QUATRE SAISONS® – mid-pink historic Damask rose - Meilland
Historic Damask QUATRE SAISONS® offers a fragrant and commercially distinctive option within own-root pharmaROSA® NEONATAL, aligning well with UK nursery networks needing reliable propagation trays for premium 5–7 L container lines and speciality shrub ranges. Its bushy habit, 100–170 cm height and 90–150 cm spread support efficient bed or container layouts for thematic and collection plantings, while H7 hardiness and USDA 4b suitability help maintain stable stands even in exposed northern sites where winter and wind resilience is crucial for long-term planting schemes. The very strong damask scent underpins fragrance-garden and traditional-ambience concepts for retail/collector channels, while remontant, mid-pink, semi-double blooms give a recognisable identity for labelled ranges and cultivar-maintenance blocks. Own-root material develops steadily—roots in year one, structural shoots in year two, then full ornamental value by year three—supporting predictable programming of premium collection assortments. The ADR-certified medal record strengthens positioning as a specialist, selection-grade collector item, with robust technical data for planning propagation capacity and coordinated multi-season supply into heritage and fragrance-led portfolios.
Usage options
Finished-product ideas
- 5–7 L Historic Damask Fragrance Shrub – own-root, bushy 100–170 cm plants in 5–7 L containers, promoted for strong damask scent and traditional mid-pink character under a selection/specialty label – target audience/channel: retail/collector.
- Fragrance Garden Heritage Twin-Pack – paired 5–7 L QUATRE SAISONS® units from NEONATAL lines, focused on very strong perfume and continuous-flowering heritage messaging for premium container, speciality benches – target audience/channel: retail/collector.
- Urban Heritage Bed Liner – tray-based own-root propagation potted to 5–7 L for park and urban green-space beds, using the bushy habit and ADR-backed performance in selection-grade public planting schemes – target audience/channel: retail/collector.
- Slope and Edge Historic Ground-Cover – shrub units selected for 90–150 cm spread, supplied in 5–7 L pots as edging and slope stabilisation elements within traditional-ambience project palettes – target audience/channel: retail/collector.
- Collector-Series Damask Feature Shrub – individually labelled 5–7 L shrubs highlighting French origin, medals and strong fragrance, forming part of a curated historic-rose collector programme – target audience/channel: retail/collector.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Historic Damask rose marketed as QUATRE SAISONS® – mid-pink historic Damask rose - Meilland; part of a historic rose collection and shrub exhibition category, with no separate registered cultivar name stated. |
| Origin and breeding |
Damask rose of unknown parentage, bred by Alain Meilland and introduced by Meilland International, France in 2003; historic origins trace back to 1633, with this modern introduction framing it for contemporary production. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holds ADR certification from Germany (2003), plus Gold Medal at Baden-Baden (2003), Silver Medal at Paris Bagatelle (2004) and Certificate of Merit at The Hague (2006), supporting reliable, well-evaluated garden performance. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy shrub with 100–170 cm height and 90–150 cm spread, moderately dense, matt, light-green foliage and dense prickliness; structure fits shrub beds, containers and edging roles where a full, traditional outline is desired. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double, cupped to flat-opening flowers with 13–25 petals of medium size in clusters; remontant habit with a second flush that is lighter than the first but still visually relevant in garden and landscape use. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Uniform mid-pink with a subtle silvery undertone, ARS MP, RHS 65C/65D; colour generally holds well, then softens to mid-pink pastel or creamy-pink tones toward the end of flowering, maintaining a gentle historic appearance. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Full, very strong damask scent rated as garden-filling; semi-double blooms moderately attract pollinators, with partially concealed stamens limiting accessibility but still offering some ecological value alongside high ornamental impact. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose-hip formation is usually sparse; when present, hips are ovoid, orange-red and 14–22 mm in diameter, adding occasional seasonal interest without strongly diverting energy from repeat flowering under standard management. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Medium disease resistance with moderate tolerance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; heat performance is good, though irrigation is needed in prolonged drought. Rated H7, with hardiness to about −32 to −29 °C and USDA 4b. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited for flower beds, edging, ground-cover roles, slopes, containers, parks and urban green spaces; maintenance is moderate with occasional pest and disease control, best offered as premium container, speciality shrub with discreet support. |
QUATRE SAISONS® combines strong damask fragrance, bushy historic Damask character and award-recognised performance in an own-root form that supports predictable, regenerative, long-lived stands, making it a sound candidate for aligned capacity planning and scheduling discussions.
