Four Deer Proof Shrub Roses: Successfully Stymying Deer With Rosy Shrubbery

'Baronne Prévost' was bred in 1841 by Jean Desprez, a retired official (fonctionnaire) with a passion for dahlias, roses, and tulips, in his garden in Yèbles, a town in north central France's Seine-et-Marne department located about 25 miles (41 kilometers) southeast of Paris.  'Baronne Prévost' was named for the sister of Jean's friend, Eugène Guenoux, who bred dahlias in Voisenon, a village about 9 miles (14 kilometers) southwest of Yèbles. 'Baronne Prévost' was introduced in 1842 by Pierre-Philémon Cochet (père) (1796 - 1853) of the Cochet rose breeding dynasty founded by his father Pierre Christophe Cochet (April 20, 1777 - October 12, 1819) and located in Grisy-Suisnes, about 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) northwest of Jean's walled garden in Yèbles.

The parentage of 'Baronne Prévost' is unknown.

Although 'Baronne Prévost' generally is classified as a Hybrid Perpetual, an alternative classification is as a Portland rose.

Sturdy and upright, 'Baronne Prévost' maximizes its height at 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) and its spread at 3.3 feet (1 meter).

Flowers open, singly or in clusters of up to four, as deep rich pink and fade to rose pink. The American Rose Society classifies the coloring of 'Baronne Prévost' as medium pink.

Framed with bright green leaves, remontant (repeat-flowering) 'Baronne Prévost' exude a deliciously sweet damask fragrance.

Flower size measures 4.3 inches (11 centimeters).

Stems are extremely prickly.

With a plant hardiness classification of Zone 5, 'Baronne Prévost' hardily survives in minimum temperatures ranging from -29° to -23° Fahrenheit (-20° to -10° Celsius).

Although known as "the yellow rose of Texas," 'Harison's Yellow' first bloomed ca. 1824 - 1830 in the garden of New York lawyer and amateur rose hybridizer George Folliott Harison (March 5, 1776 – January 5, 1846) and was introduced ca. 1825 - 1830 by immigrant English nurseryman Thomas Hogg Sr. (1778 - 1855).

Classed as probably a Foetida Hybrid, 'Harison's Yellow' has an uncertain parentage. Suspected origins are Rosa spinosissima x Rosa foetida.

'Harison's Yellow' reaches an equiproportionate maximum height and spread of 5.7 feet (1.75 meters).

Flowers open once, early in the season, as bright yellow with matching, richly hued stamens. The American Rose Society classifies the coloring of 'Harison's Yellow' as deep yellow.

Flower size measures 2.4 inches (6 centimeters).

Its fruity scent is of medium intensity.

Small leaves have grey green coloring, and stems are very prickly.

Its dense shrubbery later is arched with long, open stems.

'Harison's Yellow' has a plant hardiness classification of Zone 4 (-35° to -29° Fahrenheit; -30° to -20° Celsius).

'Penelope' was introduced in Britain in 1924 by Anglican curate Joseph Hardwick Pemberton (October 4, 1854 - July 22, 1926).

'Penelope' is classed as a Hybrid Musk.

Its parentage usually is given as 'Trier' x 'Ophelia.' Introduced in 1904 by meticulous German rose breeder Peter Lambert (June 1, 1859 - February 20, 1939), 'Trier' is renowned as the foundation rose for a new group of roses, the Hybrid Musks.

Maximum height and spread are equiproportionate at 6.6 feet (2 meters).

Flowers open, in dense clusters of 5 to 10 or more flowers, as shell pink, centered with gold and with prominent lemon yellow stamens. LIghtly ruffled petals fade quickly to white. The American Rose Society color classification for 'Penelope' is light pink.

Flower size is 2.8 inches (7 centimeters).

Remontant (repeat-flowering) 'Penelope' has a strong fragrance blending musk with sweetness.

Leaves first appear as plum red and then deepen to dark green semi-glossiness.

Its dense foliage famously resents pruning.

'Penelope' has a plant hardiness classification of Zone 7 (-18° to -12° Fahrenheit; 0° to 10° Celsius).

'Robusta' was introduced 1979 in Germany by its breeder, Reimer Kordes (February 19, 1922 - February 3, 1997), Director of W. Kordes’ Söhne in Klein Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Schleswig-Holstein, north central Germany. The company, founded on October 1, 1887, by Reimer's grandfather, Wilhelm Kordes I (December 10, 1865 - August 20, 1935), enjoys an international reputation for new cultivars, cut roses, and garden roses.

'Robusta' is classed as a Rugosa Hybrid.

Its parentage is Rosa rugosa var. regeliana seedling.

Height maximizes at 6.6 feet (2 meters), with a spread of 4.9 feet (1.5 meters).

From long buds, flowers open as bright, glowing dark scarlet in clusters of 5 to 10 on short stems. The American Rose Society color classification for 'Robusta' is medium red.

Flower size measures 2.8 inches (7 centimeters).

Continuously flowering "Robusta' exudes a fragrance of light-to-medium delicacy.

Large, wrinkly leaves are bright green.

Its foliage is so covered with large prickles that wearing thick gloves is a necessity.

'Robusta' has a plant hardiness classification of Zone 4 (-35° to -29° Fahrenheit; -30° to -20° Celsius).

Deer shy away from jumping over uneven surfaces. They are particularly disenchanted by rosy shrubs with their potential for anathematic aromas, prickly foliage, and vigorously uneven growth.

Four shrub roses, with reputations for repelling deer, serve as excellent natural barriers:

• 'Baronne Prévost,' Hybrid Perpetual, hardy to Zone 5,
• 'Harison's Yellow,' Foetida Hybrid, hardy to Zone 4,
• 'Penelope,' Hybrid Musk, hardy to Zone 7, and
• 'Robusta,' Rugosa Hybrid, hardy to Zone 4.

Although unpopular with deer, these four shrub roses prettify gardens with their fragrances and their range of colors, from light pink ('Penelope') to medium pink ('Baronne Prévost') to medium red ('Robusta') to deep yellow ('Harison's Yellow').

Of course, no excuse or reason is necessary for featuring these four charmers in gardens. Deer or no deer, these exceptionally exuberant shrub roses succeed at contributing sensory and visual appeal to their environments.

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Los Angeles County Arboretum, Arcadia, southern California: Stickpen, Public Domain (CC0 1.0), via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosa_baronne_prevost.jpg

'Harison's Yellow', Gardiner, North Gateway to Yellowstone National Park, Park County, southwestern Montana: Malcolm Manners (mmmavocado), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmmavocado/4804674897/

Roseraie de Bagatelle, Paris, northern central France: Georges Seguin (Okki), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rose_Penelope_20070601.jpg

San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, northern California: Stan Shebs, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rosa_Robusta_1.jpg

'Harison's Yellow', Gardiner, North Gateway to Yellowstone National Park, Park County, southwestern Montana: Malcolm Manners (mmmavocado), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/mmmavocado/4804674897/

Rose 'Penelope': Leonora (Ellie) Enking (wallygrom), CC BY SA 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/33037982@N04/5731202333/

Baronne Prévost: Malcolm Manners (mmmavocado), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/10239508@N07/2347769122/

La Roseraie du Jardin des Plantes, Paris, France: Moonik, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jardin_des_Plantes_-_Roseraie_006.JPG

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