Rosa 'Frédéric Mistral' - Shrub Rose

Like an ode to the troubadour of the Occitan language and his epic poetry, the Rose' Frederic Mistral' combines the extraordinary fragrance and robustness of bourbon roses with the floribundity of modern roses. Multiple award-winning, particularly for its remarkable fragrance, this variety repeatedly offers large charming roses, a tender yet bright pink, from early summer. The September repeat flowering is magnificent. Its flexible habit makes this rose easy to integrate into a shrub ensemble. Like modern roses, its flowers, often solitary and borne on long stems, hold remarkably well in both vase and garden, even in the rain.

The Rose 'Frédéric Mistral' or 'Meitebros', registered by Meilland in 1995, has received numerous awards in international competitions: Perfume Award, Silver Medal and Ladies' Preferred Rose, Baden-Baden in 1993; Perfume Award Le Rœulx in 1994; Perfume Award Monza in 1994; J. Fritzell Perfume Award Belfast in 1996. This hybrid tea rose is also related to old bourbon roses, from which it inherited its fragrance and its delicate foliage of a very healthy matte green colour.

The plant forms a rather upright, branching, vigorous and fast-growing bush. It will reach about 1.10m (4ft) in height, with a 70cm (28in) spread. Under certain conditions, it can grow up to 1.30m (4ft), but still maintains a fairly flexible habit. It blooms from May to June until October in successive waves. Its 11 to 12cm (4 to 5in) diameter roses have a fairly regular turbinate shape typical of hybrid tea roses at the opening. They comprise 45 petals arranged in a classic cup shape that unfold informally and sometimes show a crumpled heart. Their colour is a light and fresh Venetian pink, and their fragrance is extremely pronounced and persistent. On a base of old roses, fruity notes of apricot and plum rise. The disease resistance of this rose is very good. This deciduous, hardy small bush loses its leaves in autumn. It appreciates heat but will perform best when planted in rich, deep soil that remains cool in summer.

This large-flowered rose 'Frederic Mistral', with its extraordinary fragrance and somewhat romantic style, is ideal in the garden in a large rose bed, at the front of a shrub bed, or as a solitary specimen in a well-maintained small garden. The colour of its flowers easily blends with all pastel blooms, as well as the range of blues, purples, and violets. Consider planting it near easy-to-grow plants such as Chinese peonies, perennial geraniums (Geranium Blue Cloud, Anne Folkard, Nimbus, Orion), bellflowers (lactiflora, rapunculoides), catmints, perennial salvias, foxgloves... Dwarf buddleias also make lovely companions for bush roses. Its flowers can be used to create romantic bouquets that delicately perfume the home.