The parentage of Great Maiden's Blush is lost to history, but this old rose has survived and spread for more than five centuries on the strength of its flowers and its fragrance alone. The double blooms carry more than 40 petals in a white flushed with warm pink and release a scent rich enough to stop the gardener mid-stride. Canes are nearly free of prickles and the foliage is a distinctive gray-green that complements the soft blooms. It blooms once, in summer, and that single generous flush is the main event.

Grow it in full sun to part shade in zones 3 through 9, in any reasonably fertile soil with regular feeding. It tolerates light shade better than most roses and will still flower with some dignity under a high canopy. Prune after flowering finishes, cutting back stems that flowered and removing the oldest canes entirely every few years to keep the shrub productive. In a cottage or cutting garden hedge, a single plant can reach 5 to 8 feet and spread nearly as wide.