Madame Pierre Oger Rose Bushes

• Variety: Madame Pierre Oger
• Type: Shrub Rose (Bourbon)
• Colour: Translucent creamy-white flushed with soft pink
• Fragrance: Strong — sweet, old rose
• Height: 150cm (5ft)
• Flowering: June to October, repeat-flowering
• Good for: Borders, specimen planting, cutting
• Sold as: Bare root (November–March) and potted plants
• Delivered: By next-day courier. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Madame Pierre Oger is a translucent creamy-white Bourbon rose with soft pink flush, yielding small cupped double blooms of extraordinary delicacy from June to October. Strong sweet old-rose fragrance and repeat-flowering habit make this one of the most beautiful Bourbons ever raised.

Madame Pierre Oger, Petals as Fine as Porcelain

This rose is quite unlike any other. The petals possess a translucent quality that shifts with the seasons: in warm weather they adopt a warm pink flush, while in cooler spells they fade to pale cream. It is a subtle, shifting beauty that draws you back to the flower repeatedly. Found by Monsieur Oger in his garden in 1878 as a sport of the popular La Reine Victoria, Madame Pierre Oger inherited the same reliable habit and vigour while gaining this unique optical property.

As a Bourbon rose, she carries the class and refinement typical of the family. The small, cupped double blooms open loosely and are held in graceful clusters. They appear continuously from early summer right through to the first hard frosts, rewarding regular deadheading and summer feeding. The fragrance is outstanding: a traditional old-rose sweetness with depth and complexity that modern roses rarely achieve.

At 150cm tall with a spreading habit, Madame Pierre Oger fits naturally into a mixed border or stands beautifully as a specimen plant. She is equally at home in a cottage garden or a more formal setting. Cut the blooms young for the house and you will appreciate the subtlety of colour and scent indoors. This is a rose for those who value refinement over flamboyance.

Heritage and Character, Combined with Reliability

The Bourbon class emerged in the early nineteenth century and defined the modern repeat-flowering rose. Madame Pierre Oger, raised in the 1870s, represents the class at its peak. Her history and pedigree are part of her appeal, but so too is her pragmatic garden performance. She flowers abundantly, responds well to feeding, and maintains a shapely form with minimal fuss. Unlike some heritage roses that flower once and then sit silent, she keeps the display going until autumn frosts arrive.

Grow her in full sun to part shade, in fertile, well-draining soil enriched with compost or well-rotted manure. She appreciates moisture during the growing season and benefits from a summer feed of balanced rose fertiliser. Prune lightly in spring to maintain framework and shape. Remove diseased or dead wood, and cut back the previous year's growth by about one-third. In summer, deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowering.

Companion Plants for Heritage Roses

Madame Pierre Oger partners beautifully with soft-coloured herbaceous perennials and complementary shrubs. Plant her with lavender and alliums for a fragrant, cottage garden feel, or surround her with herbaceous perennials in whites and soft purples. Clematis can be trained to grow through her canes without overwhelming the delicate rose blooms. Consider companion plantings of catmint, salvia, and foxgloves for a harmonious, old-fashioned display.

Why Buy Your Roses from Ashridge Nurseries?

We source our roses from specialist growers and bud them onto vigorous rootstock for superior establishment and longevity. As winners of the Which? Gardening Best Plant Supplier award and the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, we stand behind every plant we send. Explore our full shrub rose collection today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Madame Pierre Oger suitable for containers?

Yes. She can be grown in a large pot (at least 40cm deep) filled with quality rose compost. Container roses need regular watering and feeding during the growing season, and the pot should be moved to a sheltered spot in winter.

Does Madame Pierre Oger require special pruning?

No. Prune as you would any shrub rose: remove dead wood in spring, cut back the previous year's growth by about one-third, and maintain an open, shapely form. Summer deadheading encourages repeat flowering throughout the season.

How tall does Madame Pierre Oger grow?

She typically reaches 150cm (5ft) tall with a spreading habit, making her suitable for mixed borders and specimen planting. Allow space for her natural spread of around 120cm when planning your layout.

When do the flowers appear?

Flowering begins in June and continues through to October with regular deadheading and summer feeding. As a repeat-flowering Bourbon, she produces blooms in waves rather than all at once, ensuring colour over several months.

What soil conditions does Madame Pierre Oger prefer?

She thrives in fertile, well-draining soil enriched with compost or well-rotted manure. Avoid waterlogged ground. A sunny spot with good air circulation is ideal. Feed with balanced rose fertiliser monthly during the growing season.