On 1/12/05 13:10, in article ,
"Dave Poole" wrote:

Sacha wrote:

The origin of the name of this unusual rose comes from its tendency to
display multiple colors of flowers in a single cluster of blooms. The
appearance of the many-colored blossoms suggests that multiple types of
roses are growing together.

Ah another outbreak of alliteration and since there is the Seven
Sisters constellation (AKA The Pleiades), why not a Seven Sisters
rose? Six sisters doesn't quite cut it and any other number is
pointless.

'Seven Sisters' is an old oriental rose that is thought to have been brought
from Japan to Europe in 1816.

No it was definitely China and (now having checked my old books) it
arrived in England in 1815 and was offered for sale a year later. Its
arrival in France is uncertain, but the general consensus seems to be
about 4 or 5 years earlier. It was supposed to be a favourite of
Empress Josephine and she grew it at Malmaison, so the dates more or
less tally. Despite significant aggressions on either side of the
English Channel, there was quite a lot of rose trade between the two
countries. We beat the French at war, but they usually beat us to it
when it came to the introduction of new roses from the far east.

Thanks, David. Did you look at the photographs and if so, did it seem to be
the one you know - even allowing for colour variations in the photos!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)