With the exception of Radiance and Enchantresse his roses are listed as extinct or out of commerce. While searching the web for information, I came across a webpage for a nursery called Rose Cottage Nursery in Port Lincoln, SA. Souvenir of Wootton is listed on their plant list, but the nursery appears to be out of business and I can find no other information. When I attempt to Google www.rosecottagenursery.com I don't get the nursery's website, but if I click Cached, the website appears and Souvenir of Wootton is listed on page 3.

Could they really have carried Souvenir of Wootton? Perhaps a mother plant exista in a public or private garden?

It would be such a thrill to discover that this rose still exists.

I know my request is a long shot, but I thought it was worth a try asking here for any leads or suggestions.

Thank you very much for any help or guidance. Please feel free to email me privately.

Your friend in Roses,
Rosyjennifer

I found a South Australian listing for Rose Cottage Nursery:

Rose Cottage Nursery
24 Second St Gawler South 5118
Mobile Service 0412 236 262

and left a message to call me back about this. I'll see what I can find out - I love a mystery!

cheers

Kate

I love a mystery, too. Souv. of Wootton is mentioned in American Rose Annuals into the 1940's but then it just disappeared. What happened? It is described as "very large, fully double, cup shaped blooms, very fragrant, rich velvety red, foliage dark, leathery, vigorous (3 feet), recurrent bloom.

Wouldn't it be lovely to find this rose not lost in time, but instead growing happily in Australia? What a thought! I'm off to bed but will check back later.

Thank you again,
Jennifer

Bad news - I just discovered that the business has closed down!

He didn't seem very chatty - so I didn't get to ask him whether there was anywhere else he could recommend. [Also, I suspect he was about 15].

Good luck finding it, and let us know if you do.

cheers

Kate

Roseraie de l'Häy-les-roses
Access: Open to the Public. 2932 plants listed.
Address: Rue A. Watel
L'Haÿ-les-Roses, Val-de-marne 94240
France
Phone: (33) 1 47 40 04 04 [Information]

The Souvenir of Wootton at Rosearie d l'Hay is the climbing sport discovered by Butle. We tried to get that rose, too but the cuttings sat in customs for 6 weeks and didn't make it. we're trying again, though.

There are so many unidentified "mystery roses" out there, I feel certain that one day some will be identified as Cook's roses.

While researching the possibility of importing roses from Australia I learned about an Australian hybridizer Alister Clark, and the efforts to gather his lost roses. Even though this attempt to find one of Cook's roses may be a dead end at least I met you and learned something new.

Best wishes,
Jennifer

Ps I'm not giving up yet... : )

Souvenir of Wootton is listed in the Australian Rose Directory amongst the Ruston collection of Budwood. The Directory is a few years old now, but the Ruston Rose Collection has been listed as the National Collection of roses in Australia and would probably still have this rose. They may also have other roses you are looking for bred by John Cook. Good Luck.
Vivienne