RAFFAELLO® – light yellow hybrid tea rose - Meilland
In breezy coastal gardens where drainage and anchoring matter in every salty gust, RAFFAELLO® brings an easy-going sense of seaside calm to compact family plots and verandas. This hybrid tea’s bushy, upright structure makes a natural wind-filter round a sitting area, while its soft lemon-cream blooms repeat all summer for long-lasting colour in small beds and large containers. Dense, glossy foliage and low maintenance needs speak to practical care, and its own-root origin supports long-term resilience and recovery after harsh weather. In 40–50 litre tubs on a shingle terrace or in a small front garden, it settles in steadily as roots establish, then shoots strengthen, then by the third year it shows its full ornamental character. Good disease resistance preserves a tidy, healthy appearance, while minimal hip set keeps the focus on fresh flowers and relaxed, salt-tinged mornings.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Small coastal front garden bed |
Compact yet tall, the bushy, upright habit creates a gentle, flowered screen in exposed front gardens without dominating the space, ideal where you want structure and privacy with minimal fuss for busy beginners |
| Wind-filtering boundary hedge |
Planted in a loose row at the recommended spacing, the dense foliage and branching form help soften prevailing winds while still allowing light through, suiting family plots needing a living windbreak for coastal homeowners |
| Large container on a sunny veranda |
Performs well in spacious 40–50 litre pots with good drainage, giving upright height, repeated flowering and easy access for light pruning and watering, perfect where hard landscaping dominates for urban balcony-gardeners |
| Season-long colour focus in a mixed border |
Remontant flowering with generous, clustered XL blooms keeps soft yellow and cream tones returning through the season, anchoring a planting scheme without complex maintenance for time-pressed gardeners |
| Low-intervention, long-term feature rose |
Own-root stock and solid hardiness combine for a planting that matures steadily year after year, maintaining form and flower without regular replacement, suiting those planning for the long view for practical planners |
| Healthy focal point near seating |
Good resistance to common rose diseases keeps foliage glossy and presentable close to paths and terraces, reducing the need for spraying and tidying where you relax and entertain for family hosts |
| Sunlit specimen on heavy clay soil |
In well-prepared, free-draining pockets within heavier soils, the strong root system anchors the tall framework and copes with coastal breezes, answering the need for reliable planting where wind and wet coincide for exposed-plot owners |
| Cut-flower source for the home |
Large, cupped blooms with a classic outline and firm stems lend themselves to cutting; regular harvesting encourages further flushes, bringing calm, pale yellow roses indoors without specialist techniques for home flower-lovers |
Styling ideas
- Shingle-terrace calm – Place RAFFAELLO® in a 50-litre container on coastal gravel with low Festuca and sea kale, giving upright structure and long-season colour – ideal for relaxed veranda loungers
- Soft yellow hedge – Use a loosely spaced row along a boundary, underplant with Pennisetum for movement, creating a wind-softening, low-care edge – suitable for family garden owners
- Pastel cutting corner – Combine with pink Lupinus and Virginia obedient plant in a sunny bed, using RAFFAELLO® as the tall, repeat-flowering anchor – perfect for informal bouquet makers
- Container focal point – One specimen in a large, simple pot by the back door offers tidy foliage and repeat blooms with easy access for light pruning – good for busy householders
- Front-door welcome – Flank a path with widely spaced plants and silver foliage perennials, using the bushy form to frame the entrance in soft lemon tones – appealing to style-conscious homeowners
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as MEIkanaro, marketed as RAFFAELLO® – light yellow hybrid tea rose – Meilland; ARS exhibition name Raffaello; hybrid tea commercial type and group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Meilland International, France, around 2006; precise parentage, introduction and registration years are not documented; distributed in Europe as a premium garden and cut-flower hybrid tea. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright grandiflora-type shrub, typically 145–185 cm tall and 120–150 cm wide; moderately thorned, with dense, glossy, dark green foliage offering good garden presence and screening potential. |
| Flower morphology |
Large XL, double flowers with 26–39 petals, cupped form and a medium-high centre; blooms mostly in clusters of three to five per stem, repeating well with a strong second flush in suitable conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Light butter-yellow base, creamy whitish edges; ARS yb, RHS 8C outer and 4C inner; buds mid-yellow, paling as they open; flowers gradually fade to creamy yellow and can become paler in strong sunlight. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance is very weak, with a classic rose-like character detectable only at close range; chosen primarily for colour effect, flower form and garden performance rather than strong scent or perfumery use. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hip formation is usually sparse due to the double blooms; where present, expect occasional small ellipsoid hips, 10–14 mm in diameter, maturing to a decorative red tone corresponding to RHS 44A. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Displays good overall disease resistance, with notable resilience to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; rated to approximately −26 to −23 °C (USDA 5b, RHS H7, Swedish zone 4), suiting most UK regions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun; suitable for beds, borders, hedges, containers and cutting; plant about 95 cm apart in mass plantings or 80 cm for hedging, allowing 150 cm spacing when used as an individual specimen. |
RAFFAELLO® – light yellow hybrid tea rose – Meilland offers reliable repeat flowering, healthy foliage and a long-lived own-root habit in one upright shrub, making it a thoughtful choice for understated coastal-style gardens.
