If you’re choosing roses for your cutting garden in the Northeast, there are certain reliable varieties for this area. In regional trials the All-America Rose Selections singled out a number of very suitable roses. These included New Dawn, Lady Elsie May, and Blanc Double de Coubert.


Blanc Double de Courbet

This variety is considered one of the heirloom or old-fashioned roses. Some consider it to be a rugosa, while others classify it as a hybrid. This disease resistant, white flowering variety has been around a long time and stood the test of time. It was originally introduced in France in 1892. It was hybridized by Cochet-Cochet. Its parents were said to be Sembreuil and a rugosa rose.

This vigorous rose can reach four to five feet in height with a spread of four feet. This is hardy for zones three through ten. It tolerates more shade than some roses. This isn’t quite as vigorous as a pure rugosa. The foliage is particularly tough.

Blooming throughout the summer and fall, this free flowering variety has lovely, double, pure white, scented flowers. Pink in bud, these have a wonderful, strong, spicy scent. The flowers are up to five inches across, and contain up to 30 petals or so. Rainy weather can harm the flowers. Unlike some rugosas, any uncut flowers won’t develop into rose hips.


New Dawn Rose

This repeat blooming, large flowered climbing rose has exquisite pale pink blooms. The sweetly scented flowers have up to 40 petals. They’re light to pearl pink. Over time, these flowers can fade to a white-pink.

With a deep green, shiny foliage, this is easy to grow. It is adapted to partial shade. This is recommended for zones five through nine.

Introduced by Somerset Roses in the U.S., this has been around since 1930. Hybridized by Dreen, this was a sport of Dr. W. Van Fleet. With excellent resistance to disease, this has canes that can be over 15 or 20 feet in length.

This can produce flowers on both the new and old wood. This was named a World Federation of Rose Societies Hall of Fame variety in 1997. One of the first truly hardy repeat blooming climbing roses, it can be trained as a shrub. It differs from Dr. W. Van Fleet by the fact that it is a repeat bloomer. It received the very first American plant patent.