The “White roses” are clearly derived from Rosa canina, the European species known as the “Dog Rose.” With it they share smooth stems, lightly armed with fine prickles, a grayish bloom on leaves and new canes, a tall fountain habit of growth, and pale fragrant flowers ranging from white to mid-pink. The scent of the Albas is special; what Graham Thomas calls a “purity of scent” is a fresh “face powder” fragrance lacking in the rich heavy complexity of the Damask roses. In some varieties like Félicité Parmentier that fresh scent is intensified. Above all, the glaucous coloring of Alba foliage makes them useful today as a contrast to other greens in the mixed border, and their exceptional disease resistance recommends them to all gardeners.