SONG OF PARIS – lavender-lilac tea-hybrid rose - Delbard-Chabert
With Song of Paris you bring a softly romantic, lavender tea-hybrid rose to your coastal-style garden that is surprisingly easy-care yet looks wonderfully refined. Its upright habit and medium height fit typical family plots and sheltered verandas, where the clusters of high-centred blooms keep flowering in waves through the season for long-lasting colour. Bred by Delbard, this premium own-root plant is naturally robust, with strong disease resistance that keeps foliage clean in the damp, changeable weather so common in British gardens, even where breezes bring a hint of coastal spray and heavier soils demand thoughtful drainage. The medium, mallowy-fruity fragrance adds a gentle, elegant note to afternoon tea outdoors, while the long, straight stems are ideal for cutting a few blooms for the house. Planted in the ground or in a substantial 40–50 litre container, it settles gradually, with roots in the first year, strong top growth in the second, and full ornamental impact by the third.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Coastal-style family border |
The upright, medium-tall growth habit forms a reliable vertical accent without overwhelming a small family border, while its strong disease resistance minimises spraying and fuss in moist, breezy conditions by the sea, suiting busy homeowners. |
| Veranda pot, 40–50 L |
Planted in a large, well-drained container, the compact spread and tidy outline make it easy to manage on a veranda or terrace, offering fragrant lavender blooms at eye level without complex care, ideal for urban balcony-gardeners. |
| Low-maintenance front garden |
Good resistance to black spot, mildew and rust keeps the foliage presentable along paths and drives, so you mainly deadhead and water, rather than treat problems, giving a consistently smart look for time-poor families. |
| Cut-flower corner bed |
High-centred, exhibition-style blooms with long, straight stems are perfect for cutting, while remontant flowering ensures repeat flushes, so a small dedicated patch can supply vases for months, delighting home flower-arrangers. |
| Feature rose near seating |
The medium-strength, mallowy, fruity fragrance is best appreciated close up, making it ideal by a bench or patio table, where you can enjoy the scent on warm evenings without any demanding maintenance, suiting relaxed garden-sitters. |
| Small mixed border with perennials |
The moderate height and clustered blooms integrate easily with perennials such as sea kale, Festuca and lavender, giving a refined focal point that does not dominate and needs only light shaping, appealing to coastal-style enthusiasts. |
| Clay soil family plot |
Once established in improved but heavier soils, its own-root strength and upright frame help it anchor well and cope with wet spells, as long as basic drainage is provided, reassuring typical UK-garden owners. |
| Long-term garden investment |
As an own-root rose, it regrows faithfully from its own shoots if damaged, avoiding graft-related decline and rewarding a simple planting routine with many years of stable performance, giving peace of mind to beginner gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Parisian-terrace – Plant in a 40–50 L pale stone pot with soft grey Festuca and a small bistro set for café-in-Paris atmosphere – ideal for veranda romantics.
- Shingle-chic – Set in gravel with sea kale and honesty, echoing a Cornish beach palette while keeping care simple – suited to coastal-style lovers.
- Lavender-ribbon – Line a path with alternating Song of Paris and low lavender for a scented walkway that is easy to maintain – perfect for busy families.
- Cutting-nook – Group three plants at 55 cm spacing in a sunny corner to create a personal cutting patch – great for home florists.
- Porch-welcome – Flank a front door with matching containers, underplanted with Campanula, for a graceful but undemanding entrance – designed for first-time homeowners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as Song of Paris with ARS exhibition name identical; current trade name SONG OF PARIS – lavender-lilac tea-hybrid rose - Delbard-Chabert, premium gold quality. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by André Delbard-Chabert in France from (Holstein × Bayadère) × Prélude; introduced after 1966 via Armstrong Nurseries and Delbard, with US Plant Patent PP 2669 granted in 1966. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, medium-tall bush reaching around 100–140 cm with a 65–95 cm spread; moderately dense, matt mid-green foliage and moderate prickliness; poor self-cleaning so deadheading improves appearance. |
| Flower morphology |
Hybrid tea, very full flowers with 40+ petals; large blooms in clustered inflorescences, high-centred buds of classic cut-rose form; remontant with abundant second flowering for a long display season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Lavender-purple base colour with silvery tint; deep lavender buds open to light lavender with silvery edging, then fade to pastel lavender with a silvery sheen; moderate colour retention in strong sun. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength, well-scented fragrance with a mallowy, fruity character; best appreciated near seating or paths where air movement carries the perfume without being overpowering in confined spaces. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose-hip set is limited by very double flowers; occasionally forms small ellipsoidal orange-red hips around 10–14 mm diameter, offering only modest wildlife or decorative autumn interest. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to about -21 to -18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b) with moderate heat and drought tolerance requiring regular watering in dry spells. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with improved, well-drained soil; recommended spacings: 55 cm for mass planting, 50 cm for hedging, 90 cm as specimen; ideal for borders, specimen use and cutting with low routine maintenance. |
SONG OF PARIS offers romantic lavender blooms, reliable disease resistance and graceful cut flowers on a long-lived own-root plant, making it a thoughtful choice for relaxed, coastal-inspired family gardens.
