CELSIANA – pink historic Damask rose
Romantic and delicately fragrant, CELSIANA brings a dreamy, storybook ambience to family gardens, evoking afternoon tea beneath an arbour in a classic cottage setting. This historic Damask shrub forms a gently arching, hedge-like presence, perfect for soft garden boundaries or as a single specimen near a seating area, where its once-a-year flush of mid-pink, semi-double flowers becomes a seasonal highlight. The very strong, sweet-spicy damask scent carries on still evenings, while semi-double blooms welcome bees for a naturally wildlife-friendly touch. On its own roots, CELSIANA matures into a long-lived, resilient shrub that regrows reliably from the base and settles well even where breezy, damp weather calls for thoughtful drainage and sturdy anchoring. Over the first few seasons it moves from quiet root-building to stronger top growth and then to its full, romantic presence, remaining surprisingly manageable for busy, non-expert gardeners who wish to enjoy an old-rose atmosphere without specialist skills.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Cottage-style front garden focal point |
Use CELSIANA as a graceful, upright shrub near a gate, doorway or front path where its once-a-year flush becomes a charming seasonal event. The semi-double blooms and medium height give a soft, traditional look without overwhelming smaller plots, appealing to beginners. |
| Romantic boundary hedge |
Planted at hedge spacing, CELSIANA creates a moderately tall, informal flowering line with grey-green foliage that reads as gentle structure for most of the year. Light pruning keeps it in shape but does not demand expert technique, suiting busy households. |
| Own-root long-lived family rose |
As an own-root shrub, CELSIANA develops from a young, container-grown plant into a durable, renewing framework that can regenerate from the base if stems are damaged or pruned hard. This underpins long-term value for homeowners. |
| Perfumed seating or tea corner |
Place CELSIANA close to a bench, arbour or terrace to enjoy its very strong, sweet-spicy Damask fragrance during its flowering period. A single mature shrub can scent a seating area and create a distinctly old-world atmosphere for romantics. |
| Cut flowers from the family garden |
The medium-sized cupped blooms, carried in clusters on upright stems, provide nostalgic, soft-textured stems for informal indoor arrangements during their flowering window. This suits those who like simple home-picked bouquets, including hobbyists. |
| Pollinator-friendly traditional border |
The semi-double, open flowers allow bees and other beneficial insects easy access to pollen, combining historic character with ecological value. Flowers fading gently from mid-pink to paler tones add charm while supporting nature-loving gardeners. |
| Family garden with basic maintenance routine |
Moderate disease resistance and medium maintenance needs mean CELSIANA fits into gardens where occasional care is possible but intensive spraying is not desired; regular watering in longer dry spells and simple pruning keep it presentable for families. |
| Mixed hedge in exposed, damp-prone sites |
The upright, strongly rooted shrub form gives physical presence and stability in places where breezy, moisture-laden weather meets heavier soil, as long as drainage is considered to ensure reliable anchoring, which reassures cautious planners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-hedge – Line a front boundary with CELSIANA and interplant low Mexican daisies for a soft, pink-and-white froth in early summer – ideal for lovers of nostalgic village-lane hedges.
- Tea-corner – Place one shrub behind a small bistro set, underplanted with compact sages, so fragrance drifts around you at sitting height – perfect for afternoon tea enthusiasts.
- Heritage-focus – Use CELSIANA as a specimen in a lawn island, framed by simple evergreens, allowing its historic character and scent to be the clear focal point – suited to classic-rose collectors.
- Kitchen-border – Combine CELSIANA with culinary herbs and cottage perennials along a vegetable plot edge to bridge ornamental and productive areas – appealing to kitchen-garden owners.
- Mixed-screen – Weave CELSIANA into a loose screen with other flowering shrubs to soften views while providing a seasonal pink highlight – good for privacy-seeking families.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
CELSIANA, a historic Damask rose, marketed as CELSIANA – pink historic Damask rose; ARS exhibition class Dowager Queen old shrub rose; long-established heritage cultivar status. |
| Origin and breeding |
Selected from Rosa × damascena, introduced via Jacques-Martin Cels in the Netherlands around 1732; exact breeder unknown, reflecting its early eighteenth-century historic garden origins. |
| Awards and recognition |
Repeated Dowager Queen awards from the American Rose Society on multiple occasions between 2000 and 2001, underlining continued esteem among historic rose exhibitors and enthusiasts. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright shrub 135–225 cm tall with 105–175 cm spread; moderately dense, grey-green matte foliage and moderate prickles; medium self-cleaning, giving a gently informal historic shrub outline. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double, cupped flowers with 13–25 petals, carried in clusters on medium-length stems; medium flower size giving a soft, loose texture; flowers once per season rather than repeating. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Mid-pink blooms with warm undertones; buds mauve-pink, opening to uniform mid-pink and then fading to pastel pink and near-white at petal edges, especially in strong sun, giving a gentle ageing effect. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, sweet-spicy Damask fragrance, noticeable at a distance in still conditions; semi-double form with open centre makes fragrant stamens visible and attractive to bees and other pollinators. |
| Hip characteristics |
Moderately formed, spherical bright red hips 11–19 mm across, developing by autumn where spent blooms are left; hips add seasonal interest and support wildlife in more naturalistic plantings. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −32 to −29 °C (RHS H7; Swedish zone 5; USDA 4b); moderate disease resistance to black spot, mildew and rust; tolerates heat but appreciates watering in extended drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions as specimen, informal hedge or park shrub; recommended spacings from 130 to 220 cm; suits square or hexagonal planting layouts at low density for mature shrubs. |
CELSIANA offers a highly perfumed, wildlife-friendly historic display on a durable own-root shrub that matures into a romantic garden presence with relatively modest care, making it a thoughtful choice for long-term cottage-style planting.
