in 1909 he became the first recipited on the new award setup by the National Rose Society in memory of first president, the Rev. Samuel Hole, the Dean of Rochester. Also a huge cricket fan and a member of the Romford Cricket Club, Rev. Pemberton died on July 26th, 1926 leaving his rose fields to the Bentalls. As Rev. Pemberton sister wanted to carry on the nursery business herself, the Bentalls ('Jack' and Ann) sold it to her before receiving it back in her will after her death three years later.

Here are our roses bred by the Rev. Pemberton and the Bentalls are:

Autumn Delight -is a hybrid musk rose that was bred by Jack and Ann Bentall and has soft buff-yellow flowers. One of my favourites, it was introduced in 1933.

Ballerina - is another of the Bentall hybrid musk roses and has small pink flowers that give off a slight fragrance. Introduced in 1937, it grows to about 120cm by 90.

Belinda - was introduced in 1936 and is a hybrid musk rose that it's breeders, Jack and Ann Bentall, named after their granddaughter. It produces mild pink flowers.

Buff Beauty - has fully double flowers that open flat, which the colour varies from buff yellow to apricot depending on the weather conditions. A seedling of William Allen Richardson, it is a hybrid musk rose that was bred by Jack and Ann Bentall.

Callisto - is a hybrid musk rose that was bred by the Rev Pemberton and has small golden-yellow flowers that are formed in clusters.

Cornelia - has small strawberry coloured flowers that are about 7.5cm wide and grows to about 150cm by 150. It a hybrid musk roses that was bred by the Rev. Pemberton and introduced in 1925.

Danae - is named after the wife of Xeus in Greek methology and is a hybrid musk rose that was bred by the Rev, J.H. Pemberton by crossing Trier with Chedane-Guinoisswaru. Introduced in 1913, it has fragrant light yellow flowers.

Daybreak - was introduced in 1918 and has moderately fragrant light cream flowers that have a yellow centre. Bred by the Rev. Pemberton by crossing Trier with Liberty, it grows to about 120cm by 90.

Felicia - is often referred to as being one of the very best hybrid musk roses and is named after the Greek Goddess of Chance. Introduced in 1928, having been bred by the Rev. Pemberton by crossing Trier with Ophelia, it has moderately fragrant pink flowers.

Franesca - is a hybrid musk that the Rev. Pemberton bred by crossing Danae with Sunset. It has apricot flowers and was introduced in 1922.

Moonlight - won a National Rose Society Gold Medal in 1913 and is a hybrid musk rose that the Rev. Pemberton bred by crossing Trier with Sulphurea. Introduced in 1913, it has scented creamy-white flowers.

Nur Mahel - which translates into 'The Fairy of the Palace' of the 'Light of Palaces' is named after the wife of the Emperor Jahangir of India. It has bright crimson flowers that are produced in clusters that was bred by the Rev. Pemberton by crossing Chareau de Clos Vougeot with a Hybrid Musk seedling. It was introduced in 1923.

Pax - is a hybrid musk rose by the Rev Pemberton that was created the commemorate the end of the First World War. It has creamy-white to white flowers that have yellow stamens and was awarded a Gold Medal by the National Rose Society in 1918.

Penelope - is a hybrid musk rose with semi-double creamy-white flowers, that the Rev. Pemberton named after the wife of Odysseus in Green mythology. Bred by crossing Ophelia with Trier, it was introduced in 1924 and grows to about 240cm tall.

Prosperity - was introduced in 1919 having been bred by the Rev. Pemberton by crossing Marie-Jeane with Perle des Jardins. It grows to about 150cm tall and is a hybrid musk rose that has large creamy-white flowers that are formed in clusters.

Robin Hood - is another of my favourites and was bred by the Rev. Pemberton by crossing an unnamed seedling with Miss Edith Cavell. Introduced in 1927, and named after the legendary Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest, it produces in cluster flowers that are originally bright scarlet in colour before turning to crimson as they age.

The Fairy - is probably the best known of the roses bred by the Bentalls and is a ground cover rose that they bred by crossing Paul Crampel with Lady Gray.

Thisbe - is a sport of Daphine and was discovered by the Rev. Pemberton, who introduced it in 1918. Thisbe being the lover of Pyramus in Greek Mythology.

Vanity - produces rose-pink flowers and grows to 150cm tall, Introduced in 1920, it was bred by the Rev Pemberton by crossing Chateau de Clos Vougeot with an unnamed seedling.

It would be great to have all their roses but unfortunately we have no more spare for anymore, even if I could track them down. Instead I would settle for this one only:

Kathleen - was introduced in 1922 and is a hybrid musk rose that the Rev J.H. Pemberton bred by crossing Daphne with Perle des Jardins. It has blush coloured flowers.

There other roses are are:

Althea (HT), Annie (HT), Aurora (HM), Bentall's Scarlet (HT)*, Bernice (HT), Bianca (HT), Ceres (HM), Chami (HM), Clytemnestra (HM), Daphne (HM), Dinah (HM)*, Dorinda Neave (HT), E. Pemberton Barnes (HT), Galatea (HM)*, Havering (HM), Havering Rambler (HM)*. Helen Taylor (HT)*, I Zingari (HT), Iris Patrica Green (HT)'*. J.H. Pemberton (HT)*, Joan (HM)*, Maid Marion (HM), Mary (HT)*, Mary Monro (HT), Mayfair (HT), Miram (HM), Naomi (HT)*, Paulette Bentall (HM), Pearl (HT), Pemberton's White Rambler (HM), Princess Nagaka (HT), Queen Alexandra (HM), Rachel (HT)*, Rebecca (HT), River's Musk (HM), Rosaleen (HM)*, Ruth (HT), Sammy (HM), Sea Spray (HM), Star of Persia (Hybrid foetia), Sun-Ray (HT)*, The Adjutant (HT)* and The General (HT).

*Believed to be extinct.