1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

 "Kerisalo". R. majalis x pimpinellifolia?
Another "bone-hardy" rose found a few years ago in Kerisalo, eastern Finland. The flowers are shell-pink, slightly double and cup-shaped, 6-7cm in diameter and moderately scented, held in pleasing contrast to grey-green foliage. The bush suckers rather freely to form a 1,5-1,8m (5-6ft) high bush and in the Helsinki area flowers from late June into July. Dark red hips appear in September.

'Kerisalo' is a beautiful and valuable addition to our trouble-free roses. Nothing has been revealed about its history, but its general appearance and leaf-form in particular suggest that this variety arose from a spontaneous between a form of the burnet rose and the a local wild-growing cinnamon rose.

"Ristinummi". R. pimpinellifolia x rugosa?
Around 1995, a rose superficially resembling 'Fru Dagmar Hastrup' grew on the railway embankment at Ristinummi station, 30km north of Helsinki. Close examination revealed a vigorous rose with characteristics intermediate between the burnet and rugose roses. The single light shell-pink flowers are very large, upto 12cm (5") in diameter, well scented. This rose usually repeats well in September. Dark red hips are occasionally produced.

The original colony was destroyed some years ago when the line of rail was widened, but in the meantime several enthusiasts had moved suckers into their gardens and the rose's continuation is assured. In good soil "Ristinummi" romps away, growing upto 1.8m (6ft), but overfeeding with nitrogenous fertilisers can result in sudden dieback of the entire bush. "Ristinummi" is best suited to a more spartan regime; on poorer soils its thuggish tendencies will be curbed and it will form a neater, more restrained plant. Under such conditions it is very hardy in northern Finland.

Hybrids between the putative parents were produced in Russia near the beginning of the twentieth century. We have no idea how such a rose could have found its way onto the railway embankment.

 "Pori". R. pimpinellifolia x rugosa?
This rose grew in a park in the city of Pori on the west coast of Finland. The bush is of an erect, somewhat gaunt aspect to about 1,6m (5ft), with more burnet-like leaflets than in "Ristinummi". The flowers are pale pink, very double and almost globular in form, sometimes mis-shapen and susceptible to balling in wet weather, but this is a very showy rose in a good July. The fragrance is strong and heady.

The habit of growth and cultural recommendations are as for 'Ristinummi'. The rose has not been widely tested, but no over-wintering injuries have been observed.

 "Iitin Tiltu". R. gallica x rugosa?
Another rose that may have arisen in Russia. The general aspect brings to mind 'Splendens'. On good soil this rose forms an erect, moderately suckering bush to about 1,6m (5ft), with large (10cm) single, red flowers in July. The shade of red varies somewhat from season to season; in "good" years the almost scentless flowers are a strong, pure brick-red, but in some seasons magenta shades creep in. When transferred to sites in northern Finland, the stems sometimes suffer slight injuries.

This rose has grown at Iitti in eastern Finland for some time, but nothing is known of its history. The slightly rugose leaflets and thorniness suggest that one of the parents may be R. rugosa.

 7