IMPÉRATRICE FARAH™ – white-red tea-hybrid rose - Delbard
Step from the pavement into a quietly glamorous front garden with IMPÉRATRICE FARAH™, where tall, upright stems carry high‑centred blooms that look as if they belong in a florist’s window yet perform reliably in a British family garden. The creamy‑white petals brushed with a vivid red edge give every flower a composed, elegant presence, whether you grow it in a narrow London terrace border or a generous mixed bed. This own‑root plant is bred for longevity, building a strong underground framework so that Year 1 focuses on roots, Year 2 on confident new growth, and by Year 3 you enjoy full ornamental impact. In heavier UK soils it appreciates a planting spot that copes well with wet spells and occasional standing water after rain, supporting healthy establishment under typical rainfall patterns and drainage challenges. Once settled, it offers reliable flowering in flushes and a regal look, while its medium disease resistance and black spot resilience keep care routines simple for busy urban gardeners.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Front garden feature shrub |
The tall, upright habit and striking red‑edged white flowers create an immediate focal point beside a front door or bay window, giving structure and formality without complicated pruning – ideal for the time‑pressed city homeowner seeking graceful impact. For beginners |
| Cut‑flower and vase use |
High‑centred, florist‑style blooms on strong stems are perfect for cutting; even a single plant provides regular stems through the season, so you can enjoy exhibition‑style roses indoors without relying on shop‑bought bunches. For homeowners |
| Specimen rose in a small bed |
Planted alone in a small front garden bed, it shows off its bicolour flowers to full effect, with glossy dark foliage as a backdrop, ensuring interest even between flushes and keeping a modest space looking carefully designed. For urbanites |
| Rain‑aware terrace border |
Suited to typical British conditions where beds may sit damp after rain, it copes well once established if planting incorporates grit or compost to support drainage, giving reliable display without constant intervention in changeable weather. For city-dwellers |
| Container on patio or balcony |
In a 40–50 litre pot with peat‑free compost, its upright shape and repeat flowering make a refined accent for balconies or patios, where watering and deadheading are easy to manage from the doorstep, even with a full schedule. For busy-owners |
| Layered planting with perennials |
Combining IMPÉRATRICE FARAH™ with low, aromatic companions such as cranesbill or hardy herbs softens its formal look and helps cover bare stems, creating a long‑season, textural planting that reads as a single, harmonious composition. For design-lovers |
| Own‑root, long‑term planting |
The own‑root form supports a long lifespan and reliable regrowth after harsh winters or pruning mishaps, maintaining ornamental value year after year and reducing the need for replacement in a carefully planned family garden scheme. For planners |
| Low‑input show rose for learners |
Medium disease resistance, particularly to black spot, means fewer complex spray routines, so learners can focus on simple tasks like watering, feeding and deadheading while still achieving a classic, exhibition‑style hybrid tea look. For learners |
Styling ideas
- Terrace Theatre – Plant one or three in a narrow front bed framed with brick edging and underplant with soft cranesbill; every flush reads like a curated floral display – ideal for image‑conscious city homeowners.
- Balcony Classic – Grow in a 40–50 litre container with peat‑free compost and trailing thyme at the rim; enjoy repeat cut flowers without leaving home – perfect for busy flat‑dwellers.
- Elegant Duo – Pair as a tall accent with a low cloud of nepeta or lavender to soften the stems and add scent, giving a romantic feel with minimal upkeep – suited to novice gardeners.
- Rainwise Border – Set in a slightly raised bed with grit‑improved soil and mix with hardy perennials, so the rose provides height while companions cloak the base – good for small, weather‑exposed gardens.
- Showpiece Walkway – Space several plants along a path, edged with compact sage, so high‑centred blooms catch the eye each time you pass – appealing to those who enjoy cut‑flower quality outdoors.
Technical cultivar profile
| Attribute | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as DELivour, marketed as IMPÉRATRICE FARAH™ – a female given name; ARS exhibition name Impératrice Farah; commercial hybrid tea in the eleanorROSE® ORIGINAL 2‑litre range. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Georges Delbard in France (1986), introduced by Delbard / Georges Delbard SA in 1992; classic French hybrid tea type selected primarily for garden and cut‑flower display performance. |
| Awards and recognition |
Gold medal in Rome in 1992 plus eight further international competition medals, reflecting its strong exhibition form, colour effect and overall ornamental quality under show conditions. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright hybrid tea shrub, typically 130–170 cm tall and 70–95 cm wide, with moderately dense, glossy dark green foliage and densely thorned stems; suitable as specimen, in groups or as a formal feature. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, 26–39 petalled, high‑centred blooms of florist style, usually borne singly on stems; remontant with a good second flush, producing well‑proportioned buds for cutting and garden display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
White ground colour with vivid carmine‑red margins (RHS 53A/155D; ARS Wbl); buds red‑tipped, full bloom shows a wide red band, ageing to creamy white with pale pink edges while retaining a clear bicolour effect. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance is very weak, with only a light rosy character detectable in warm conditions; the variety is chosen more for its visual presence and cut‑flower form than for pronounced scent in the garden. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is generally sparse due to the fully double flowers; where present, small egg‑shaped orange‑red hips around 10–14 mm may develop, adding limited late‑season interest but not a primary feature. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7, hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3); medium disease resistance overall, with good black spot resistance and moderate tolerance to powdery mildew, rust, heat and drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Prefers a sunny site with well‑drained but moisture‑retentive soil; moderate care level with regular watering in dry spells, feeding and deadheading; suggested spacings 50–100 cm depending on use and planting density. |
IMPÉRATRICE FARAH™ DELivour offers glamorous cut‑flower blooms, upright structure and dependable repeat flowering in a durable own‑root form, making it a thoughtful long‑term choice for refined yet manageable family gardens.
