METROPOLITAN ® – white hybrid tea rose - Meilland
Enjoy Metropolitan as a stately, pure-white hybrid tea rose that thrives in Irish gardens, bringing a sense of calm elegance to cottage borders and city terraces alike. Its XL, high‑centred blooms have a refined, fruity perfume and long, straight stems, ideal when you feel like stepping outside to cut a few perfect flowers for the kitchen table. Own‑root plants mature steadily and are easy to shape, giving dependable structure in smaller family plots where every shrub must earn its place. With proper drainage the rose copes well with our soft, damp climate and frequent rain, rewarding basic care with reliable, repeat flowering through the summer. Plant in sun, mulch generously, and let this long‑lived, premium‑grade rose grow from modest beginnings into a characterful feature over three seasons – roots first, then strong shoots, and finally full garden presence.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Front garden focal point by the path |
The tall, upright habit and snow‑white XL flowers stand out beautifully against brick or render, giving a clear focal point beside your front door or path, especially in compact Dublin terraces, for house‑proud urban gardeners. |
| Cutting patch for home arrangements |
High‑centred, exhibition‑grade blooms on long, straight stems make this an excellent source of home‑grown cut flowers, so you can create classic white bouquets from your own garden, for flower‑loving home arrangers. |
| Romantic cottage‑style border |
Metropolitan’s pure white, double blooms and dark foliage blend gently with perennials and grasses, creating a soft, “girly” cottage effect without fussy upkeep, for relaxed Irish cottage‑garden owners. |
| Feature rose in a large container |
In a 40–50 litre pot with good drainage, this upright hybrid tea becomes a handsome statement on patios or balconies, allowing you to enjoy its fragrance and form at eye level, for space‑conscious city gardeners. |
| Small rose bed with repeat colour |
Remontant flowering brings several flushes of white blooms through our short summer, keeping a compact bed lively and bright when other plants are between peaks, for busy gardeners wanting steady interest. |
| Long‑term structural planting |
As an own‑root shrub, Metropolitan regenerates well from the base and keeps its character over many years, maintaining shape and ornamental value with simple pruning, for planners who value long‑lasting plantings. |
| Pollinator‑aware mixed planting |
Although fully double, its moderate appeal to insects still fits into a wider pollinator‑friendly scheme when paired with open‑flowered companions like Coreopsis or herbs, for nature‑oriented family gardeners. |
| Showpiece for enthusiasts and exhibitors |
Award‑winning form and fragrance, combined with premium grading and repeat bloom, make this a rewarding subject for those who enjoy top‑quality roses and are happy to provide regular disease control, for dedicated rose exhibitors. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage Glow – Underplant Metropolitan with lavender and catmint to soften its upright habit and highlight the creamy white flowers – ideal for lovers of relaxed cottage charm.
- City Landing – Place a single rose in a 50 litre terracotta pot flanked by box balls to frame a front doorstep – suited to neat, design‑minded terrace owners.
- Moon Border – Combine with Coreopsis grandiflora and airy grasses for a pale, shimmering evening border – perfect for those who enjoy twilight garden walks.
- Vintage Vase – Grow three bushes in a narrow bed solely for cutting, ensuring a steady supply of classic white stems – great for home florists and bouquet makers.
- Green Studio – Pair with Clematis ‘Little Artist’ on an obelisk behind, letting white roses emerge from a veil of blue – appealing to creative gardeners who like layered planting.
Technical cultivar profile
| Attribute | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MEIfaissel, traded as Metropolitan ® Hybrid tea rose MEIfaissel; ARS exhibition name Metropolitan; collection and commercial type hybrid tea. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Alain A. Meilland, Meilland International SA, France, from ‘White Knight’ × (‘Karen Blixen’ × ‘Lady Sylvia’); bred and registered in 2004, introduced after 2004. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated in Rome, Italy (2003) with Gold Medal, Fragrance Award and Journalists’ Prize, highlighting both bloom quality and scent for exhibition use. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy plant 100–140 cm high and 55–85 cm wide, with dense, dark green, slightly glossy foliage and moderate prickles; spent blooms hang on, so deadheading improves appearance. |
| Flower morphology |
Very large, high‑centred double blooms over 10 cm, usually solitary on stems; 26–39 petals with classic pointed buds; strong remontant habit, with abundant second flush of flowers. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Snow‑white flowers with silky matte sheen; buds creamy with greenish tips, opening to bright white with ivory centre; colour stays mainly white, only lightly shifting to creamy tones as blooms age. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium‑strength, pleasantly sweet, fruity fragrance, noticeable outdoors and especially on still, mild days; well‑scented for a white hybrid tea, enhancing value as a cut flower and garden rose. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces small rose hips in moderate quantities, generally 0–5 mm across; hips have limited ornamental effect and are usually removed when deadheading for continuous flowering. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Very sensitive to powdery mildew and black spot, moderate rust; requires regular preventive spraying in humid climates; winter hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3). |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun, in fertile, well‑drained soil; spacing 40–75 cm depending on use; ideal for flower beds, specimens and cutting; maintenance high, with consistent feeding, deadheading and plant protection. |
METROPOLITAN ® offers exhibition‑quality white blooms, sweet fruity fragrance and long‑term own‑root reliability for Irish gardens; a refined choice if you are ready to give a premium rose attentive care.
