Deep, velvety currant‑red shade. - hybrid tea rose - very strong, garden-filling scented rose - rose-oil, classic rose character
– Deep, velvety dark red exhibition blooms
– Very strong, classic rose-oil fragrance
– Long-stemmed, upright habit for cut flowers
– Reliable repeat flowering with plentiful second flush
– Moderate disease and winter hardiness in H6 zones
– Special feature: Awarded Prix du Parfum, The Hague 1985 for its outstanding scent.
Sustainable garden design – Expert background
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root potted rose
22,90 £
Unfortunately, we are currently unable to ship to the United Kingdom; we only deliver to countries within the European Union. For more information, please contact us!
3.5(5132)
VICTOR HUGO® – red hybrid tea rose – Meilland
Created to honour the writer Victor Hugo, this upright hybrid tea rose brings velvety crimson blooms and a fragrant, garden‑filling perfume to classic front gardens and neat beds. Well suited to typical British plots, it copes reliably with humid weather and blustery days by the coast, where good air movement supports its moderate disease resistance and helps keep foliage healthy. Its dense, mid‑green leaves frame large, exhibition‑style flowers that perform beautifully as cut blooms for the house, while an own‑root planting gives you a bush that matures steadily, regenerates well after pruning and offers a genuinely long lifespan. Settling in easily in borders, cottage‑style mixes and large containers from 40–50 litres, it forms a tidy, upright shape with moderate maintenance needs – ideal if you want structure, romance and reliable colour without complicated routines. Over the first few seasons you will see a natural rhythm: strong root building in the first year, more confident top growth and flowering in the second, and from the third year onwards the full, stable ornamental effect that makes this rose a lasting centrepiece in a family garden.
Victor Hugo® hybrid tea rose offered as a potted plant.
Usage options
Target area
Reasoning
Statement rose in a front garden bed
The upright habit and rich, velvety red blooms give you a clear focal point in even a small front garden, while the dense foliage keeps the plant looking substantial outside its peak flowering. Moderate maintenance suits busy yet style‑conscious homeowners
Cutting patch or cutting row
High‑centred, exhibition‑type flowers on straight stems make this variety ideal for home cutting, offering classic hybrid tea form and very strong fragrance for vases and indoor arrangements. Best for keen but non‑professional florists
Small group planting in a family border
Planting 3–5 together at the recommended spacing creates a compact, repeat‑flowering block of colour that is easy to manage and simple to prune, giving reliable impact without needing advanced rose techniques, suiting relaxed garden beginners
Feature rose in large containers (40–60 L)
In a 40–60 litre container this upright rose forms a tidy, structural bush with impressive blooms and scent close to seating areas. Own‑root plants establish steadily and come back well after winter in pots, reassuring space‑limited balcony and patio gardeners
Lightly formal hedge or row
Planted at hedge spacing, the consistent height and dense foliage lend themselves to a low, gently formal rose line that can frame paths or driveways without complex clipping. Occasional health checks and feeding are manageable for time‑pressed families
Mixed cottage border with perennials and grasses
The deep red flowers and mid‑green foliage combine beautifully with airy grasses and perennials, while own‑root resilience supports long‑term structure in informal schemes despite typical British humidity and breezy conditions, supporting design‑minded owners
Part‑shaded side garden or east-facing aspect
This cultivar tolerates partial shade, so it still flowers well in those around‑the‑house spots that get morning sun and afternoon shade, helping you use awkward areas effectively without demanding site‑perfect conditions, ideal for practical planners
Family garden with children and long-term planting plans
As an own‑root rose it builds a durable framework over time, bounces back better from occasional damage and can be rejuvenated by harder pruning if needed, giving a dependable, long‑lived feature for households planning to enjoy the same garden for years, appealing to future‑focused buyers
Styling ideas
COTTAGE ACCENT – Combine with verbena and other airy perennials for a relaxed cottage border that still has a strong focal point – ideal for lovers of romantic, informal gardens
FORMAL DUO – Plant a pair in large containers to flank a doorway or path, using clipped box or dwarf barberry behind for structure – suited to homeowners seeking classic formality
SCENT WALK – Line a short path with a low row of plants, placing a bench nearby so the strong fragrance can be enjoyed on summer evenings – perfect for fragrance enthusiasts
MODERN MIX – Set against ornamental grasses like Panicum for a contemporary look where the velvety red blooms contrast with soft movement – appealing to design‑led urban gardeners
CUTTING CORNER – Dedicate a sunny bed to a small group of plants for regular cutting, underplanted with low herbs to keep maintenance straightforward – best for practical flower arrangers
Technical cultivar profile
Category
Data
Name and registration
Hybrid tea rose; registered as MEIvestal, marketed as Victor Hugo® Hybrid tea rose MEIvestal, with Senator Burda® accepted as its American Rose Society exhibition name.
Origin and breeding
Bred by Marie‑Louise Meilland for Meilland International SA from complex parentage (Karl Herbst and others) and introduced by Meilland Richardier in France in 1985.
Awards and recognition
Honoured with the prestigious Fragrance Award (Prix du Parfum) at The Hague trials in 1985, confirming its reputation as a top‑class scented garden and exhibition rose.
Growth and structural characteristics
Forms an upright bush 80–120 cm high and 40–60 cm wide, with dense, moderately prickly stems and mid‑green, slightly glossy foliage that creates a solid presence in beds and borders.
Flower morphology
Large, double, high‑centred blooms with 26–39 petals are carried mostly singly on stems, showing classic hybrid tea form and a generous second flush after the main summer flowering.
Colour data and phenology
Deep currant‑red buds open to rich dark, velvety red flowers (RHS 53A–53B) that fade only slightly to ruby with a burgundy tinge before dropping, maintaining a consistently dark red display.
Fragrance and aroma
Produces a very strong, garden‑filling perfume with a classic rose‑oil character, making it particularly attractive for seating areas, entrances and cutting for perfumed indoor arrangements.
Hip characteristics
After flowering it can form small spherical red hips, about 12–18 mm across, in moderate quantities, adding a discreet seasonal accent without dominating the plant’s appearance.
Resistance and winter hardiness
Shows moderate resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust, with best performance in well‑drained, open positions; hardy to approximately −15 to −12 °C (RHS H6, roughly USDA Zone 7b).
Horticultural recommendations
Suited to beds, specimens, hedging, containers and cutting; prefers moist yet well‑drained soil, regular feeding and irrigation in prolonged dry spells, plus routine monitoring for common rose diseases.
VICTOR HUGO® offers velvety, highly scented red blooms, reliable repeat flowering and a resilient own-root habit that suits long-term family gardens, making it a thoughtful choice if you want enduring structure with classic romance.
Detailed product attributes
Product Identification Data
Product Name:
VICTOR HUGO® – red hybrid tea rose - Meilland
Product Type:
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL - 2-litre own-root potted rose
Meaning of Cultivar Name:
The name honours the 19th-century French poet, novelist and dramatist Victor Hugo, and the cultivar was created for the 100th anniversary of his death.
Cultivar Synonym:
Dreams Come True; Senator Burda®; Spirit of Youth
Full Bloom:
Rich dark red with a deep-toned, velvety texture.
Before Fading:
Slightly fading ruby red with a subtle burgundy tinge.
Colour Fading Description:
As it opens the deep crimson–currant red shade only moderately fades; at full bloom it is a rich dark red, and before the bloom fades it becomes slightly ruby with a burgundy tinge.
Pollinator Attraction:
Its fully double flowers attract pollinators only to a limited extent, as the dense, fully double petal form obscures the stamens and reduces access to nectar and pollen compared with simple or semi‑double blooms.
Pollinator-Friendly Rating:
Its double flowers attract pollinators only moderately, so it is at most partially pollinator-friendly and primarily an ornamental variety
Our product is a rose grown with pharmaROSA®’s unique cultivation technology!
2-litre, own-root, potted rose.
With a shoot system appropriate to the season.
With a root system that thoroughly permeates the growing medium.
Quality compliant with the requirements of the E.N.A. (European Nurserystock Association).
Supplied in unique packaging that prevents damage.
Can be planted during frost-free periods.
True-to-variety rose bush with a unique identifier.
The pharmaROSA® own-root potted rose is a well-rooted plant that supports reliable establishment when planted and cared for properly, so it can be planted whenever the soil is not frozen.
Crop overview: several varieties and growth stages in a short crop section.Shoot system: intensive growth of fresh basal shoots on a young plant.Root system: demonstration of a vigorous root system permeating the growing medium, by removing the pot.Balance: mature plant with root system and shoots in harmony with each other.
Information about the videos
The video series is not a “seasonal showcase”; it illustrates the essence of pharmaROSA® own-root cultivation in a tangible way: how the plant is built up, what the root system is like and how the shoot system regenerates. The recordings were therefore made at different times and with plants at various stages of development, so mixed foliage levels and differing stages of growth may appear in the videos. They are not a ‘sample’ of the batch dispatched, but a visual explanation of how the technology works. The current condition of the rose available to order — typical for the given period and similar to what you can expect to receive in the parcel — is shown in the upper part of the product page.
Pages for private customers Garden roses for the family garden, with minimal care → ORIGINAL® Premium garden roses – instant impact, a truly showpiece garden → EXTRA® Pages for professionals and private customers Roses for public spaces – large areas, sustainable maintenance → NATURAL® Roses for projects – hedge and row planting, fast implementation → RAPID® For professional partners only Production – propagation material for garden roses, wholesale → NEONATAL®
Company details
PharmaRosa Ltd. Company registration number: 01-09-717479 VAT number: 13075314-2-43 Plant health registration no.: HU130721 Bank account (IBAN): HU85117631891388688400000000 BIC (SWIFT): OTPVHUHB Bank name: OTP Bank Nyrt.
