Website/Catalog  (27 Jul 2011)  
 
Rosa ‘Oeillet Parfait’
Gallica rose.  Thomas Rivers says of ‘Oeillet Parfait’: ‘A rose raised in the West of France, and given out to the world before its qualities were appreciated.  It is hybrid between the Damask and the French rose, so exactly like a carnation in its beautifully striped flowers as scarcely to be distinguished from one: its ground colour is pale blush, striped distinctly with dark red and crimson: no other variegated rose approaches it in beauty.’  Paul describes the flowers as medium-sized, double and cupped, pure white, distinctly striped with rosy crimson, the latter shaded with purple, ‘beautiful, like a scarlet bizarre carnation.’.  It forms an erect, short-growing bush.  [Rivers (1854, 1857, 1863), Paul (1848, 1863, 1888, 1903), Amat].
 
Horticultural & Botanical History
Raised by Foulard at Mons in 1841.  
 
History at Camden Park
Arrived from Veitch’s Nursery, Chelsea on Dec, 31st, 1859 on board the ‘Hollinside’ but dead on arrival.  For more detail see Rosa ‘Ducher’.

Book  (Apr 1999)  Page(s) 57.  
 
Oeillet Parfait Translation: "Striped Carnation" Gallica. Foulard 1841. The author cites information from different sources... Rose, striped with white and crimson... like a scarlet bizarre Carnation. Somewhat hybridized, partaking slightly of the Damask... The rose 'Oeillet Parfait'... has always been considered as belonging to the Damasks. This classification constitutes an error...

Book  (Jul 1998)  Page(s) 241-242.  Includes photo(s).
 
Oeillet Parfait Gallica. Foulard (?), 1841 (?)... Some confusion surrounds this variety. It is sometimes classed as a Gallica, sometimes a Damask. There were at least two roses by this name. The first appeared before 1830 and was obtained by Jacquemet-Bonnefont, father and son, nurserymen at Annonay. The second was a Damask hybrid obtained by an amateur from Angers, named Foulard, and written about by Vibert in 1841. The National Horticultural Society of France considers 'Oeillet Parfait' to be one of the most beautiful roses of the 19th century.

Book  (1997)  Page(s) 146.  
 
Foulard (France) 1841. Description and vital statistics. Clusters of small-to-medium, pure white flowers erratically striped with bright crimson ...

Book  (1997)  Page(s) 147.  
 
But it was Nancy Lindsay's roses that we particularly went to see. We had had lists of her roses with lengthy descriptions, and were enthralled by her enthusiasm. The thought-provoking names poured from her. For some years i was frustrated by these names because I could not find them in any of the old French books in my possession, nor in the Lindley Library. At length the reason dawned on me. Finding an unknown rose in an old garden without a name she let her fancy run free and coined a name for it. Thus did the following names appear in commerce (in her own catalogue): 'La Tour d'Auvergne' which proved to be the Damask Oeillet Parfait

Book  (1995)  Page(s) 147.  Includes photo(s).

Book  (Apr 1993)  Page(s) 417.  
 
OEillet Parfait Gallica, blush, striped light and dark red, 1841, Foulard.

Book  (1991)  Page(s) 42.  Includes photo(s).
 
The ancient Damask hybrid rose 'Oeillet Parfait' is posing for the camera; note the fresh green leaves, the flowers densely filled with petals, reflexing into almost a ball as they expand and release their rich scent. It was raised in France in 1841. It is important to remember that there is a striped Gallica Rose of the same name.

Book  (1991)  Page(s) 42.  
 
Striped -- there is a Damask of the same name.

Book  (1991)  Page(s) 42.  
 
In his entry for 'Oeillet Parfait' (Gallica), Thomas refers to a Damask by the same name.