MÉTRO™ – creamy white hybrid tea rose – McGredy
Breathe in the fragrance of MÉTRO™ as its creamy blooms open after summer showers, their soft ivory petals glowing in sunlight and holding a strong, classic scent that lingers into the evening. This upright hybrid tea brings elegance to Irish cottage borders and Dublin front gardens alike, flowering reliably in our cool, changeable summers and taking brief spells of wind and rain in its stride, even where humidity encourages the odd spot of mildew or black spot. In your first year, it quietly puts down roots, the second year brings stronger shoots, and by the third year you enjoy its full ornamental impact, a long-lived, own-root rose designed for easy enjoyment rather than constant fussing.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose by the front door |
MÉTRO™ forms a neat, upright bush around 1 m tall, ideal for framing a doorway without overwhelming smaller Irish front gardens. Its XL, exhibition-style blooms read beautifully from the pavement and offer a welcoming, long-lasting scent for arriving guests, suiting the needs of the busy urban homeowner. |
| Cutting patch in a family garden |
The pointed buds and high-centred bloom form were bred for cutting, giving you florist-style stems for the house from your own border. Repeat flowering ensures a steady stream of creamy-white roses through the season, rewarding even simple care from the occasional weekend gardener. |
| Romantic cottage-garden border |
Cluster-flowered stems and soft cream tones blend gently with perennials, creating a relaxed “girly” cottage feel rather than a rigid formal look. Moderate height and spread help it slot easily between lupins, coneflowers and grasses, perfect for the nature-loving beginner. |
| Season-long focal point near seating |
With remontant, abundant second flushes, MÉTRO™ keeps sending up new buds, so there is usually something in bloom across the short Irish summer. This steady performance offers reliable colour and scent around patios or seating areas for the time-pressed family. |
| Planting in heavier Irish garden soils |
On its own roots, this rose establishes steadily and forgives the odd soggy spell, provided you improve drainage with organic matter and a light mulch, supporting long-term health even where short dry periods alternate with wet weeks for the cautious newcomer. |
| Low-maintenance specimen in partial shade |
MÉTRO™ tolerates partial shade, so it works in those side-garden spots that get morning or late-afternoon light rather than full midday sun. Moderate disease resistance under typical Irish humidity means only occasional care is needed by the time-poor urban owner. |
| Own-root, long-lived garden investment |
As an own-root plant, MÉTRO™ avoids graft-union problems, ages gracefully and can regenerate from its base if pruned hard or weather-damaged, safeguarding your planting effort and budget over many years for the practical, value-conscious buyer. |
| Large decorative container on terrace or balcony |
Its upright habit suits a 40–50 litre pot, where improved drainage and regular watering help it cope with drying winds and rainfall swings typical of Irish balconies, while the strong, sweet scent makes the most of limited space for the compact-city-garden resident. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage Charm – Underplant MÉTRO™ with soft pink lupins and airy grasses for a feminine, old-fashioned cottage look – ideal for romantic, nature-focused homeowners.
- Front-Door Welcome – Flank your entrance with two large pots of MÉTRO™, adding lavender at the base for contrast and extra scent – perfect for busy urban residents.
- Evening Fragrance – Place MÉTRO™ near a terrace bench, pairing with white nicotiana and soft garden lighting to highlight its scent after dusk – suited to relaxed evening loungers.
- Cutting Corner – Group three plants with Rudbeckia and cypress spurge behind, giving a steady supply of long-stemmed blooms for vases – great for home floristry enthusiasts.
- Soft-White Border – Combine MÉTRO™ with cream perennials and silvery foliage for a calm, light-reflecting strip along paths or drives – ideal for small, overlooked front gardens.
Technical cultivar profile
| Characteristic |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MACbucpal, marketed as MÉTRO™ – creamy white hybrid tea rose – McGredy; American Rose Society exhibition name: Auckland Metro; group: Rós taehibride. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV, McGredy Roses International, New Zealand; cross of ‘Sexy Rexy’ × ‘Saturday’; bred c. 1982, registered 1988, introduced 1990 for garden and exhibition use. |
| Awards and recognition |
No major international trial awards are recorded for this cultivar, yet it maintains a premium bronze merit rating and a steady reputation among enthusiasts of strongly scented hybrid teas. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, medium bush 85–115 cm high and 50–70 cm wide, with moderately dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; deadheading recommended as self-cleaning is only partial. |
| Flower morphology |
Hybrid tea, high-centred, pointed-budded blooms on strong stems; double flowers with 26–39 petals, extra-large size over 10 cm, often borne in small clusters, suitable for cutting and exhibition. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cream-white, ivory-toned flowers; buds pale yellow-cream with pinkish blush; early blooms show a delicate peach veil, then fade towards snow-white with faint buttery tones at petal bases over time. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting classic rose fragrance with a sweet character, noticeable both in the garden and indoors as a cut flower; primarily ornamental, with no specific cosmetic or culinary uses recorded. |
| Hip characteristics |
Forms small numbers of ovoid, egg-shaped hips, 12–18 mm in diameter, colouring red by autumn; hips are mainly ornamental and have limited visual impact compared with the large repeat flowers. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3); moderate resistance to black spot, mildew and rust, with occasional protection needed in humid seasons and during prolonged wet weather. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in fertile, well-drained soil with regular watering in dry spells; suitable for borders, groups, hedging at 50–60 cm, or specimens at 90 cm spacing, and in large 40–50 litre containers with good drainage. |
MÉTRO™ – creamy white hybrid tea rose – McGredy offers strong fragrance, repeat flowering and dependable structure on a resilient own-root framework, making it a thoughtful long-term choice for your Irish garden.
