Modjeska’s Roses

Theodore Payne (1872-1963) was born in England. After his arrival in America, he was hired in 1893 to be the gardener at Arden, where he worked for two and a half years. According to his account in Theodore Payne In His Own Words – A Voice for California Native Plants,

“Madame Modjeska used to come out and walk around the garden every day. She was passionately fond of roses. I remember one of her great favorites was Papa Gontier. There was a very good assortment of roses in the place. I do not recall all of them, but I do remember the following:

Papa Gontier, Catherine Mermet, Madame Caroline Testout, Duchess de Brabant, Perle des Jardins, La France, Marie Van Houtte, Maman Cochet, Paul Neyron, Magna Charta, Ulrich Brunner, Prince Camille de Rohan, General Jacqueminot, Captain Christy, American Beauty, Reve d’Or of Lamarque, Beauty of Glazenwood, Reine Marie Henrietta, White Banksia.”