DELCART – dark red tea hybrid rose - Delbard
This classic hybrid tea from Delbard brings velvety dark-red blooms and a romantic cutting-garden look to family plots and front gardens, combining exhibition-style flowers with dependable remontant repeat performance through the season. In typical British conditions it copes reliably with wet, breezy spells if you provide basic care and suitable drainage, and its compact, bushy habit is easy to place beside paths, windows or in smaller borders. Deep, long-lasting colour and vigorous, upright growth make it ideal as a feature rose or in short hedges, while the strong, lasting fragrance adds impact both in the garden and in the vase. As an own-root plant it establishes securely, matures steadily and supports a naturally balanced bush, giving a long-lived, stable display. With a simple development from rooting and settling, to building woody framework, to full ornamental richness by about the third year, it fits perfectly where you want a striking yet manageable hybrid tea.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Front garden focal point |
The bushy, upright habit and deep burgundy-red blooms create an immediate focal point beside a front door or along a short path. Its compact size suits typical UK front gardens, giving structure and seasonal interest without dominating. Ideal for the style-conscious beginner |
| Small rose or mixed border |
Moderate height and dense, glossy foliage help it sit neatly mid-border, where the rich colour stands out among perennials and shrubs. Remontant flowering means repeated waves of bloom with straightforward deadheading, fitting busy routines. A good choice for time-pressed homeowners |
| Classic cutting patch |
The high-centred, exhibition-style flowers, carried mostly singly on strong stems, are ideal for vases and arrangements. Long-lasting scent and colour retention give bouquets that hold their drama indoors for several days. Perfect for cottage-garden and cut-flower enthusiasts |
| Specimen rose near seating |
Planted close to a bench, terrace or patio, the strong, long-lasting perfume and velvety petals can be enjoyed at close quarters. The rounded, bushy plant shape forms a tidy, manageable presence beside seating areas over many seasons. Suits fragrance-loving garden visitors |
| Short ornamental hedge |
At the recommended spacing it forms a low, formal line with dark, glossy foliage and repeating dark-red flowers. This provides a defined yet elegant boundary for paths, driveways or lawn edges, without complex clipping beyond basic winter pruning. Appealing to order-seeking garden planners |
| Containers and large pots |
Its upright, contained growth makes it suitable for large containers of at least 40–50 litres, where roots have room to develop a stable, long-lived framework. This allows striking colour and perfume on balconies, terraces or paved front gardens. Ideal for urban-space gardners |
| Part-shade planting by the house |
Tolerance of partial shade lets it flower reliably on east- or west-facing walls where many roses struggle. With reasonable care and moisture management it remains ornamental even in cooler, damper spots typical of UK around-the-house beds. A reassuring option for cautious starters |
| Weather-exposed family garden beds |
Colour that barely fades, even in strong sun, and good performance in typical coastal-style rain and wind mean the blooms stay handsome between visits to the garden. Own-root vigour helps it anchor and recover well over the years. Recommended for practical-minded garden owners |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE DRAMA – Mix with soft pink or white shrub roses, catmint and hardy geraniums to let the dark blooms glow against looser planting – ideal for romantic cottage-garden admirers
- FORMAL RIBBON – Plant in a single line along a path with low box or hebe edging, using its upright habit and repeat flowering for a simple, structured front-garden border – suitable for symmetry-loving homeowners
- EVENING PERFUME – Place near a patio with white pelargoniums and silver foliage such as Stachys byzantina so the strong scent and velvety red flowers stand out at dusk – perfect for after-work relaxers
- CONTAINER FEATURE – Grow one plant in a generous 50-litre pot with trailing ivy and seasonal underplanting to bring colour and fragrance to paved or gravelled spaces – great for balcony and courtyard gardeners
- MIXED-HEIGHT BORDER – Combine with dwarf fountain grass, creeping baby’s-breath and low-growing bugle to contrast fine textures with dark, upright blooms – appealing to design-focused hobby gardeners
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as DELcart; marketed as DELCART – dark red tea hybrid rose - Delbard, with exhibition name ‘Le Rouge et le Noir’ in the Les Grands Parfums collection. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Georges Delbard in France, 1973, with parentage not recorded; introduced by Georges Delbard SA in 1974 and established as a classic dark red fragrant hybrid tea. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holder of Lauréate des Roses Parfumées, Lyon fragrance award 1974, recognising its strong, lasting scent and ornamental value among perfumed garden and exhibition roses. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Forms a bushy, upright shrub 75–105 cm high and wide, with dense, dark green glossy foliage and moderate thorns, creating a compact, manageable structure for beds and borders. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, semi-double to moderately full high-centred blooms with 17–25 petals, mostly solitary on stems; classic pointed-bud, cut-flower form with abundant repeat flowering through the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep dark-red to near-black velvety flowers, ARS DR, RHS 187A–187B; buds almost black, colour retention very good with minimal fading in sun, flowering in repeated flushes in suitable seasons. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, long-lasting perfume characteristic of the Les Grands Parfums collection; fragrance holds well on the plant and in the vase, enhancing both garden presence and cut-flower use. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose-hip formation generally low due to double blooms and regular cutting; when present, produces small, spherical red hips around 8–12 mm in diameter in late season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b), with medium resistance to black spot, mildew and rust; benefits from standard rose care and routine preventative hygiene. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in fertile, well-drained soil with regular watering in dry spells; suitable for beds, borders, hedging, containers and cutting, at 55–100 cm spacing depending on design intent. |
DELCART – dark red tea hybrid rose - Delbard offers velvety colour, lasting fragrance and a compact, reliable bush on its own roots for long-term enjoyment, making it a refined choice when you want a dependable, characterful garden rose.
