The flowers of the rose Comte de Chambord epitomize classic old rose form. Comte de Chambord’s fragrance is immaculate.
Old rose Comte de Chambord was introduced in 1858. Parentage is Baronne Prevost and an unnamed Damask or Portland rose. It is considered a Portland rose. Flowers have over 50 petals and are fully double, opening to a casually informal bloom.
Comte de Chambord decribed
As mentioned already the fragrance is considered among the best of all roses. Typical of Portland roses, height is 3′-5′ and Comte de Chambord is hardy zone 4b-9…cold hardiness is considered excellent considering the Swedish Rose Society recommends Comte Chambord for their Scandinavian climate.
The American Society has recommended Comte de Chambord as one of their top ten easiest old roses to grow. I am not sure I agree. If the goal is to grow plants in the landscape that look healthy without spraying, then it makes sense to recommend roses that are highly disease resistant. Comte de Chambord does not qualify.
Comte de Chambord is not without challenges. It can be prone to blackspot and growth can be lanky. Comte de Chambord flowers best when the season is cool, typically the first flush of late spring and then again in fall.
When summer arrives the heat can drive many roses into a dormant period. We understand that plants go dormant in winter. We can see the leaves off the trees and the color gone from our gardens. There are many plants whose growth slows as the true heat of summer approaches; the spring ephemerals such as trillium are notable in this regard. If you live in a hot climate and roses such as Comte de Chambord seem to languish, often it is their response to the heat.
Comte de Chambord can be prone to balling, and there are reports that aphids especially love the young buds.
In closing, I have attempted to strike a balance in describing both the good and the bad. My comments can be applied to many of the roses grown over the two centuries. It is important that we have a realistic understanding of the challenges of what we face.