PICASSO™ – red-white bedding floribunda rose - McGredy
Imagine sipping tea on a sheltered Cornish veranda, the air salty after a blustery walk, while clusters of hand-painted blooms of PICASSO™ dance in the breeze. This compact floribunda settles happily into coastal beds and large pots, coping well with breezy weather and careful water management, so you can enjoy colour without fuss. Its remontant flowering keeps small spaces lively from early summer well into autumn, all on a naturally bushy framework that fits an average family garden. As an own-root plant, it offers reassuring longevity and easy regeneration, building roots in year one, stronger shoots in year two and full ornamental value by year three. The distinctive red-and-white striping brings a playful, “girly” coastal feel, even where soil is heavy and needs improved drainage for reliable performance.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Small coastal front garden bed |
Compact, bushy growth and low maintenance needs make PICASSO™ ideal for neat front beds that face salty breezes yet still feel welcoming, especially when combined with simple gravel mulches for easier care for busy homeowners. |
| Large container on a sunny veranda (40–50 L+) |
Grows reliably in a substantial container when given at least 40–50 litres of compost, offering long-lived colour on a sheltered coastal veranda without complicated pruning or feeding schedules for balcony and terrace gardeners. |
| Family seating area windbreak |
The moderately dense, bushy framework forms a low, colourful screen that softens wind around garden seating, pairing well with sea kale and ornamental grasses to echo coastal planting themes for families seeking comfort. |
| Easy-care “girly” shingle or gravel border |
Hand-painted red-and-white blooms pop against pale shingle, creating a playful, feminine look with minimal effort, especially when underplanted with drought-tolerant companions that suit informal seaside-inspired borders for style-conscious beginners. |
| Low-maintenance mixed border with perennials |
Reliable, remontant flowering adds long-season colour among perennials, while good disease resistance limits spraying and detailed grooming, helping keep weekend workloads light for time-poor hobby gardeners. |
| Mass planting in a narrow strip or urban front |
Regular 40 cm spacing gives a coherent ribbon of colour that reads strongly from the pavement, with limited hip set and small flowers helping the display stay clean and focused for urban front-garden owners. |
| Long-term feature in a small family garden |
Own-root plants age gracefully, rebuilding from the base after stress or careless pruning, giving stable ornamental value and a dependable presence in compact gardens over many years for long-term planners. |
| Coastal bed with improved heavy clay soil |
Performs well where heavy clay has been opened up for better drainage and water management, so roots anchor securely while avoiding waterlogging, a practical choice in breezy, rain-exposed plots for coastal-region gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Seaside-Ribbon Bed – Plant PICASSO™ in a curving line through shingle with blue Festuca clumps, echoing waves while its remontant clusters keep the “surf” of colour rolling – ideal for coastal-style lovers.
- Veranda-Tea Corner – One or two large 50 L tubs of PICASSO™ flanking a bistro set create a soft wind-filter and long-season focal point – suited to balcony and veranda gardeners.
- Painter’s Patch – Combine PICASSO™ with soft pink Lavandula and pale sea kale in a small bed to highlight its hand-painted petals – perfect for artistic homeowners.
- Family-Front Welcome – A short row along the drive or path adds cheerful, tidy colour without needing complex pruning – designed for busy family households.
- Urban-Micro Border – Slot three plants into a narrow city border with gravel mulch and a single Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ for winter stems – great for compact urban gardens.
Technical cultivar profile
| Characteristic | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Floribunda bedding rose, registered as MACpic, marketed as Picasso™ Hand-painted roses MACpic; exhibition floribunda, cluster-flowered bush rose within the Hand-painted roses collection. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV (McGredy Roses International, New Zealand); ‘Marlena’ × (‘Evelyn Fison’ × (‘Orange Sweetheart’ × ‘Frühlingsmorgen’)); introduced and registered in 1971. |
| Awards and recognition |
RNRS Certificate of Merit (United Kingdom, 1970), Special Prize Belfast (Northern Ireland, 1970) and New Zealand Rose Society Gold Star of the South Pacific (1973), confirming strong ornamental merit. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, moderately dense plant with dark green, slightly glossy foliage; height around 65–85 cm with a 50–75 cm spread; moderately thorny stems suitable for beds, borders and low informal hedging. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double, small cup-shaped blooms (0.5–1.5 in) opening fairly flat in clusters; roughly 13–20 petals; freely remontant with a notably generous second flush during the main season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cherry-red petals with a white base and irregular pink-red streaks; buds deep cherry-red; colours soften to pink and cream yet retain striping, giving a lively hand-painted effect throughout the blooming phase. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild, subtle scent noticeable only at close range; fragrance character not fully documented, so planting is best planned primarily for visual rather than scented-garden impact. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rosehips form sparsely due to semi-double flowers; occasional small, spherical orange-red hips about 6–10 mm across may appear, adding modest late-season interest without heavy seeding. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; reliably hardy to approximately -21 to -18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3) with moderate heat tolerance given regular watering in drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny sites with improved drainage; plant 35–65 cm apart depending on use; low maintenance needs suit mass planting, family gardens and urban spaces, especially as a robust own-root shrub. |
PICASSO™ Hand-painted roses MACpic offers compact, remontant colour and good disease resistance in a long-lived, regenerating own-root form; an excellent consideration for relaxed coastal and family gardens.
