Imagine the Hybrid Tea world with just white, pink, and red roses. What about yellow and orange? The 1915 nursery catalog explained the origins of the Pernetiana rose.

“The most recent class of roses. Originated by J. Pernet-Ducher, of Lyons, France, as the result of a cross between Persian Yellow (Austrian Briar) and Antoine Ducher (Hybrid Perpetual). His first introduction from this cross was Soleil d'Or, sent out in 1900.

It is a truly wonderful group and the startling color effects obtained in the handful of varieties to date is doubtless only a foretaste of what may be expected in the future. For many years progress in roses, while steady, has been slow, with few distinct breaks from what had been accomplished previously.

But here we have colors hitherto absolutely unknown in roses, striking combinations and contrasts, a distinct kind of foliage, and, in one of the most recent sorts, a freedom of bloom not equaled by any other rose of high rank. All are decidedly thorny, some extremely so.

Possibly due to professional jealousy, some prominent rose specialists refuse to accept the name Pernetiana. so these roses will often be found under title, "Hybrid Briars." There is also a tendency to include some of them in the Hybrid Teas. We follow Pernet-Ducher's own classification of varieties, as it seems only reasonable to assume that, having originated the class, he is a competent to j'udge. However, all below doubtless contain Tea blood except Beaute de Lyon, Juliet and Soleil d'Or.

(The colors in this class are so unusual, with often many different shades and tones as well as entirely distinct colors blended or combined in one flower, that it is almost an impossibility to describe them adequately. In most cases it is really necessary to see the flowers to appreciate the coloring.)