Commercially available

24 favorite votes.  
Average rating: GOOD+.  

White, near white or white blend.

Bred by Pierre Guillot (1855-1918) (France, 1895).
Introduced in Australia by Arthur Yates & Co. Ltd. in 1900 as 'Irène Watts'.

China / Bengale.  

Salmon-pink to light pink.  Mild to strong, sweet fragrance.  up to 50 petals.  Average diameter 4".  Large, very full (41+ petals) bloom form.  Blooms in flushes throughout the season.  

Short, well-branched.  Small foliage.  

Height: 18" to 32" (45 to 80cm).  Width: 2' (60cm).

USDA zone 7b through 10b.  Shade tolerant.  Requires spring freeze protection (see glossary - Spring freeze protection) .  Can be grown in the ground or in a container (container requires winter protection).  

Mike Lowe gives this rose a date of 1895.

The rose described above may be extinct. See "Irene Watts" (Floribunda) regarding misidentification of this rose. John Hook believes "Odee Pink" may be the correct 'Irene Watts'.

Guillot and Loubert list this rose in their catalogues. Guillot is unlikely to have it wrong. It should not be confused with the 'Irene Watts' being sold by some outlets in the US which is possibly the same rose as Pink Gruss an Aachen.

Actually, Guillot probably DOES have it wrong. The firm was out of business for decades, until revived by the current member of the family. Roses were re-acquired. The "Irene Watts" grown by Guillot was obtained from Peter Beales, and is the same 'Pink Gruss an Aachen' which went around the world "disguised" as 'Irene Watts.' JMJ, 6-2007