Bishop Pemberton was a parson who bred roses as a hobby. Curiously, the results of his part-time work may prove more durable and important than the works of several rose breeders who dedicated their whole lives to the enterprise of breeding and propagating roses. To what extent this was due to good luck, to what extent it was due to extreme good taste, and to what extent it is due to divine inspiration, each rose lover will have to judge for himself. For many, the beauties of Pemberton's roses are just too subtle or understated; for the flowers are neither exceptionally large nor very formally arranged. But those who look for roses
will find much to love among Pemberton's offerings. Those who would build roses into the landscape as shrubs will be predisposed to like some of these offerings.
Danae has the most formal blossoms in white with a touch of yellow. Francesca's blossoms are a delicious apricot, and large; but it is more spare with blossoms than most of the roses on this list. Kathleen might be the most generous, covering itself with white, five petalled blossoms. Moonlignt can be described in much the same way. Vanity produces a large, open bush with rose or cerise flowers that float in mid air like butterflies. My personal favorite is Felicia, though it is impossible to ascribe to the rose any single quality other than overall balance in every respect. It is this quality of balance, I believe, that people find also in Cornelia, Penelope, and sometimes Buff Beauty (pictured).
| Name | Color | Class | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buff Beauty | Pale Apricot | Hybrid Musk | 8.2 |
| Clytemnestra | Primrose | Hybrid Musk | 7.6 |
| Cornelia | Pink & Buff | Hybrid Musk | 8.8 |
| Danae | White/Yellow Blend | Hybrid Musk | 7.5 |
| Felicia | Candy Pink | Hybrid Musk | 8.5 |
| Francesca | Apricot | Hybrid Musk | |
| Kathleen | Pale Pink | Hybrid Musk | 8.7 |
| Moonlight | White | Hybrid Musk | 8.3 |
| Nur Mahal | Crimson | Hybrid Musk | |
| Pax | White | Hybrid Musk | 7.8 |
| Penelope | White | Hybrid Musk | 8.8 |
| Prosperity | White | Hybrid Musk | 8.5 |
| Robin Hood | Crimson | Modern Shrub | 8.6 |
| Thisbe | Primrose | Modern Shrub | |
| Vanity | Rose | Hybrid Musk | 8.3 |