DONATELLA® – light pink hybrid tea rose – Richardier
Refined yet forgiving, DONATELLA® is a hybrid tea created for ease in everyday gardens: generous XL blooms, powerful fragrance and modern health in one tidy, upright bush. Its romantic, light-pink rosettes cope steadily with humidity and changeable British summers, provided the soil drains reasonably well. As an own‑root shrub it offers reassuring longevity, rebuilding from the base if stems are damaged and settling into a stable, dark‑green framework over time. With low maintenance needs, reliable rebloom and strong fragrance, it fits beautifully by paths, windows or seating areas where you can enjoy its scent on busy days. In a 2‑litre pot it is already securely rooted, so you simply plant, water, and let it form its natural shape, building roots in year one, fuller shoots in year two and its complete ornamental presence by year three.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden focal point |
The upright habit and elegant XL rosette blooms create an immediate, orderly focal point near doors or bay windows without overwhelming a small frontage. Its own-root resilience allows the shrub to mature steadily into a balanced, long-lived feature in typical suburban plots, rewarding modest care with years of dependable structure for the beginner. |
| Perfumed seating area |
Very strong, classic rose fragrance makes DONATELLA® ideal beside benches, patios or terrace railings where scent matters more than size. Regular cluster-flowering through the season ensures repeated waves of perfume in line with everyday family use of outdoor space, enhancing evenings at home for the urban. |
| Low-maintenance cottage border |
Good disease resistance and modest care needs suit informal mixed borders where you prefer easy-going shrubs over intensive rose beds. In typical UK conditions with adequate moisture and modest feeding, it maintains clean, glossy foliage and repeat bloom without complex spraying routines, supporting relaxed gardening for the time-poor. |
| Small group planting (1–3 shrubs) |
Planting two or three DONATELLA® shrubs at the recommended spacing forms a neat, romantic drift of pastel pink, giving a “designed” look with minimal planning. Own-root plants gradually knit together into a cohesive stand, maintaining form and flowering rhythm over many seasons for the style-conscious. |
| Cutting patch for home bouquets |
Originally bred and awarded as a show-quality hybrid tea, the long, straight stems and large, double flowers translate beautifully to home-cut blooms. Regular cutting encourages further remontant flowering, so you can enjoy vases indoors while keeping the garden plant productive for the homeowner. |
| Hedge or boundary line |
Planted at hedge spacing, its upright, moderately thorny growth and dense, dark foliage form a defined, flowering boundary that remains visually structured outside main bloom flushes. Own-root plants regenerate from the base after harder pruning, preserving line and screening value across years for the practical. |
| Containers and large pots |
DONATELLA® performs well in a generously sized container of at least 40–50 litres, where its controlled spread and upright habit stay in proportion to steps, terraces or balconies. Reliable remontant flowering means a long display from limited space, suiting paved front gardens for the balcony-owner. |
| Part-shaded side garden |
Suitability for partial shade makes it a sound choice where houses or fences limit direct sun to part of the day, such as east- or west-facing side paths. Provided soil drains reasonably well it copes with damp, breezy conditions, keeping flowers and foliage presentable for the shade-aware. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Path – Line a front path with 2–3 shrubs, underplant with lavender and catmint to echo the fragrance while softening edges – for lovers of gently traditional cottage scenes.
- Pastel-Border – Combine with white foxgloves, pale campanulas and silver foliage for a cool, light border that looks refined yet relaxed – for those seeking calm, airy planting.
- Romantic-Seat – Place one plant in a large terracotta pot beside a bench, with trailing violas or heucheras at the base to frame its scented blooms – for evening sitters and readers.
- Neat-Hedge – Create a low, flowering screen along a drive, alternating DONATELLA® with small evergreen box or yew to keep structure in winter – for owners wanting tidy definition.
- Cutting-Corner – Group DONATELLA® with other long-stemmed roses and tall ornamental grasses to provide a steady source of stems for indoor vases – for home florists and stylists.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose from the Romantica® collection; registered as MEIkerira, marketed as Donatella® Romantica® MEIkerira, with ARS exhibition name Donatella for show and competition use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred in France by Michèle Meilland Richardier at Meilland International SA; breeding completed 2009, registered 2009 and commercially introduced in 2011 via Meilland International in Europe. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated exhibition hybrid tea with gold medals at Baden-Baden, The Hague and Rome, plus a dedicated fragrance award at Roeulx, confirming both garden and show quality. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright bushy plant reaching around 90–130 cm in height and 55–85 cm spread, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickles, forming a balanced, medium-sized garden shrub. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, rosette-shaped XL blooms with over 40 petals, mainly produced in clusters; strongly remontant with abundant second and later flushes; weak self-cleaning so deadheading is advised. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Light pastel pink flowers, ARS lp; RHS 65C outer, 65D inner, opening from brighter buds and fading through pale silvery pink tones while remaining even in colour at full bloom before decline. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strongly scented hybrid tea with a long-lasting, classic rosy perfume ideal for seating areas and cutting; primarily ornamental because dense petals largely cover stamens and floral centre. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is usually slight due to regular removal of spent very double blooms; occasional small ovoid hips 10–14 mm across, in warm orange-red tones, may form late in the season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7 with approximate hardiness to about -21 to -18 °C; shows good resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust, with moderate heat tolerance if watered during prolonged drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suitable for borders, low hedges, specimen and container use; prefers well-drained soil, tolerates partial shade, with planting distances of 50–90 cm depending on hedge, mass or solitary role. |
DONATELLA® combines low-maintenance health, powerful fragrance and reliable rebloom in a long-lived own-root form, making it a thoughtful choice if you would like a graceful, enduring rose that quietly earns its place.
