CYCLAMEN PIERRE DE RONSARD ® – deep pink climbing rose - Tomerlin
This ROMANTICA® climbing rose brings a sense of romance and classic charm to everyday British gardens, combining deeply cupped blooms with practical, family‑garden reliability. Large, very double flowers in a rich, cyclamen‑deep pink slowly soften to mid‑pink with a silvery edge, creating a soft cottage feel from early summer onwards. Trained on a wall, fence or arch, its dense, glossy foliage forms a luxuriant backdrop, helping smaller plots feel lush without demanding complex care. Grown on its own roots, it settles gradually and builds a long‑lived, stable framework that suits busy householders who want structure and colour from a single, dependable plant. Over the first few seasons it deepens its root system and extends its flowering shoots, so by the third year you see its full ornamental impact. Well suited to typical UK conditions, it responds well to regular watering and benefits from sites where heavy soils are improved for better drainage, supporting steady growth and healthier foliage. Its repeat‑flowering habit keeps arches and pergolas in elegant colour through the season, while the soft, barely there fragrance lets you enjoy it close to seating or windows without overwhelming the senses.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front‑garden focal arch |
Ideal where you want a welcoming focal point without intricate planting schemes. Its strong climbing habit and abundant, cupped deep‑pink flowers dress an arch beautifully from a relatively small footprint, suiting pathways and narrow front gardens for the style‑conscious beginner |
| House wall or sunny fence |
Trains easily on wires or trellis to soften brickwork, garages or boundary fences, with dense glossy foliage that stays attractive between flushes of bloom. Works well on typical UK plots where a single, long‑lived climber is expected to cover a vertical space reliably for the busy homeowner |
| Small pergola or seating area |
Creates a romantic overhead canopy of large, very double blooms that flower in generous flushes through the season. The very light fragrance allows close placement over benches or compact patios, adding colour and intimacy without overpowering nearby spaces for the garden improver |
| Cottage‑style mixed border backdrop |
Provides a strong vertical accent behind perennials or low shrubs, combining especially well with airy companions such as coreopsis or baby’s‑breath. Its classic cupped flowers and soft colour changes blend naturally with informal cottage schemes for the traditionalist gardener |
| Specimen feature on a sturdy obelisk |
Planted as a single specimen with an obelisk, it forms a tall column of foliage and bloom that anchors a small lawn or gravel area. Own‑root growth helps it mature into a balanced, durable plant structure over the years, rewarding patient planning for the long‑term planner |
| Family garden screen near play or seating zones |
Used on a boundary, its dense foliage and repeat flowering offer visual screening and colour with only moderate maintenance beyond occasional tying‑in and deadheading. It suits family gardens where attractive cover is wanted without complex pruning for the practical parent |
| Large container on terrace or balcony (40–50 litres+) |
In a generously sized container with good compost and regular watering, it can be trained up a trellis to bring height and classic bloom to paved spaces. This approach suits renters or urban gardeners seeking a movable, statement climber for the flexible city‑dweller |
| Decorative rose‑and‑hip feature in autumn |
After the main flowering season, occasional orange‑red hips add extra visual interest where blooms have not been removed, extending its ornamental role into early autumn. Best for gardeners who enjoy subtle seasonal changes from a single, enduring plant for the seasonal observer |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE ARCH – Train over a simple wooden arch, underplant with airy coreopsis and creeping baby’s‑breath for a soft cottage entrance – for lovers of romantic front‑garden charm
- COURTYARD TRELLIS – Fan it along a sunny brick wall behind terracotta pots of herbs and grasses, letting the deep pink blooms contrast with warm brick – for compact urban patios
- PERGOLA RETREAT – Cover a small pergola beside a seating nook, pairing with calamint and low lavender for gentle scent and relaxed structure – for quiet evening sitting areas
- STRUCTURED OBELISK – Grow as a specimen on a tall metal obelisk in a gravel or lawn circle, edging with low mounds of nepeta for a tidy yet soft look – for neat, design‑led gardens
- MIXED BORDER BACKDROP – Place at the back of a perennial border, combining its glossy foliage with pastel salvias and gypsophila to frame seasonal colour – for informal family borders
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Climbing ROMANTICA® rose; registered as ‘Margaret Mae’, traded as Cyclamen Pierre de Ronsard ® ROMANTICA® Margaret Mae; large‑flowered climber, ARS exhibition name ‘Margaret Mae’. |
| Origin and breeding |
Deep‑pink sport of ‘Pierre de Ronsard’ (‘MEIviolin’, Eden Rose); discovered by Reg Tomerlin in the USA before 2010; introduced by Meilland International in 2017, US Plant Patent PP 20,953. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climbing habit, around 2,4–3,6 m high with 1,8–3,2 m spread; moderately thorny canes; dense, dark green glossy foliage forming a full, curtain‑like cover on supports. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, cupped blooms with over 40 petals; extra‑large flowers carried in clusters; remontant habit with abundant second flush; suitable for cutting from established plants. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Rich deep‑pink blooms with cyclamen tones and silvery outer petals; colour holds well, slowly fading to mid‑pink; decorative from late spring, flowering in repeating flushes into later summer. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance very weak and barely perceptible; chosen mainly for visual impact and flower form rather than scent; suitable for close planting near windows, seating or paths without overpowering aroma. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasionally forms small, spherical hips about 12–18 mm, orange‑red RHS 40A; modest but noticeable seasonal interest where spent blooms are left in place late in the flowering season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to around −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3); disease resistance moderate to powdery mildew and black spot, more rust‑susceptible; benefits from good air circulation and hygiene. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best on sunny walls, fences, arches or pergolas with 2,3–3,6 m spacing; prefers fertile, well‑drained soil and regular watering; deadhead and tie in new shoots to maintain shape and repeat bloom. |
CYCLAMEN PIERRE DE RONSARD ® – Margaret Mae offers generous repeat deep‑pink bloom, dense glossy cover and dependable vertical structure on its own roots; an excellent choice if you seek a long‑lived, easygoing climber for your garden.
