MICHELANGELO® – yellow hybrid tea rose – Meilland
Step outside to soft raindrops and discover MICHELANGELO®, a richly scented, golden hybrid tea that brings calm contentment to even the smallest Irish cottage or terraced front garden. Its large, romantic blooms and strong, lemony-honey fragrance offer classic beauty with reassuringly simple care, even where summers are cool and wet with constant disease pressure. Planted as an own-root rose in a well-drained bed or 40–50 litre container, it settles in steadily and is bred for a long, reliable garden lifespan. You can look forward to a natural rhythm – roots establishing in year one, stronger shoots and shape in year two, and full display and ornamental value from year three onwards – giving you timeless blooms without complicated routines, ideal for a relaxed, “girly” cottage-garden mood.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden statement rose by the door |
Upright, 110–150 cm growth with XL, cupped blooms makes a striking but manageable focal point beside a path or doorway, giving classic structure without needing specialist pruning skills, ideal for the time-conscious beginner. |
| Romantic cottage-style flower bed |
Very double, warm yellow flowers repeat through the season, giving that nostalgic cottage look with medium maintenance; own-root plants bush out evenly over time for a full, long-lived display, suiting the relaxed homeowner. |
| Cutting patch for fragrant bouquets |
Solitary, long-stemmed hybrid tea blooms with a strong, lemony-honey scent are perfect for vases, so one bush can supply armfuls of classic roses for the house across summer, delighting the creative hobby-gardener. |
| Feature rose in 40–50 litre terrace container |
In a large, well-drained pot, its upright habit and dense foliage keep a tidy shape; own-root plants regenerate well if cut back after winter, giving durable value for the space-limited urban gardener. |
| Small informal rose hedge |
At 55 cm spacing it forms a softly upright, fragrant boundary; repeat flowering keeps colour along a path or drive, while own-root growth ensures gaps fill again if stems are lost, reassuring the practical planner. |
| Mixed bed with perennials |
Dense, dark green foliage and buttery-yellow blooms combine beautifully with salvias or euphorbias; disease resistance supports simple, low-spray gardening even where rain and humidity are frequent, encouraging the nature-loving buyer. |
| Family garden focal point |
Large, showy flowers and rich scent appeal across generations, while moderate maintenance means seasonal deadheading and feeding are usually enough for reliable flowering, suiting the busy family householder. |
| Sheltered, sunny city front garden |
Thrives in a bright, well-ventilated spot; in enclosed, damp courtyards you may need some protection, but the robust root system and repeat flowering give dependable returns for the urban-frontage owner. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Romantic – Mix MICHELANGELO® with soft pink perennials and airy grasses for a feminine, storybook border – ideal for lovers of relaxed, “girly” Irish cottage gardens.
- Golden-Accent – Plant a single specimen near a sage-green front door or railings to highlight its warm yellow blooms – perfect for city terrace owners seeking simple impact.
- Scented-Path – Line a short path with a loose row at hedge spacing for repeated fragrance as you pass – suited to families who enjoy evening strolls in the garden.
- Classic-Cut – Dedicate a sunny corner bed to three plants for a constant supply of long-stemmed, fragrant blooms – a delight for home florists and bouquet enthusiasts.
- Pot-Showpiece – Grow one plant in a 40–50 litre container with trailing herbs at the base for a neat yet romantic display – great for balconies and compact front yards.
Technical cultivar profile
| Characteristic |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MEItelov; traded as Michelangelo® Romantica® MEItelov, in the Romantica® collection; exhibition name Michelangelo®, premium silver merit rating. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Alain Meilland, Meilland International SA, France, from (‘Meidragelac’ × ‘Meikinosi’) × ‘Korbelma’; bred 1997, registered 1997, introduced commercially in 1998. |
| Awards and recognition |
Monza Gold Medal 1997; Bagatelle (Paris) Certificate 1997; Orléans Rose de Cristal 2000; The Hague Fragrance Award and Certificate 2001, underscoring ornamental and scent quality. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright habit, 110–150 cm high, 75–105 cm spread; dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage, moderately thorny stems; weak self-cleaning, so regular deadheading maintains appearance and repeat bloom. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, XL blooms over 10 cm, cupped with a medium-high centre, borne mainly singly on stems; remontant with a generous second flush and further flowers under good care. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Uniform bright lemon-yellow with a delicate golden tone; outer petals RHS 11A, inner 12A; colour lightens in strong sun to creamy, buttery yellow, with creamy tones as blooms mature. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, well-defined perfume with a rich, lemony-honey character; flowers are primarily ornamental, with highly double form that limits pollen access and gives a lush, full appearance. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional small, bottle-shaped hips, 10–14 mm, greyish-orange RHS 168B; not a heavy hip producer, so the main decorative interest remains the succession of large flowers. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3); resistant to powdery mildew and rust, moderate against black spot; prefers regular watering during prolonged heat or drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny, well-ventilated positions with good drainage; spacing 65 cm for beds, 55 cm for hedging, 100 cm as specimen; 2.5–2.9 plants/m²; medium maintenance with some plant protection in enclosed courtyards. |
MICHELANGELO® offers large, scented yellow blooms, reliable repeat flowering and long-lived own-root resilience, making it a graceful choice for those planning a lasting, easy-care rose planting.
