Albas are hardy from zones 3-9. If you've seen Victorian wallpaper scattered with fullblown roses then you know what a Bourbon rose looks like. Bourbons are large and very full, flowering in every shade from deep red to silver pink to striped. And Bourbons, unlike the albas, are repeat bloomers. You get a spectacular early show, and intermittent blooms throughout the growing season in zones 5 through 10.
Most Bourbons are also spectacularly fragrant.
If asked to choose just one Bourbon I would be hard pressed to choose between Variegata di Bologna , a striped wonder that can be trained up a pillar, or Zepherine Drouhin . The latter is one of the few climbing Bourbons, and is nearly thornless. If you're familiar with those Dutch flower paintings with roses as big and fully petaled as cabbages spilling from vases, then you know what centifolia looks like. With few exceptions they bloom once, in summer, and are normally extremely fragrant. Although some modern roses are fragrant, it's hard to beat the aroma of an old garden rose, as you'll see if you try any of the varieties recommended in this article.