Bullata – pink historic centifolia rose – Duhamel
This historic centifolia shrub rose brings a uniquely crinkled character to the family garden, with textured, lettuce-like foliage that looks at home in classic British cottage-style borders. Its once-a-season flush of richly fragrant, very double, ball-shaped blooms creates a memorable summer highlight, while the bushy habit and dense leaves give a naturally full look even between flowering periods. Well suited to average UK conditions, it performs reliably when given sensible soil preparation and care, even where you need better footing against coastal wind and rain in more open plots. Own-root growth helps it form a stable shrub that matures steadily over time, offering a quietly enduring presence in the garden. The medium maintenance need focuses mainly on a simple annual prune and some deadheading of spent blooms, keeping the plant attractively tidy without specialist knowledge. In partial shade it still flowers well, supporting flexible placement around the house or in front gardens. Planted as an own-root, half- to one-year-old shrub in a 2‑litre container, it is ready to settle in and, with steady moisture and feeding, move from rooting in the first year to building framework shoots in the second and showing its full ornamental impact from the third season onward.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden feature shrub |
Use as a single, eye-catching shrub near the front door or along a path where its distinctive crinkled foliage and mid-pink, very double blooms can be appreciated up close. The bushy habit provides a naturally full presence between flowering, giving structure without complex clipping for the style-conscious beginner. |
| Cottage-style mixed border |
Combine with perennials and ornamental grasses for a romantic, cottage look: its once-a-season, strongly scented flower display reads as a classic summer moment in mixed planting. Dense foliage gives a green backdrop for earlier and later companions, with only light pruning needed each winter for those who prefer low-fuss charm. |
| Specimen rose in lawn or gravel |
Planted as a solitary specimen with a clear space around it, this shrub shows off its rounded outline and textural leaves, ideal where you want one characterful rose rather than a complex rose bed. Simple yearly shaping and some deadheading after flowering are enough to preserve its form, suiting homeowners seeking impact from a single plant. |
| Small informal hedge or screen |
In a loose row at 105 cm spacing, its bushy, medium-tall growth offers a soft screen along boundaries or driveways without the severity of clipped hedging. Moderate maintenance needs mean just occasional thinning and tidying, giving a traditional, slightly wild look that still remains manageable for time-pressed gardeners. |
| Part-shade side garden or courtyard |
Suited to positions with a few hours of sun and light afternoon shade, this variety keeps good foliage quality and offers reliable flowering without demanding the absolute sunniest part of the plot. This flexibility helps you make use of narrow side gardens or enclosed courtyards, especially where beginners want attractive planting near paths. |
| Rose bed focal point in historic schemes |
Within a dedicated rose bed, this historic centifolia creates a focal clump that complements older buildings or period-inspired designs. Its own-root form supports a long-lived planting that can regenerate from the base if cut back hard, making it a sound choice for those building a lasting, characterful rose area for the long term. |
| Larger containers on terrace or patio |
Grown in a substantial container of at least 40–50 litres with good drainage, this bushy shrub can bring heritage charm and scent to terraces, patios, or paved front gardens. Regular watering and seasonal feeding are the main tasks, avoiding complex rose care while still delivering a traditional look for urban gardeners with limited soil. |
| Exposed but well-prepared garden beds |
In open beds where wind and weather can be challenging, its robust shrub framework and H7 hardiness allow it to settle securely if the soil is improved and drainage ensured, helping it cope with frequent rain and stronger breezes typical of many British plots where householders want tough, good-looking planting near the house. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-focus trio – Plant three shrubs in a loose triangle with low perennials such as geraniums and lady’s mantle to soften the base, creating a classic cottage cluster – ideal for period-style front gardens.
- Historic-partner mix – Combine Bullata with other historic roses and soft grasses to echo traditional walled gardens, letting its crinkled foliage provide texture – for enthusiasts of heritage planting.
- Pastel-terrace pot – In a large 50-litre container, underplant with trailing lobelia and soft pink diascia to mirror the rose tones – perfect for small terraces or paved, low-maintenance spaces.
- Airy-screen border – Use a row of shrubs interwoven with light, scrambling clematis to form an informal flowering screen – suited to homeowners wanting gentle separation without solid fencing.
- Fragrance-corner – Position near a seating area with scented companions such as lavender and thyme to create a richly perfumed corner – ideal for those who value evening scent more than all-season bloom.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Bullata is a historic centifolia shrub rose, commercially known as a historical rose; unregistered variety, marketed under the trade name Bullata – pink historic centifolia rose – Duhamel. |
| Origin and breeding |
Originating in France around 1801, bred by Duhamel as a spontaneous sport of ‘Gros Pompon’ (centifolia), reflecting the early nineteenth-century development of garden centifolias. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy shrub 120–180 cm high and 90–150 cm wide with dense, matt, medium-green foliage and moderate prickliness; forms a rounded, structurally stable framework over the years. |
| Flower morphology |
Medium-sized, very double, ball to pompon-shaped blooms with more than 40 petals; solitary on the stems, flowering once in the season rather than repeating later flushes. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Uniform, rich mid-pink flowers (RHS 57B–57C) with slightly darker petal bases; colour lightens moderately in strong sun, staying deeper and more saturated in cooler conditions. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, classic rose fragrance, noticeable from a distance in still air; grown primarily as an ornamental rather than for pollinators due to the tightly packed double petals. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is generally low because of the very double blooms; when present, hips are small, spherical, red (RHS 46A), about 12–18 mm in diameter, adding a discreet autumn accent. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately –32 to –29 °C (RHS H7, USDA 4b, Swedish Zon 5); disease resistance is moderate, with possible powdery mildew, black spot, and rust in humid, high-pressure seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in well-drained soil with regular watering in prolonged drought; medium maintenance with annual pruning and deadheading; spacing 105–180 cm depending on use and desired density. |
Bullata offers a richly fragrant summer display, a full, bushy historic presence and reliable cold hardiness, while its own-root form supports long-term regeneration and ease of care, making it a thoughtful choice for a lasting family garden rose.
