INDIAN SUMMER – orange-peach hybrid tea rose – Pearce
Fragrant and classically shaped, INDIAN SUMMER brings hybrid-tea elegance into everyday gardens with warm, orange-peach blooms and a strong, long-lasting scent that carries on still evenings. Its compact bushy habit suits smaller UK front gardens, borders and paths where you want structure without overpowering the space, even where soils are heavy and need careful drainage in wetter weather. As an own-root rose it develops a naturally balanced, durable shrub that regenerates from the base, helping to secure long-term ornamental value with fewer interventions. Give it a sunny spot, plant once, then enjoy reliable remontant flowering from summer into autumn, with tidy stems ideal for cutting to bring its sweet, fruity perfume indoors. Over time it will mature steadily in your garden – first consolidating its roots, then building shoots and finally reaching full visual impact – supporting a relaxed, low-fuss lifestyle for the busy home gardener.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden feature rose |
Use as a focal bush near the front door or along a path where its warm orange-peach blooms and strong fragrance can be appreciated close up. The compact, bushy habit stays in scale with typical front gardens and needs only straightforward yearly pruning, suiting first-time gardeners |
| Classic hybrid tea cut-flower row |
Plant in a short row or small bed to produce high-centred, exhibition-style stems for cutting. Solitary, long-stemmed flowers open in the traditional hybrid tea form, ideal for vases and small arrangements, while own-root growth ensures a durable, repeating source of blooms for home flower enthusiasts |
| Small mixed border in cottage style |
Slot into a mixed border with perennials and low shrubs where its compact height and dense foliage add structure without dominating. Repeating flushes of warm-toned flowers weave naturally into cottage-style schemes and combine well with blues and creams for cottage-garden lovers |
| Sunny patio container (large pot) |
Grow in a 40–50 litre or larger container on a terrace or by seating areas to enjoy close-up scent and colour. The neat framework suits pots, and own-root resilience supports long-term performance when combined with good feeding and regular watering for space-limited gardeners |
| Low-maintenance family flower bed |
Use in small groups at 60 cm spacing for a tidy, easy-care flowering bed. Moderate disease resistance to black spot and powdery mildew supports reliable performance in typical British conditions with simple, occasional spraying routines for busy households |
| Urban front or side garden strip |
Ideal for narrow side beds and small urban plots where its compact spread and upright, bushy form keep paths clear. The strong, fruity fragrance softens harder town surroundings, while straightforward pruning and feeding keep it manageable for time-pressed city gardeners |
| Long-lived own-root rose grouping |
Plant 3–5 together so they knit into a coherent, long-lived feature. As an own-root variety, the bush renews from its base and holds its form over many seasons; after settling its roots, it builds top growth, then reaches full ornamental effect, rewarding long-term planners |
| Small ornamental hedge or edge row |
Set at about 50 cm spacing to create a low, gently undulating rose edge to a path or lawn. The consistent height, dense foliage and recurrent flowering form a soft, colourful boundary that copes well where soils are heavier and need thoughtful water management for practical homeowners |
Styling ideas
- Doorway Welcome – Flank a front door with two large containers of INDIAN SUMMER, underplanted with white alyssum and soft blue lobelia for a fragrant, welcoming entrance – ideal for image-conscious homeowners
- Cottage Ribbon – Run a short row along a garden path, interspersed with nepeta and hardy geraniums, letting the compact bushes punctuate a loose, cottage-style tapestry – ideal for romantic border planners
- Patio Scent-Corner – Place one rose in a 50 litre pot beside evening seating, teamed with lavender and thyme to echo its warm tones and enhance the fruity perfume – ideal for terrace and balcony users
- Formal Cut-Flower Bed – Arrange in a neat grid at recommended spacing, with low box or santolina edging, to create an easy-to-manage cutting patch of straight, high-centred stems – ideal for home florists
- Soft Boundary Line – Use as a low hedge along a lawn edge, backed by climbers or evergreen ivy, providing year-round structure with seasonal flushes of warm peach-orange – ideal for family gardens needing gentle structure
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose registered as PEAperfume, marketed as INDIAN SUMMER – orange-peach hybrid tea rose – Pearce; exhibition name Indian Summer in the American Rose Society system. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred in the United Kingdom in 1986 by Colin A. Pearce, with parentage not recorded; introduced after 1993 via Wagner’s Rose Nursery, from The Limes New Roses breeding programme. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holds the RHS and RNRS Award of Garden Merit (1994), plus show honours including Glasgow Certificate of Merit and Fragrance Award (1993) and Gifu Rose Trials Bronze Medal (2002). |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, compact hybrid tea rose about 65–90 cm tall and 50–70 cm wide, with moderately thorny stems and dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage suited to beds, borders and containers. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred hybrid tea blooms, 26–39 petals, usually borne singly on stems; flowers are suited to cutting and repeat in abundant flushes through the season with good garden impact. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Warm peach-orange tones with creamy tints; RHS 24A outer, 12C inner. Buds open bright peach-orange, then fade through cream with peach-pink to softer cream, with colour retention rated as poor. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting, sweet fruity fragrance typical of scented hybrid teas; double blooms partly conceal stamens, so decorative value is prioritised over pollinator attraction in most planting schemes. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip formation is generally sparse due to double flowers; when present, hips are orange, ovoid, around 10–14 mm in diameter, adding modest late-season interest without dominating the display. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b). Shows resistance to powdery mildew and black spot, with moderate rust susceptibility under high disease pressure. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil; space 50–90 cm depending on use. Suitable for beds, low hedging, containers and urban green spaces, with medium maintenance and routine care. |
INDIAN SUMMER Hybrid tea rose PEAperfume offers compact bushy growth, richly fragrant orange-peach blooms and reliable remontant flowering on a long-lived own-root framework, making it a thoughtful choice for relaxed, enduring garden planting.
