AVON™ – dark red hybrid tea rose – Morey
Step outside after a shower and AVON™ greets you with velvety blooms glowing in soft, green light, its tall, upright stems lifting rich, dark-red flowers above foliage that stays handsome through the season. This semi-double hybrid tea offers a strong, lingering fragrance, while its remontant nature keeps buds coming in repeated flushes for a long summer display, even when our summers feel short and grey. Own-root planting means dependable longevity, stable colour and shape, and the reassuring ability to regenerate if damaged. In typical Irish clay you simply improve drainage, mulch well and let it settle: year one focuses on hidden roots, year two on building sturdy shoots, and by year three AVON™ stands as a full, mature presence in your cottage or city-front garden.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose in a small front garden |
The tall, upright habit and large, solitary blooms make AVON™ ideal as a single, eye-catching feature near a door or gate, giving maximum impact from minimal space and care for a busy urban gardener. |
| Romantic cottage-style bed |
Regular remontant flowering and strong scent support a classic, “girly” cottage look; mix with perennials for soft edges and enjoy reliable flowering without complex pruning for a nature-loving beginner. |
| Informal flowering hedge |
Planted at 55 cm intervals, AVON™ forms a tall, scented line that screens gently while offering repeating flushes of dark-red colour, suiting those wanting structure and beauty with simple seasonal care for a family garden owner. |
| Cut-flower and vase use |
Long-stemmed, large hybrid tea blooms in a rich, unfading red are perfect for cutting, giving you fragrant indoor arrangements over many weeks from just a few plants for the home flower enthusiast. |
| Pollinator-friendly mixed border |
Semi-double flowers provide moderate access to pollen, so when combined with other nectar-rich perennials it contributes to a gentle wildlife-friendly border that still feels ornamental for the eco-aware gardener. |
| Long-term structural planting |
Own-root plants build strength year after year, regenerating well after pruning or weather damage and avoiding graft failures, so AVON™ can stay in place for many seasons for the long-term planner. |
| Clay soil family garden beds |
With improved drainage and mulching, AVON™ copes well in heavier Irish soils, giving steady growth and flowering even where lawns stay damp after rain and summers seem too short for the practical homeowner. |
| Large container on patio or terrace |
In a 40–50 litre pot with good compost and regular watering, AVON™ becomes a vertical accent that delivers scented, deep-red blooms right beside your seating area, with manageable upkeep for the balcony or patio gardener. |
Styling ideas
- Doorway drama – Place AVON™ as a single specimen by your front step, underplanted with low lavender or thyme, to greet visitors with dark-red blooms and scent – ideal for urban terrace entrances.
- Cottage ribbon – Create a loose row along a path, weaving AVON™ between foxgloves and hardy geraniums for a romantic, old-fashioned effect – perfect for informal Irish cottage gardens.
- Ruby border – Combine AVON™ with Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ and Coreopsis for crimson, blue and yellow contrast, giving colour and gentle pollinator appeal – suited to relaxed family borders.
- Patio statement – Grow AVON™ in a 50 litre terracotta pot with trailing ivy or bacopa at the base for an elegant, easy-care focal point – great for renters and small-space gardeners.
- Cutting corner – Plant a small group of AVON™ with Iris germanica and annuals like cosmos to create a mini cutting patch – ideal for those who love bringing home-grown bouquets indoors.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, exhibition hybrid tea type; trade name AVON™ Hybrid tea rose Morey, ARS exhibition name Avon; part of the Rós taehibride commercial group for garden and cutting use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Dennison Harlow Morey, Jackson & Perkins Co., USA, from Nocturne × Chrysler Imperial; introduced and registered in 1961 as a dark red, exhibition-quality hybrid tea. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy hybrid tea to around 130–170 cm high and 75–105 cm wide, with dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness, forming a tall, elegant garden shrub. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, 7–10 cm semi-double, cup to chalice-shaped blooms with 13–25 petals, usually borne singly on stems; remontant, with a strong second flush and repeat flowering through the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep, velvety dark red flowers (ARS dr; RHS 53A outer, 187A inner), blackish-maroon buds, excellent colour retention with minimal fading, occasional slight purplish tinge on older outer petals. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting scent typical of classic hybrid teas; fragrance lingers well on the plant and on cut stems, adding value both in the garden and indoors as a cut flower. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasionally forms very small round hips, typically 0–5 mm in diameter, with little ornamental impact; the plant’s main decorative value lies in its flowers rather than its fruit. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated to around –21 to –18 °C (USDA 6b, H7, Swedish zone 3); good resistance to powdery mildew and black spot, moderate rust susceptibility, needs watering during extended dry, hot spells. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny sites with improved, well-drained soil; moderate maintenance with some deadheading and occasional plant protection; spacing 55–100 cm depending on hedge, mass, or specimen use. |
AVON™ – dark red hybrid tea rose – offers rich colour, strong fragrance and long-season flowering on a dependable own-root plant, making it a cultivated choice for those planning a lasting, characterful garden.
