Rose Collector's Guide to 107 Fragrant Roses
Ranked by scent, color, and garden performance
A garden-scale scent guide: the 107 most fragrant roses in our catalog, sorted not by color or class but by the smell they actually release — damask, fruit, citrus, tea, honey, and spice.
Ask a rose grower why they garden and you will rarely hear about bloom form or petal count. You will hear about the evening they walked out to the compost bin and had to stop, because something smelled incredible. That is what the best smelling roses do to people, and it is why this guide exists.
We rate fragrance in our catalog on a six-step scale, and only 107 varieties earn the top rating — the strongest scented roses we track. Below, all 107: a Hall of Fame of fragrance champions, the full lineup sorted by scent family, the best fragrant David Austin roses and fragrant climbing roses, the top picks by color, the ones that sail through a zone 9 summer, and a searchable master list with every single rose.
Every rose name links to its full catalog profile — photos, growing notes, and where to buy it. Take your time. Nobody chooses a rose this fragrant quickly.
🌹 Fragrance Hall of Fame
If you only have room for a handful of these, start here. These twelve are the roses that show up on every "most fragrant roses" list — and earn it.
The benchmark. Since 1964 this is the rose every other fragrant red is measured against — deep damask perfume on long, elegant stems.
Collector's note: Give it morning sun and good airflow; it earns its keep in the vase and the border.
Holder of the Royal National Rose Society's fragrance award and, for many growers, the most fragrant rose ever bred. Pure old-rose perfume you can smell across the garden.
Collector's note: Stiff, thorny canes — site it where you can reach in to deadhead, not along a narrow path.
The old-garden perfume champion. A mature plant in October bloom can stop you from across the yard, and its fall flush rivals its summer one.
Collector's note: Worth every black-spot spray you will ever give it.
Deep burgundy blooms that smell of ripe blackberries and damson — dark color and big perfume in one tidy, generous shrub.
Collector's note: Holds its color even in hot afternoon sun. One of the best roses for zones 5 through 11.
Guava and sweet wine over a classic rose base — Austin's fruitiest nose, on huge, bowl-shaped blooms.
Collector's note: Flowers can ball in rain; plant where morning sun dries the dew fast.
Often named the single most fragrant red hybrid tea ever introduced.
Collector's note: Happiest in zones 7–9, where it never has to fight for its perfume in a cool summer.
Spicy-sweet scent plus blooms that change color as they open — the show pony that also happens to smell incredible.
Collector's note: Famously easy for a hybrid tea, and the best first fragrant rose.
Proof fragrance is not only red — heavy, fruity, almost tropical perfume on rich coral blooms.
Collector's note: A tidy habit for a scented hybrid tea; works at the front of a border.
The ancestor of most fragrant red hybrid teas. Nodding, velvet blooms you catch by scent before you see them.
Collector's note: Old-fashioned arching habit — lovely draped over a low wall.
Sweet, fruity, the classic florist rose — long stems, blushed pink, and a perfume that fills a room from a single bloom.
Collector's note: If you grow roses for the vase, start here.
Soft pink, loose blooms with a honey-lemon scent that drifts. One of Austin's earliest and most reliable fragrant shrubs.
Collector's note: Nearly thornless — a good fragrant rose for a garden you share with kids.
The great fragrant climber of the 1800s — tea-scented, buff-gold blooms on a plant that will happily cover a wall.
Collector's note: Give it warmth and a wall. It sulks in cold springs but is peerless in zones 7–9.
Roses by fragrance type
"Strong" is not one smell. All 107 roses below sit at the top of our fragrance scale, but a damask hybrid tea, a lemon-sherbet floribunda, and a clove-scented Bourbon are intensely fragrant in completely different ways. Open a family to see every rose in it.
This is what most people mean when they say a rose "smells like a rose" — deep, sweet, honeyed perfume that has been farmed for attar in Bulgaria and Grasse for centuries. Nearly half of our most fragrant roses belong to this family.
Top picks: Mister Lincoln, Gertrude Jekyll, Madame Isaac Pereire, Papa Meilland
Collector's note: Damask scent peaks on warm, still mornings — plant it near a bench, a door, or anywhere you linger.
🌹 Best fragrant David Austin roses
No breeder has done more for fragrance than David Austin, and our very-strong list is proof — ten of his roses earn the top rating. These are the fragrant David Austin roses collectors argue about most (affectionately).
★★★★★ Very Strong · Old Rose / Damask
Pink · Shrub · 5–10 feet · Zones 4–11
The perfume queen of the English roses — pink, quartered, and famous for filling a whole garden.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Fruity
Burgundy · English · 3 feet · Zones 5–11
Deep burgundy blooms with a blackberry-and-damson nose; compact enough for a small garden.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Fruity
Yellow · Shrub · 4 to 5 feet · Zones 5–9
Soft yellow bowls with a guava-and-wine scent that gets everyone's vote.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Fruity
Apricot · Shrub · 120–150 cm · Zones 5–9
Apricot-pink flowers that smell like fruit salad over a rose base — one of Austin's sweetest.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Tea & Honey
Pink · Shrub · 4 to 5 feet · Zones 5–9
Nearly thornless, honey-lemon scented, endlessly obliging — the Austin for a family garden.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Tea & Honey
Orange · English · 5' · Zones 4–11
Warm orange-gold with a tea-spiced-apple perfume, and tolerant of a shadier spot than most.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Fruity
Apricot · Shrub · 5–10 feet · Zones 5–11
Big, arching, generous — huge apricot blooms with a strong fruity perfume, zones 5–11.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Fruity
Pink · Shrub · 120 cm · Zones 5–9
Rosy-pink with a myrrh-edged scent on a tidy bush — a collector's Austin.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Old Rose / Damask
Purple · Shrub · 2.5 to 3 feet · Zones 5–10
The darkest purple-crimson of the early Austins; richly scented and stays compact.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Old Rose / Damask
Red · Shrub · 120–150 cm · Zones 5–10
Deep red, fully double, old-rose scented — dramatic color with the perfume to match.
Best fragrant hybrid tea roses
If you picture "a rose," you are picturing a hybrid tea — and the top of our fragrance scale is full of them. These are the strongest scented hybrid teas in the catalog.
Best fragrant climbing roses
Fragrance at nose height is lovely. Fragrance fifteen feet up a warm wall is unforgettable. These fragrant climbing roses perfume an entire garden.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Tea & Honey
Yellow · Old Garden · 15 to 20 feet · Zones 7–9
The 1850 tea rose that covered half of Europe's walls — buff-gold and tea-scented, repeat blooming.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Tea & Honey
Yellow · Old Garden · 15 to 20 feet · Zones 7–9
The Victorian conservatory rose: soft yellow, huge blooms, legendary tea perfume. Give it warmth.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Tea & Honey
White · Old Garden · 10 to 20 feet · Zones 7–9
Creamy white clusters with a tea-and-honey scent; generous repeat on thornless canes.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Fruity
Pink · Climber · 6 to 8 feet · Zones 5–9
Modern Meilland climber with an old-rose-meets-fruit perfume; healthy and repeat blooming.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Old Rose / Damask
Red · Climber · 8–12 ft · Zones 6–9
Deep crimson Bourbon climber with a damask punch — a collector's rose from 1920.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Fruity
Orange · Climber · 250 cm – 360 cm · Zones 6–9
Orange-gold, fruity, and rampant — eight to twelve feet of perfume in one season.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Citrus & Fresh
Pink · Climber · 8' · Zones 5–9
Kordes pink climber with a fresh lemon-and-lemongrass nose; blooms continuously.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Classic Rose
Orange · Climber · 6'–8' · Zones 5–9
Tangerine-orange, rose-and-classic scented, repeat blooming to eight feet.
Best white fragrant roses
White blooms and strong perfume — a combination many gardeners assume is impossible. These white roses with the best fragrance disagree, loudly.
Best pink fragrant roses
Pink is the heart of the fragrant list — more pinks earn the top scent rating than any other color. These are the best-smelling pink roses in the catalog.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Old Rose / Damask
Magenta · Old Garden · 5 to 7 feet · Zones 5–9
Best red fragrant roses
Red roses carried fragrance's reputation for a century, and the reds below still carry it. These are the best fragrant red roses you can plant.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Old Rose / Damask
Red · Climber · 8–12 ft · Zones 6–9
Best fragrant roses for zone 9 gardens
Heat is fragrance's friend — up to a point. These fragrant roses for zone 9 (and warm California gardens) bloom straight through summer, and their scent carries on warm evening air.
★★★★★ Very Strong · Old Rose / Damask
Red · Old Garden · 90 cm – 150 cm · Zones 7–10
🏆 Editor's Awards
Our picks, after growing (and sniffing) our way through all 107.
🏆 Strongest Fragrance Overall
Mister LincolnDecades of garden trials and nursery polls keep coming back to this one red hybrid tea.
🏆 Best David Austin Fragrance
Gertrude JekyllThe RNRS perfume award winner — for many growers, the most fragrant rose ever bred.
🏆 Best White Rose
Alba MaximaFive centuries of gardeners cannot all be wrong — the toughest, most storied white in the list.
🏆 Best Climber
Gloire de DijonA wall of Gloire de Dijon in June is still the best argument for rose growing.
🏆 Best Rose for Beginners
Double DelightEasy, dramatic, fragrant — the rare hybrid tea that forgives mistakes.
🏆 Best Rose for Small Gardens
Margaret MerrilTwo to three feet of white, citrus-scented bloom that fits anywhere.
Complete list of all 107 fragrant roses
Every very-strong-fragrance rose in our catalog — all 107, none omitted. Search by name, color, type, or scent family, and tap any rose for its full profile.
107 roses
| Rose | Color | Type | Fragrance | Growth Habit | Repeat Blooming | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Whiter Shade of Pale | Blush | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Citrus & Fresh |
| Abel Grant | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Abraham Darby | Apricot | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Arching | Repeat | Fruity |
| Adam | Blush | Other | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Vigorous | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Adam Chodun | Pink | Other | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Adolf Horstmann | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Agatha Incarnata | Blush | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Once | Classic Rose |
| Alain Souchon | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Alba Maxima | White | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Once | Old Rose / Damask |
| Alfred Colomb | Purple | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Ali Baba | Orange | Climber | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Vigorous | Repeat | Fruity |
| Ambroise Paré | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Once | Spice & Clove |
| Amédée de Langlois | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| American Beauty | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| André le Notre | Blush | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Angel Face | Purple | Floribunda | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Continuous | Citrus & Fresh |
| Arborose Laguna | Pink | Climber | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Continuous | Citrus & Fresh |
| Arborose Tangerine Skies | Orange | Climber | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Bienvenue | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Blue Parfum | Purple | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Bolero | White | Floribunda | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Bourbon | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Arching | Repeat | Fruity |
| Cardeal de Rohan | Red | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Chant Rose Misato | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Charles Lefèbvre | Red | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Chartreuse de Parme | Purple | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Château de Clos-Vougeot | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Chrysler Imperial | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Conrad Ferdinand Meyer | Pink | Other | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Crimson Glory | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Desprez | Bicolor | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Vigorous | Repeat | Fruity |
| Dioressence | Purple | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Double Delight | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Spice & Clove |
| Duftwolke | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Spice & Clove |
| Evelyn | Apricot | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| Firefighter | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Fisherman's Friend | Magenta | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Fishermen's Friend | Magenta | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Fragonard | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Citrus & Fresh |
| Fragrant Cloud | Coral | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| Frederic Mistral | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Gardenia | Cream | Climber | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Once | Classic Rose |
| Gartenträume | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Général Lamarque | White | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Gertrude Jekyll | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Gloire de Dijon | Yellow | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Gloire de Guilan | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Once | Classic Rose |
| Gräfin Diana | Purple | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Citrus & Fresh |
| Henri Delbard | Orange | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Heritage | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Jacqueminot | Red | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Once | Old Rose / Damask |
| Jadis | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Johann Wolfgang von Goethe | Purple | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Jude the Obscure | Yellow | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| Juno | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Once | Old Rose / Damask |
| La Rose de Molinard | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| La Ville de Bruxelles | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Once | Old Rose / Damask |
| Lady of Shalott | Orange | English | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Arching | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Liparfum | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Lord Byron | Red | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Madame Ernest Calvat | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Madame Isaac Pereire | Magenta | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Magnifiscent | Pink | Grandiflora | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| Maréchal Niel | Yellow | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Margaret Merril | White | Floribunda | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Citrus & Fresh |
| Masora Rose | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Continuous | Fruity |
| Memorial Day | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Citrus & Fresh |
| Mirandy | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Mister Lincoln | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Munstead Wood | Burgundy | English | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| Myriam | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Nahéma | Pink | Climber | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Repeat | Fruity |
| Neige Parfum | White | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Neil Diamond | Striped | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Noble Antony | Magenta | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Ophelia | Blush | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Tea & Honey |
| Othello | Red | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Papa Meilland | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Parfum de l'Haÿ | Magenta | Other | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Parfum de Nantes | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Spice & Clove |
| Parole | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Paul Ricard | Yellow | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Spice & Clove |
| Perfume Perfection | Pink | Floribunda | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Pierre Hermé | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| Pope John Paul II | White | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Citrus & Fresh |
| Princesse Charlene de Monaco | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Pure Perfume | White | Floribunda | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Red Parfum | Red | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Rise Up Lilac Days | Lavender | Climber | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Repeat | Classic Rose |
| Rose de Molinard | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Roseraie de l'Hay | Magenta | Other | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Souvenir de Claudius Denoyel | Red | Climber | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Climbing | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Souvenir de la Malmaison | Blush | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Souvenir de Marcel Proust | Yellow | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Spice & Clove |
| St. Cecelia | Apricot | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Stephens' Big Purple | Purple | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Sterling Silver | Lavender | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Sugar Moon | White | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Citrus & Fresh |
| The 'Black Rose' of Halfeti | Red | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| The Ingenious Mr. Fairchild | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Fruity |
| The McCartney Rose | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| The Prince | Purple | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| The Reeve | Pink | Shrub | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| Tiffany | Pink | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Fruity |
| Trigintipetala | Pink | Old Garden | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Once | Old Rose / Damask |
| Violette Parfumée | Purple | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Upright | Repeat | Old Rose / Damask |
| White O'Hara | White | Hybrid Tea | ★★★★★ Very Strong | Bushy | Repeat | Classic Rose |
Which fragrant rose should you grow?
One hundred and seven options is a lot of perfume. If you want the short version, here it is.
Best rose for beginners
Double DelightDouble Delight — easy, colorful, and impossible to miss in bloom.
Best rose for collectors
The 'Black Rose' of HalfetiThe Halfeti black rose — a story in every petal, and a damask nose underneath.
Best white rose
Alba MaximaAlba Maxima — five centuries of fragrance and the toughest constitution here.
Best rose for hot climates
Papa MeillandPapa Meilland — bred for the South of France and at its best in zones 7–9.
Best overall fragrance
Gertrude JekyllGertrude Jekyll — the rose most often named the most fragrant of all.
Keep this guide in your pocket
PetalPals journals every rose you grow, reminds you when to spray and feed, and helps you identify problems from a single photo — free to join.