Many gardeners are attracted to heirloom roses because growing them gives them a sense of continuing a tradition. Not that you have to be a history buff to like heirloom roses. Some people grow them simply because they have a better fragrance than many modern roses. If you do like the idea of continuing a tradition, here are ten popular heirloom roses that would be a perfect fit for a cottage garden. Rosa ‘Alba Semi-Plena’ has semi-double, white blooms that grow in clusters of 6 to 8 flowers. The plant offers excellent fragrances and good disease-resistance and is more tolerant of shade than many roses. However, Alba roses bloom only once a year, in late spring or early summer. Be careful with pruning, as they bloom on second-year wood. The shrub reaches 6 feet high and five feet wide.

USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shadeSoil Needs: Well-drained, average moisture

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USDA Growing Zones: 6 to 11Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Good drainage, consistent moisture, slightly acidic.

 

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 11Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained soil kept evenly moist

It grows two to three feet tall and spreads out to the same dimensions. The double, somewhat fragrant, pink blooms last from May to June. Each measures two inches across.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Slightly acidic, well-drained, average moisture

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained soil kept evenly moist

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USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 10Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Slightly acidic, well-drained, evenly moist

 

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Evenly moist, slightly acidic soil that drains well

USDA Growing Zones: 5 to 9Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained soil kept evenly moist

Gallica ‘Officinalis’ produces semi-double, light crimson flowers with golden stamens. The highly fragrant flowers bloom in late spring to mid-summer. The bush matures to three to five feet tall and wide.

USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 11Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Well-drained soil kept evenly moist

Maria Mosolova/Getty Images Bloom time is May, but the plant reblooms. There are both bush-form and climbing noisettes, and sizes vary greatly. For example, ‘Crepuscule,’ which has quite fragrant, double, apricot flowers, is a climber that reaches six to 12 feet in height.

USDA Growing Zones: 7 to 10Sun Exposure: Full sunSoil Needs: Drains well, kept consistently moist, slightly acidic