NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ – cream-white flower-bed shrub rose
Softly romantic yet reassuringly robust, NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ brings buttercream rosettes and a classic, room-filling fragrance into everyday Irish gardens with very little fuss. Bred as a modern shrub rose but sized perfectly for family plots and city fronts, it sits neatly in beds and borders, coping calmly with our cool summers and frequent showers, even when the soil tends towards heavy clay that needs thoughtful drainage. Its very full, pompon-like blooms repeat generously from early summer into autumn, keeping borders looking calmly ordered and gently “girly” beside cottage paths and railings. Planted as an own-root rose, it knits in steadily and rewards your patience with a natural rhythm – roots in year one, stronger shoots in year two, and full ornamental value by year three – building a reassuring sense of long-term investment. Moderately dense, pale, slightly glossy foliage and a sparsely thorned framework make day-to-day maintenance and deadheading more comfortable, while its medium height and upright habit give reliable structure without blocking light in smaller front gardens. In larger beds or mixed planting schemes it works beautifully as a soft, cream-white anchor that ties together pastels, grasses and cottage perennials with effortless charm.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden feature shrub |
NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ reaches around 80–100 cm, forming an upright, tidy shrub that feels substantial but never overbearing beside a path or low wall. Its contained width suits narrow Dublin front gardens and terraces where every centimetre counts for light and access, yet you still want a welcoming, “dressed” entrance for busy urban gardeners. |
| Long-season flower bed in family garden |
The repeat-flowering habit keeps beds lively from early summer right into autumn, with abundant second flushes of creamy-white blooms so borders never feel bare between peaks. Clustered, medium-sized flowers give constant visual interest without demanding complex pruning or feeding routines, making seasonal colour planning straightforward for beginner gardeners. |
| Cottage-style mixed border |
The very full, pompon-like flowers and soft butter-cream tones slot naturally into relaxed Irish cottage planting, pairing beautifully with lavender, catmint or airy perennials. Its medium, upright habit gives just enough height to weave through companions while keeping the look romantic rather than formal, ideal for cottage-garden lovers. |
| Scented seating area or terrace |
A very strong, classic rose fragrance means even a single shrub can perfume a small patio or seating nook, especially in still evening air. Planted near a bench, doorway or frequently opened window, it adds a daily sense of gentle luxury and “green calm” without complicated care routines for fragrance seekers. |
| Small hedge or low boundary |
Recommended planting distances of 35–40 cm make it easy to create a low, flowering hedge that defines spaces while staying neighbour-friendly on height. The repeat flowering and pale, slightly glossy foliage provide a soft visual screen along paths or driveways, suiting family-home owners. |
| Own-root, long-term garden investment |
As an own-root shrub, NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ develops a stable framework that can regenerate from its base after hard pruning or weather damage, supporting a long lifespan and steady ornamental value. Once established, this reduces replacement and rescue work, appealing to long-term planners. |
| Irish climates with regular rain and heavier soils |
This variety copes well with cool, damp conditions typical of many Irish gardens, provided you give reasonable soil preparation and surface mulch to improve water movement in heavier spots where Atlantic rain lingers and heavier ground benefits from improved drainage after prolonged wet spells, reassuring practical gardeners. |
| Large containers and paved spaces |
Its moderate size and upright habit make it suitable for substantial pots of at least 40–50 litres, where roots have enough depth to support repeat flowering. In large containers on patios or roof terraces, you can enjoy its scent and colour close-up without giving over bed space, ideal for space-conscious gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage Row – Line a low front fence with NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ and soft blue catmint for a romantic, storybook edge – perfect for cottage-garden lovers.
- Scented Corner – Place one or two shrubs by a favourite bench, underplanted with thyme or creeping campanula, to create an evening retreat for fragrance seekers.
- Cream Border – Combine its butter-cream rosettes with white foxgloves, astrantia and silvery foliage for a calm, elegant flower bed for design-conscious homeowners.
- Soft Screen – Use a staggered row at 35–40 cm spacing along a drive or path as a low, scented boundary for family-home owners wanting subtle structure.
- Patio Focus – Plant a single shrub in a 50-litre terracotta pot, with trailing lobelia or bacopa to soften the rim, ideal for balcony and terrace gardeners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ (Les Provencelles® collection), registered as MASnaxe, a modern shrub flowerbed rose of the Rósra bhláthchlóis group, approved exhibition name Nadine Xella-Ricci. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Dominique Massad at Pétales de Rose, France, introduced in 2007; exact parentage unknown but selected for refined bloom form and strong fragrance within the Les Provencelles® line. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, moderately dense shrub rose reaching about 80–100 cm high and 50–70 cm wide, with pale green, slightly glossy foliage and relatively sparse prickles along the stems. |
| Flower morphology |
Medium-sized, 4–7 cm, very full, spherical to pompon-like blooms held in clusters; each flower has more than 40 petals and repeats freely, with abundant second flushes in season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cream-white base with soft buttery-yellow centres; ivory buds open milky white, then fade to off-white as the yellow tone recedes; ARS Wh, RHS 155C outer, 13B inner petals. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, classic rose fragrance with a garden-filling presence, best appreciated near paths or seating; primarily ornamental as the very double blooms largely conceal pollen-bearing structures. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces rose hips only occasionally; small, bright red, spherical fruits around 10–14 mm in diameter, adding a modest decorative touch if spent blooms are not removed. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b); disease resistance moderate overall with good black spot resistance but some susceptibility to mildew and rust. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions with well-drained soil; recommended spacings: 40 cm for massed beds, 35 cm for hedges, 65 cm as specimens; maintain even moisture and monitor for fungal issues. |
NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ offers repeat creamy blooms, powerful fragrance and a compact, easy-to-place habit on a resilient own-root framework, making it a thoughtful, low-fuss addition to a long-lived Irish garden.
