Maréchal Niel, a 19th century Tea-Noisette, is a rose I have been enjoying very much this spring.
Over the years, I have read again and again that it is an unrewarding rose, hard to grow because it dislikes cold, lacks vigor, and what not. But curiosity and collector's enthusiasm ultimately got the better of me, and I purchased an own root one gallon plant from Chamblee's nursery in Texas. I planted it to grow over a modest arbor. Like other Tea roses, it nods its blooms, so they look down on me as I pass under the arbor.
I did choose the spot with some thought: it is in all day sun, sheltered from wind and enjoying additional heat from a stucco wall. The plant is still young, but I have been very impressed so far. The blooms are exquisite, starting out icy lemon in bud and opening to a warm glowing yellow. They have a very strong tea fragrance.
My rose has been growing very vigorously, with clean plentiful foliage (and impressive hooked prickles). It does require heavier feedings than my other roses but I am happy to work for such a show as this.
Over the years, I have read again and again that it is an unrewarding rose, hard to grow because it dislikes cold, lacks vigor, and what not. But curiosity and collector's enthusiasm ultimately got the better of me, and I purchased an own root one gallon plant from Chamblee's nursery in Texas. I planted it to grow over a modest arbor. Like other Tea roses, it nods its blooms, so they look down on me as I pass under the arbor.
I did choose the spot with some thought: it is in all day sun, sheltered from wind and enjoying additional heat from a stucco wall. The plant is still young, but I have been very impressed so far. The blooms are exquisite, starting out icy lemon in bud and opening to a warm glowing yellow. They have a very strong tea fragrance.
My rose has been growing very vigorously, with clean plentiful foliage (and impressive hooked prickles). It does require heavier feedings than my other roses but I am happy to work for such a show as this.
It just goes to prove that the naysayers aren't always right. Grow what you like and see what happens.... Happy Blooms!
ReplyDeleteeine wunderschöne Rose!!
ReplyDeleteSchönes Wochenende
wünscht Eva
What a beauty! Glad it has blessed you with vigorous growing and lots of blooms.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
Beautiful! I am so glad you gave it a try despite all the bad press this variety gets. Is the fragrance all it is cracked up to be?
ReplyDeleteOh my - why do I come to your website? Only to torture myself with roses that will not grow in the north! Major case of zone envy here. :-) Beautiful tea rose!
ReplyDeleteYou are right! The plant seems to worth it! I wonder which clematis you paired with a sulfur yellow rose... Maybe white? Maybe blue? I'd see a god dark velvet red clematis too, like Niobe, as a contrast... maybe too much?
ReplyDeleteWonderful !!! Great rose !!!
ReplyDeleteLovely! I tried to grow it some time ago but wasn't successful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful shade of yellow! I've always wished I could grow this rose here...like many others of the Teas. Ah well, as another commenter suggested, I come here to see the beauty I can't otherwise find in my own garden.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful that rose is Masha. Never heard of her before.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend
marijke
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCollegeGardener, it is very fragrant, and the fragrance, to my nose, is pure tea.
Alberto, the clematis is Etoile Violette, I like it because it is not a house eater and grows well in my climate.
I am looking for a Maréchal Niel and cannot find one any where, and idea or would you be willing to let me purchase one. As a little girl my grandmother had one by her front door, and she has since passed and the home place sold and they allowed it to die. This saddens me deeply and in her memory I would love to get one and place it near her grave. please contact me 706-315-2778 Thanks
ReplyDeleteKaren
Karen, MN is available at Rogue Valley (www.roguevalleyroses.com) in Oregon and Chamblee's (www.chambleeroses.com) in Texas. Both of these are good mail-order nurseries that ship to most places in the US.
ReplyDeleteMarechal is glorious.It's been on my short list (the I want this rose , but have no room list) but the top of that list is Lady Hillingdon. I now have a spot for her and the search continues for on that is not sold out !
ReplyDeleteKs, I understand this so well! I have so many roses I want but have nowhere to plant (more than enough of them are in my pot ghetto already...).
ReplyDeleteGosh, I can see why you've been enjoying it so much! Seems perfect for an arbor. I wish our Roses lasted longer here in zone 5. It's such a short season, but it's fast approaching! Enjoy Marechal!
ReplyDeleteThis rose is beautiful and definately underated. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteNice tea rose, very delicate color! I tried to grow tea roses in my garden, but they aren't hardy enough in our climate.
ReplyDeleteJa u siebie z pewnością takich pięknych róż nie zobaczę, bo prawie wszystkie zmarzły . Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteI am at home with these beautiful roses will not see, because almost all the frost harmed. Yours.
MN definitely likes your garden! What a beauty.
ReplyDeleteSuper różyczka. Tez byśmy chcieli ją zdobyć do nasdzj szkółki. Z chęcią przyjmiemy zrazy. Możemy się wymienić krzewami a zwłaszcza plecamy róże pnace. Te szczególnie lubimy i zapraszamy.
ReplyDeleteMagnificent!! I grew this rose especially for my grandmother when she was in her late nineties, back home in Mississippi. At the time I was an excellent gardener with a passion for all fine plants. I remember bringing a bouquet of Gardenias in side and she remarked that they smelled like a rose that grew at her mother-in-law's home and it was called Marechal Niel. I ordered the plant from Roses of Yesterday and Today and the next spring it bloomed magnificently just as yours. Alas, it did not smell like Gardenias. Dismayed, somewhat I researched some more and found that in the South, there was a rose with Gardenia fragrance, which was popular in late 19th Century and early 20th Century. This rose was called Hardy Gardenia, I believe. I never found a plant of it and grandmother passed in 1990,aged 96 years old. However, all was not lost I enjoyed my Marechal Neil for several years. Sometime later I was delighted to run across it in literature. Wilde mentions it in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Your blog is delightful, with fantastic photos.
ReplyDelete