ELINA ® – creamy-yellow hybrid tea rose – Dickson & Dickson
Soft creamy blooms, a gentle lemon glow and glossy foliage make ELINA ® an easy-going feature for Irish cottage borders and Dublin front gardens. Bred for health and reliable rebloom, it takes Atlantic breezes and frequent showers in its stride, provided the soil drains reasonably well after heavy rain. Large, elegant flowers appear from early summer to autumn with a light fragrance, perfect for cutting without stripping the bush of colour. Growing on its own roots means steady strength and graceful ageing, ideal for those who prefer planting once and enjoying for years as the plant moves from first-year settling to second-year structure and then full third-year display.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Sunny cottage-style flowerbed |
ELINA ® forms a tall, upright bush with dense dark leaves, giving structure at the back of a mixed border while its pastel lemon-cream blooms tie in with traditional cottage colours; low routine care suits relaxed weekend gardeners, especially beginners. |
| Dublin terraced-house front garden |
The elegant, high-centred flowers read beautifully from the pavement, and the plant’s tidy, upright habit keeps paths clear; once established, occasional feeding and deadheading are usually enough for a neat, welcoming display for busy homeowners. |
| Long-season cut-flower corner |
Extra-large, exhibition-style blooms on strong stems make this rose ideal beside a veg plot or cutting bed, offering vases of creamy-yellow flowers from early summer to autumn without complex care, rewarding practical, beauty-loving gardeners. |
| Specimen rose in lawn or gravel |
Planted alone with 1 m of space, ELINA ® becomes a focal point, its glossy, dark foliage and softly fading flowers drawing the eye while the own-root form matures steadily into a long-lived garden feature for thoughtful planners. |
| Small family garden mixed border |
Good disease resistance reduces the need for spraying, and with regular watering it tolerates moderate dry spells, so families can rely on healthy, leafy growth and flowers even in busy weeks, which suits time-pressed parents. |
| Rose bed on heavier Irish soils |
With sensible spacing and a raised, mulched planting strip to improve drainage, the robust hybrid tea framework copes well with wet spells and cool summers, repeating its creamy display between showers for practical, climate-aware gardeners. |
| Large patio container (40–50 L+) |
In a generously sized pot with good drainage, ELINA ® offers months of colour close to seating, and its mild rosy scent is best enjoyed near doors or patios, rewarding balcony and courtyard owners. |
| Long-term low-maintenance planting |
As an own-root rose, ELINA ® regrows true from the base after pruning or weather damage, keeping its shape and colour for many years with simple annual care, an appealing choice for long-view, value-conscious buyers. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-cream drift – Mass-plant ELINA ® along a path with soft pink campanulas and airy grasses for a romantic, gently glowing cottage feel – ideal for front-garden dreamers.
- Elegant contrast – Pair its creamy-yellow blooms with deep-purple salvias and burgundy heucheras in a mixed border for refined contrast – perfect for colour-conscious designers.
- Cutting corner – Group three plants with easy fillers like gypsophila and cosmos beside the veg patch to create a simple cut-flower “shop” – great for home florists.
- Glossy backbone – Use ELINA ® as the tall, glossy backdrop behind lower geraniums and hardy ice plant to anchor a small family bed – suited to structure-loving planners.
- Container calm – Grow one plant in a 50 L tub with trailing thyme and white lobelia by the front door for long, low-effort bloom – ideal for busy urban owners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as DICjana; marketed as ELINA ® – creamy-yellow hybrid tea rose; ARS exhibition name ‘Elina’; Rós taehibride cut-flower and garden type. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Patrick and Colin Dickson (United Kingdom, 1981) from ‘Nana Mouskouri’ × ‘Lolita’; introduced after 1984 by Dickson Nurseries Ltd., Northern Ireland, for garden and exhibition use. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated: RNRS Certificate of Merit (1983), ADR certification and Gold Star of the South Pacific (1987), Belfast Golden Rose, Glasgow Silver Medal, James Mason Medal, WFRS Hall of Fame (2006). |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy hybrid tea, 110–140 cm tall and 80–100 cm wide; moderately thorny, with dense, glossy dark-green foliage forming a strong framework suitable for beds, hedges and specimen planting. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred blooms over 10 cm, classic exhibition hybrid tea form; 26–39 petals on mainly solitary stems; remontant, with a second flush that is again abundant in suitable conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Creamy, pastel lemon-yellow buds (RHS 11D outer, 8C inner) opening to pale cream with a soft golden centre; colour gradually fades towards ivory-white at the edges while retaining a gentle warm heart. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Subtle, rosy fragrance of mild strength; suitable for those who prefer a gentle scent rather than a powerful perfume, pleasant on close inspection and in cut stems displayed indoors in smaller rooms. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set generally poor due to very double flowers; occasional small, ovoid orange-red hips, about 10–14 mm, may develop if deadheading is relaxed towards autumn, offering modest additional seasonal interest. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Winter hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3); good overall disease resistance with strong black spot and rust tolerance, but only moderate powdery mildew resistance in some seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun, in well-drained soil; space 55–100 cm depending on use, 2.5–2.9 plants/m² for mass plantings; low-maintenance but benefits from deadheading, feeding and occasional mildew protection if required. |
ELINA ® – creamy-yellow hybrid tea rose DICjana offers months of elegant, subtly scented blooms on a healthy, upright bush that ages gracefully on its own roots; a thoughtful, long-term choice if You favour calm, classic colour.
