CYCLAMEN PIERRE DE RONSARD ® – deep pink climbing rose – Tomerlin
Step through your front gate and imagine a softly draped curtain of petals in rich, cyclamen-pink, the classic ROMANTICA® look reinterpreted for a small urban space where balance matters as much as colour. CYCLAMEN PIERRE DE RONSARD ® – registered as ‘Margaret Mae’ – is an own-root climbing rose that settles gradually yet reliably, ideal for London terraces and family gardens where wind and rain are frequent companions and heavy soil simply needs considerate drainage rather than specialist work. Its dense, glossy foliage brings a permanent green backdrop, while the large, cupped, very double blooms open repeatedly through the season, each cluster adding character to walls, arches, or balcony screenings. Because it is grown on its own roots, this rose matures into a stable, long-lived feature with good regenerative growth, maintaining ornamental value year after year with only routine pruning. Given a sunny aspect, a sturdy support and a generously sized, peat-free planting hole or 40–50 litre container, it rewards minimal fuss with generous flowering, colour that fades slowly to a romantic silvery pink, and a quietly sustainable presence that fits rain-aware, low-waste gardens. Over the first three years it devotes itself to building roots, then extending shoots, before reaching its full, curtain-like ornamental impact that frames your doorway in an elegant, long-lived archway.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front-garden arch or gateway |
Its climbing habit and 240–360 cm height make it ideal for training over a modest arch, turning a small front garden into a welcoming entrance with romantic, deep pink clusters at eye level for beginners. |
| Sunny house wall or fence |
Dense, glossy foliage and long, flexible canes quickly cover bare boundaries, giving a permanent green screen and repeat flushes of large, cupped blooms that frame windows and soften brickwork for urbanites. |
| Large container on terrace or balcony |
In a 40–50 litre peat-free container, its moderate maintenance needs and vertical habit offer substantial colour without sacrificing floor space, ideal for rented or paved spaces seeking lasting structure for balconies. |
| Pergola or seating arbour |
The long, trainable stems and XL, very double flowers create an intimate overhead canopy, giving dappled shade and a “private room” feel, particularly suited to compact family seating areas for homeowners. |
| Feature rose in a mixed border |
Used as a specimen at around 360 cm, it brings strong vertical emphasis and long-season flower clusters that combine well with airy perennials, keeping the border interesting from early summer onwards for stylists. |
| Rain-aware, clay-based front garden |
Once planted into improved but heavy soil with decent drainage, it forms a resilient, own-root framework that copes steadily with showery, breezy conditions typical of many British streets for sustainability-seekers. |
| Low-fragrance family garden planting |
With a very weak, barely perceptible scent, it gives abundant visual impact without overwhelming fragrance, suiting shared spaces where scent sensitivity or close windows are a consideration for families. |
| Cut-flower and photograph corner |
The full, many-petalled blooms with their deep pink centres and silvery outer petals are perfect for romantic arrangements and garden photography, holding colour well as they open and age for creatives. |
Styling ideas
- Terrace-Arch Romance – Train over a slim metal arch, underplant with soft Nepeta and pale Gypsophila to echo the rose’s silvery-pink tones – ideal for style-conscious terrace gardeners.
- Elegant Screen – Cover a front-garden fence, pairing with upright lavender or sage in gravel mulched strips for a tidy, low-fuss, rain-permeable boundary – ideal for busy households.
- Balcony Curtain – Grow in a 50 litre container with a narrow trellis, letting canes form a vertical flower curtain above drought-tolerant herbs – ideal for small-balcony city dwellers.
- Doorway Frame – Plant one on each side of a path, guiding stems along wires to form a soft, symmetrical entrance, with Calamintha at their feet for movement – ideal for front-garden makeovers.
- Soft-Structure Pergola – Weave through a slim timber pergola, mixing with airy Coreopsis for long-season colour contrast and light, informal screening – ideal for relaxed family seating areas.
Technical cultivar profile
| Trait |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Climbing ROMANTICA® rose; registered cultivar ‘Margaret Mae’, marketed as CYCLAMEN PIERRE DE RONSARD ® ROMANTICA® Margaret Mae; large-flowered climber exhibition category. |
| Origin and breeding |
Spontaneous deep-pink sport of ‘Pierre de Ronsard’ (‘MEIviolin’, ‘Eden Rose’); bred by Reg Tomerlin in the USA before 2010; introduced by Meilland International in 2017. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climbing habit, typically 240–360 cm high and 180–320 cm wide; dense, dark green, glossy foliage; moderately thorny canes; requires support and light formative training. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, cupped flowers with 40+ petals; XL blooms produced in clusters; remontant with generous second flush; weak self-cleaning so spent blooms usually benefit from light deadheading. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep cyclamen-pink buds and centres, RHS 67A outer and 68B inner; edges develop a soft silvery-pink tone as they mature; colour holds well, slowly fading to a mid-pink romantic finish. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance character not formally described; categorised as very weak, with barely perceptible scent; chosen primarily for visual effect and flower form rather than aromatic intensity in the garden. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional small, spherical hips around 12–18 mm; orange-red (RHS 40A) and potentially ornamental in autumn; generally secondary to the main ornamental value of the flowers and foliage. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately -21 to -18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3); moderate tolerance to heat and drought; disease resistance moderate with some rust susceptibility, needs standard care. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with regular watering in warm spells; prefers improved, well-drained soil; suitable for arches, pergolas, walls, fences and large containers; moderate maintenance, including training and pruning. |
CYCLAMEN PIERRE DE RONSARD ® offers romantic, long-lasting deep-pink flowering on a manageable climber that matures steadily on its own roots, making it a thoughtful choice for a enduring, low-fuss garden feature.
