Joseph Pemberton (1852-1926) was a typical English “Gentleman” clergyman. He spent his spare time with his roses, growing, exhibiting and breeding. He would cart his blooms all over the country to shows, with the help of his gardeners, Mr Spruzen and Mr J.A. Bentall. He saw the need for producing a “small man’s” rose – a rose which would grow and produce quantities of blooms with little trouble and without the high maintenance given by head gardeners. This, coupled with the need for splendid fragrance, lead him on from one hybrid to the next, raising from 5,000 to 10,000 seedlings annually.
He started his own classification of roses, “The Pembertons”, but to do this he retired from the ministry and started his own nursery with the help of Jack and Ann Bentall. He introduced his first Pembertons, Danae and Moonlight in 1913 as Hybrid Teas. Because of their musk perfume, he changed the classification to Hybrid Musks and they have retained this grouping to this day.
As a group they are strong growers that can be trained either as climbers or as a relaxed bush. The flowers are semi-double, fragrant and borne on clusters on the end of long stems. They repeat well after deadheading.
Within the group, there are seven surviving which bear female names. One can assume that his classical education would have lead to their names as he was unmarried, living with his sister Florence. These seven are known as Pemberton’s ladies. They are:-
Cornelia – apricot pink, double flowers
Clytemnestra – lemony-white, semi-double flowers
Danae - bright yellow, semi-double flowers
Felecia – rich pink, very double flowers
Francesca – apricot-yellow, semi-double flowers
Kathleen – clear pink,single flower
Penelope – creamy-pink semi-double flowers
We have all bar Clytemnestra and Danae in the Heritage Border.
One must be aware that when taken from their native Essex, UK, the “ladies” can be quite rampant. For example, the English literature tells us that Felecia will grow about four feet high and four feet wide. Put her in an Australian garden and she will easily grow ten feet high and spread her wings along twelve feet of fence without even trying hard. Must be something to do with the free and easy climate??
Rev Joseph Hardwick Pemberton deserves a place in our roll of people who have made a difference to the Rose World. This was recognised by the UK National Rose Society by awarding him the very first Dean Hole Medal.
