FLUSHING MEADOW – cream-pink hybrid tea rose - Dorieux
Stroll past FLUSHING MEADOW on a damp summer evening and you are met with large, cupped blooms whose shifting cream and pink-red tones feel quietly cheerful against dense, mid‑green foliage. This upright hybrid tea is bred for medium maintenance, combining exhibition-style flowers with reassuring garden reliability, even where frequent rain and mild air bring steady humidity. The softly sweet fragrance is gentle rather than overpowering, ideal beside a small terrace or Dublin front step where you pause with morning coffee. Own-root plants build strength from below, settling in for a long, dependable lifespan that shrugs off typical replanting worries, while remontant flowering gives a generous second flush of blooms through our shorter summers. Think of it as a future‑proof, water‑conscious rose that matures steadily over three seasons – roots first, then top growth, then full garden impact.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Feature rose in a small front garden bed |
The large, very double, solitary flowers are XL in size and naturally draw the eye, so one or three plants make an immediate statement near a door or path without demanding a big border. Ideal for fragrance-loving Dublin front-garden owners, especially beginners. |
| Cutting patch for home bouquets |
As an exhibition-type hybrid tea with long, straight stems and cupped, densely petalled blooms, this variety is perfect for cutting, giving you elegant, long-lasting indoor arrangements from late spring to autumn. Best suited to hobby gardeners who enjoy homegrown bouquets. |
| Structured edging along a driveway or path |
The upright, medium-height habit and dense foliage create a tidy, repeat-flowering line when spaced at 55 cm, offering a formal yet romantic edge that works well in both cottage and terraced front gardens. Recommended for urban homeowners seeking neat, low-effort structure. |
| Focal point in a mixed cottage-style border |
With its strong bicolour effect and XL flower size, this rose holds its own among perennials while remontant blooming keeps colour coming back, ensuring it remains a visual anchor through the season. Perfect for those wanting a standout yet manageable centrepiece. |
| Future-proof, own-root planting for long-term beds |
Being grown on its own roots means no graft union to fail, better recovery if cut back hard, and a stable shape over many years, offering steady ornamental value without frequent replacement. Suited to planners who value long-lived, low-fuss garden investment. |
| Family garden rose for busy households |
Medium disease resistance to black spot and powdery mildew, coupled with a straightforward care routine, lets you enjoy impressive flowers without constant spraying, leaving more time for simply using the garden. A good match for time-poor but quality-conscious families. |
| Water-conscious planting in regular Irish summers |
Average heat tolerance and moderate drought resistance make it comfortable with normal Irish rainfall patterns, needing only regular watering in extended dry spells, so it fits a future-proof, water-aware garden where consistent showers and mild air are the norm. Designed for environmentally mindful gardeners. |
| Developing beds with a 3‑year improvement plan |
Flushing Meadow settles in gradually: the first year builds roots, the second brings stronger shoots, and by the third season you see full ornamental value with abundant blooms, rewarding a little patience. Ideal for new or renovating gardens owned by long-term planners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Romantic Row – Plant a low line along a path at 55 cm spacing, underplant with airy calamint for a soft, scented edging that highlights the XL blooms – for lovers of relaxed cottage charm.
- Front-Door Focus – Use a single plant as a focal point beside a painted gate, framed by lavender and low grasses to emphasise the upright shape and bicolour flowers – for city homeowners wanting instant welcome.
- Cutting Corner – Group three plants in a triangle with easy-access paths so you can harvest long-stemmed blooms regularly, backed by bluebeard for contrast – for those who enjoy arranging home-cut roses.
- Long-View Border – Mix with Japanese spirea and summer perennials in a sunny bed, letting its gradual 3‑year build create a stable, long-term highlight – for gardeners planning a durable, evolving border.
- Formal-Soft Hedge – Create a low hedge along a driveway, combining its upright habit and dense foliage with clipped evergreen shapes for structure and romantic flowers – for families seeking neatness with character.
Technical cultivar profile
| Attribute | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea garden rose, Collection Hybrid tea rose; registered as DORnapa, marketed as Flushing Meadow, a cream-pink bicolour exhibition-type hybrid tea with XL blooms. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by François Dorieux II, Dorieux Pépinières, France; introduced and registered in 1988, with initial distribution through Pépinières Jacques Briant for European garden and cut-flower use. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright hybrid tea, 70–95 cm high and 55–80 cm wide, with dense, mid-green, slightly glossy foliage and moderate prickliness; weak self-cleaning, so spent blooms usually need deadheading by hand. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, cupped, solitary flowers with over 40 petals; XL blooms over 10 cm across; remontant through the season with a particularly generous second flush in suitable sunny positions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cream inner petals edged scarlet-red; buds deep red, opening to cream with red margin; colours fade to pink and buttery yellow, with reduced contrast; ARS RB, RHS 45A outer, 11D inner. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Soft, sweetish scent of mild strength; pleasant but not overpowering, making it suitable for seating areas and entrances where a subtle, refined fragrance is preferred over intense perfumed notes. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces small quantities of spherical, orange-red hips, about 12–18 mm diameter, which add modest late-season interest but are not a primary ornamental feature of this exhibition-type hybrid tea rose. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Medium overall disease resistance; resistant to black spot and powdery mildew, medium against rust; hardy to around −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3) with moderate heat tolerance. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well-drained soil; water regularly in drought, deadhead for repeat bloom; spacing 65 cm in beds, 55 cm as hedge, 100 cm as specimen; suits 40–50 litre or larger containers. |
Flushing Meadow Hybrid tea rose DORnapa offers XL bicolour blooms, reliable remontant flowering and a long-lived own-root habit that suits Irish family gardens, so it is well worth considering for your next planting decision.
