Rose des Cisterciens – DELarle floribunda rose
Step out to your front path after a soft shower and Rose des Cisterciens greets you with painterly swirls of pink and buttery yellow, glowing in the soft Irish light while it quietly shrugs off rainfall and damp summer days. This floribunda brings a relaxed, almost cottage feel to city terraces and country plots alike, flowering in generous clusters that repeat from early summer to season’s end with a clear, citrusy fragrance. As an own‑root shrub it settles in steadily, building a lasting framework that copes well with everyday family life, giving you an easy, low‑fuss way to enjoy romantic colour and contentment on your doorstep. Plant it once, mind the drainage, and let its gentle rhythm unfold year after year.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Small cottage-style front garden bed |
The upright but compact habit and painterly pink-yellow blooms create instant cottage character without dominating a narrow Dublin or village frontage. Reliable repeat flowering means the same bush gives interest for months with only light pruning, suiting the time-poor front-garden homeowner |
| Mixed family border in heavy Irish clay |
Once given a well-prepared, free-draining hole, this own-root floribunda steadily thickens into a durable shrub that rides out wet spells and windy days, offering long-term structure and colour with only occasional deadheading, ideal for the relaxed family gardener |
| Feature rose near paths, gates or seating |
The medium, clearly noticeable scent with fresh citrus and berry notes is perfect beside a gate, short path or bench where you regularly pass, adding cheerful fragrance without overwhelming the space, appealing to the fragrance-loving garden visitor |
| Long-flowering accent in a small urban garden |
Remontant clusters bring waves of flowers from early summer well into autumn, making good use of limited space and short Irish summers; one shrub provides consistent colour where you see it daily, suiting busy urban dwellers and balcony-access residents |
| Low-maintenance specimen shrub |
Moderate height with an upright framework makes shaping straightforward, while own-root growth offers a stable outline and good regeneration if ever cut back hard, giving long-lived ornamental value for those who prefer simple yearly tidying, ideal for cautious beginners |
| Large container or half-barrel (40–50 litres+) |
In a generous pot with quality compost and regular watering, its moderately dense, dark green foliage and changing pastel blooms create a moveable highlight for patios or rented spaces, attractive for city renters and balcony-focused container gardeners |
| Romantic, “girly” planting with perennials |
The soft pink and creamy-yellow palette blends beautifully with lavender and airy clematis, giving a nostalgic, feminine look that still feels fresh under grey skies and light drizzle, echoing a short outdoor walk under raindrops for romantic-leaning cottage stylists |
| Long-term family garden planting |
This own-root shrub builds a dependable framework over the years, maintaining colour and form even after harsher pruning or rough play nearby, so one planting can mature gracefully along with your household, reassuring long-view, investment-minded garden planners |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-porch border – Line a short path with Rose des Cisterciens and lavender, letting the citrusy scent greet you on damp evenings – perfect for small Irish cottage front-garden owners
- Pastel-terrace trio – Combine one shrub with pale grasses and white gaura in a compact bed for soft movement and long flowering – ideal for style-conscious city terrace gardeners
- Painter’s-corner pot – Grow it in a 50‑litre half-barrel with clematis ‘Snow Queen’ for layered petals and changing pastel tones – suited to balcony and patio container enthusiasts
- Family-friendly focal point – Place a single shrub near a seating area where children play, enjoying its forgiving own-root resilience and steady repeat bloom – good for relaxed family gardeners
- Romantic hedgelet – Plant a short row at 40–50 cm spacing for a low, softly coloured boundary that frames a lawn or veg patch – appealing to beginners seeking gentle structure
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda shrub rose DELarle, trade name Rose des Cisterciens, from the Les Roses de Peintres collection; registered cultivar name DELarle, exhibition category shrub and cut-flower type. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Georges Delbard, France, introduced and registered in 1998 by Pépinières & Roseraies Georges Delbard / Georges Delbard SA; parentage not publicly documented. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright floribunda shrub, around 100–150 cm tall and 60–90 cm wide, moderately thorny with moderately dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage; spent blooms may require manual removal. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cupped blooms 7–10 cm across, with 26–39 petals; produced in clusters on remontant flushes, the second flowering also notably abundant through the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Pink petals with buttery-yellow streaks; outer petals RHS 62C, inner 11C, tones shifting from stronger yellow and pink to soft pastel and near-white as blooms age, with very good colour retention. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength, clearly noticeable perfume combining fresh, citrusy and berry notes; suitable for planting where the scent can be enjoyed on regular, close-up garden routes and seating areas. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set generally sparse due to full double flowers; occasional small ovoid orange-red hips, approximately 10–14 mm in diameter, adding minor seasonal interest rather than a main display. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −23 to −21 °C (H7, USDA 6a); medium resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust, benefits from good air circulation and timely care in humid, disease-prone seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well-drained soil; spacing 40–75 cm depending on use, 4.2–4.8 plants/m² for mass planting; medium maintenance, with watering in prolonged drought and periodic health checks. |
Rose des Cisterciens (DELarle) offers long-season painterly blooms, a clear citrusy fragrance and durable own-root growth; a thoughtful choice if you would like romantic colour without demanding care.
