ELAINE PAIGE™ – pink hybrid tea rose – Olesen & Olesen
Bring the atmosphere of a West End garden path to your doorstep with ELAINE PAIGE™, a characterful hybrid tea rose bred for balance between performance and ease. Its bushy habit fits neatly into London-style front borders, thriving even where rain regularly slicks paving and soil stays heavy after showers, gracefully coping with blustery, moisture-laden weather. Large, elegantly cupped blooms shift from vivid mid-pink to a gentle pastel, while a strong, far-reaching, fruity fragrance creates that “post-rain” feeling as you pass by the gate. As an own-root rose it promises long-term durability, quietly rebuilding from its base if winter or pruning are less than perfect, ideal for busy household schedules. In its first year it concentrates on roots, in the second year you see fuller shoots, and by the third it settles into confident, repeat-flowering ornamental value.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden specimen beside the path |
The large, mid-pink, cupped blooms read clearly from the pavement, while the bushy, upright form stays compact enough for narrow London terraces. Strong fragrance welcomes you home without demanding complex care, suiting the busy urban gardener. |
| Rainwater-conscious mixed border |
This rose tolerates typical UK spells of wind and persistent damp, working well in borders where downpipes or paving run-off feed the soil and you improve drainage once at planting. It suits sustainable designs with minimal fuss for the eco-minded homeowner. |
| Cutting patch for home bouquets |
Long, straight stems and hybrid tea form make it ideal for vases, while repeat flowering keeps you in blooms through summer. Own-root resilience means stems regenerate well after cutting, rewarding the creative home florist. |
| Feature rose in a large container |
In a 40–50 litre peat-free pot with regular watering, it forms a bushy, glossy-foliaged statement plant for steps, balconies or small patios. This brings classic garden-rose romance to limited spaces for the compact-garden owner. |
| Low-maintenance family flowerbed |
Dense, dark green foliage and moderate disease tolerance support a tidy look with simple seasonal care. With occasional deadheading and basic feeding, it builds into a long-lived shrub that suits the time-poor beginner. |
| Calm, “girly” pink-and-herbs scheme |
The clear mid-pink works beautifully with lavender, sage or rosemary, softening front gardens without becoming sugary. The changing pastel tones add depth across the season, appealing to the romantic city gardener. |
| Partially shaded side return |
Tolerant of partial shade, it still produces well-shaped flowers where sunlight is limited to a few hours. This makes awkward, narrow side areas feel intentional and fragrant, ideal for the terraced-house owner. |
| Long-term structural planting |
As an own-root shrub it can live and perform for many years, reshooting reliably from the base if frost, accidental damage or hard pruning occur, giving dependable structure and bloom for the future-focused gardener. |
Styling ideas
- Doorway Welcome – Flank a front step with two large containers of ELAINE PAIGE™ underplanted with trailing nepeta to soften the edges – ideal for the small-space city romantic.
- Herb Border – Combine with rosemary and common sage in a narrow bed so glossy foliage and pink flowers contrast with silvery herbs – perfect for the low-fuss cook and gardener.
- Rainfall Ribbon – Plant in a linear bed along a drive where roof run-off collects, with gravel mulching for drainage – suited to those planning rainwater-wise front gardens.
- Cutting Corner – Group three plants at 50 cm spacings with bupleurum for airy filler, creating an easy-access cutting area – great for home florists who like regular bouquets.
- Soft Screen – Use as a loose, fragrant hedge at about 40 cm spacings near seating, interplanted with low lavender to blur the outline – ideal for families wanting gentle privacy.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as POUlht008; marketed as Elaine Paige™ Hybrid tea POULSEN®, exhibition hybrid tea for garden and cutting use, with ARS approved exhibition name Elaine Paige™. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred in Denmark in 2006 by L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens Nyegaard Olesen for Poulsen Roser A/S; unnamed seedling × unnamed seedling; registration in 2012 and introduction after 2012. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated: Monza Gold Medal 2013, Bagatelle Coup de Cœur Children’s Favourite and Most Fragrant Rose 2013, Geneva Silver Medal 2013, Belfast and Orléans Certificates of Merit, Baden bei Wien 2nd Prize 2014. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy hybrid tea shrub, around 100–140 cm tall and 60–80 cm wide, with dense, dark green, glossy foliage and moderate prickliness; self-cleaning is partial, so some deadheading keeps the plant neat. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cupped blooms with around 26–39 petals, usually borne singly on stems; remontant with an especially generous second flush, providing a long cutting and garden display season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Vibrant, clear mid-pink (ARS mp, RHS 65C–65D) in bud and early bloom, gently fading to soft pastel and pale powder-pink edges as flowers age, giving subtly shifting tones on the bush over time. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Notable for a strong, far-reaching scent with fresh, fruity rose character; fragrance is prominent enough for paths and seating areas, one reason for its popularity at international rose trials. |
| Hip characteristics |
Moderate hip set due to double flowers; when present, hips are small ellipsoids around 8–12 mm across, in an attractive orange-red shade, offering modest late-season ornamental interest. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3); tolerates summer heat well with regular watering; disease resistance moderate, benefiting from basic preventative care in humid summers. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to beds, specimens, cutting and large containers; plant around 40–75 cm apart depending on effect; prefers improved, well-drained but moist soil and medium maintenance, with occasional pest and disease checks. |
ELAINE PAIGE™ rewards you with fragrant, clear pink blooms, a compact, bushy form and long-term, own-root resilience, making it a thoughtful choice for those planning a lasting, low-fuss garden feature.
