I was out in my garden yesterday, doing puttering type jobs, mini pruning, weeding, etc., when I noticed that my ‘Jacques Cartier’ was blooming. Now I can hear the wheels turning as you think WHAT is she talking about? Yes, this rose goes by both names, including ‘Marquise Boccella’, as well as ‘Marquise Bocella’. While it is sold in this country as ‘Jacques Cartier’, for exhibition purposes, it must be listed as ‘Marchesa Boccella’.
Hybridized in 1868, it has stood the test of time, as well as multiple names. A hybrid perpetual, it has flowers of a lovely soft clear pink, opening from tight buds to about three to four inches across and gives off a lovely fragrance. The flowers are very double, with petal count of around 50, and can be borne singly or in clusters. My bush happens to do both. It blooms all summer long, and probably thinks since spring is here, may as well start blooming. The foliage is very clean, with light green leaves when new turning to a sort of greenish blue color as they age. It can be used as a shrub or bush, and my “bush” is about four feet tall. Botanica’s Roses says it can be used as a good bedding variety or as a hedge.
By Barbara Picarelli, Master Rosarian
Edited for the website by N Londeree, October 2021