Every now and then, if you're lucky, you come across a rose that surpasses your expectations. Roseraie de Chatelet is one of those roses.  Named after a famous rose garden in eastern France, near the borders of Germany and Switzerland, this little known gem is a floribunda bred by Bernard Sauvegot in 2000. It is an award-winner in Europe, having taken home a Silver Medal at Baden Baden in 1999.  However, it is still a rarity in American gardens. What a pity. I took a chance on this rose a couple of seasons ago, buying it as a bare root from Palatine. This year she has rewarded me greatly, producing gorgeous blooms and pristine foliage during the blistering 100+ degree heat of Summer in my no-spray garden. She did all of this with only a handful of Rosetone at the beginning of the season, no mulch, and no supplemental water.  Her companions were self-sown Nigella 'Love-in-a-Mist' seedlings, their feathery foliage visible in the photo below of her first bloom of this season, taken on April 27, 2017:

The lady has been producing her mildly fragrant blooms continuously since April.  What more could a rose lover ask for?