Available from - Museo Giardino della Rosa Antica

In the 1927 reference Captain Thomas said of ‘Bishop Darlington’ “Hardy in Pa., 1917-19”, and so I presume he got to work on ‘Moonlight’ fairly quickly and that ‘Bishop Darlington’ had been bred by 1917. (I guess registered by 1926 and introduced by 1928.)

(I cannot find the 1916 p27 reference and think one of those numerals has been mis-typed.)

The classification has puzzled people. I am quizzical by the classification of HC in the 1927 p219 reference (sent in by the breeder) and can only conclude that it may have been a misprint for HT.
As from 1928 ‘Bishop Darlington’ was described as a Climbing HT, as well as a Pillar. Modern Roses 1 in 1930, probably picking up from the seed parent, and possibly without ever seeing the plant itself, called it a hybrid wichurana. Stevens in 1933 went with the pollen parent and linked it with the Musk classification. By 1940 Modern Roses II decided to call it a semi-climber, but the lure of the musk classification stuck and it seemed to remain a hybrid musk in the literature from then on, Lately Modern Shrub has cropped up once or twice. For me it grows most like a semi-climber and it is one of my favourite roses. I always have to go and say hello when I see the blooms waving around at me from the top of the bush.

Grew six feet in six months from a one gallon plant.

I first admired the Bishop at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, where it forms a nice 8 foot shrub. Will grow 4 feet the first season. Evergreen in my gardens. Blooms aren't impressive individually, but it forms a nice big flowering shrub.