Rosa Fragrant Cloud

Rosa Fragrant Cloud is a modern hybrid tea rose appreciated for its long, highly fragrant and brightly coloured flowering period. Its large, double, radiant flowers in shades ranging from orange-red to intense coral-red, bloom in fragrant clusters on a dense and ramified bush from late spring until frost. Its beautiful foliage evolves from shiny bronze-green when budding to shiny dark green when mature. This generous and robust rose is perfect for adding colour and fragrance to flower beds, as well as balconies or patios when planted in a lovely pot. Winner of the 'World Rose' award in 1981, it also holds the highly selective German ADR label for its natural disease resistance.

Rosa Fragrant Cloud was obtained by Mathias Tantau Jr. in 1963. This excellent variety is the parent of 11 more recent creations. This dense, upright, and well-balanced bush reaches a height of about 80cm (32in) and a width of 70cm (28in) at maturity. It has a rapid growth rate. It produces strong, thorny branches that bear very elegant foliage. It is bronze when budding and then shiny dark green. It is highly disease resistant. The plant continuously produces large flowers, 15cm (6in) in diameter, with a typical campanulate shape of hybrid tea roses. They are composed of 26 to 40 petals in a warm colour, intermediate between light red and rosy orange, and open to a tightly packed heart. They are clustered in bouquets at the end of long current-year shoots or on 2-year-old stems. The recurrent flowering is distinguished by a pleasant fragrance. The rose will continue to flower throughout summer if faded flowers are removed.

With its warm colour and intense fragrance, Rosa Fragrant Cloud deserves an equally graceful setting close to the house. Light flowering perennial plants (autumn asters, foxgloves, penstemons), grasses, and nepetas, are ideal for enhancing its beauty and accompanying it late in the season. For example, combine it with Geranium 'Rozanne', G. 'Pink Cloud', G. grandiflorum, panicum, Nepeta 'Walker's Low', and campanulas. It will also make a good impression when planted alone, for example in groups of 3, as well as in a large pot on a patio or balcony. Its flowers make beautiful romantic bouquets, with soft pink peonies and white lilacs.