Rosa New Imagine - Shrub Rose

The 'New Imagine' Rose is a modern hybrid tea with clustered flowers that brilliantly revives the timeless charm of variegated old roses. Large, fully open-cupped flowers are born on a sturdy, vigorous, and floriferous bush with dark, satin foliage. The petals are randomly and brilliantly striped with white cream on a background of deep purple to burgundy. This flowering continues to charm from summer to autumn, enveloped in a cloud of light but pleasant fragrance. This flower is a beautiful addition to any garden and a treasure for homemade bouquets!

'New Imagine' or 'Dormelo' is a modern bush rose with large flowers bred by François Dorieux in 2004. This beautiful bushy and rounded shrub has a well-balanced habit, reaching approximately 90 cm (35in) in height and 80 cm (32in) in width at maturity, with rapid growth. It produces strong branches that bear abundant and elegant dark green foliage, which is resistant to diseases. Throughout the summer, if faded flowers are removed, the plant produces large buds of a matte purple, which open into large flowers with an indescribable style. Comprised of 26 to 40 petals, measuring 10 cm (4in) in diameter, they open into slightly globular cups and gradually transform into fully open, informal corollas surrounding a yellow stamen centre. The flowers close like a handkerchief in the evening, only to unfold the following day, often with different colours as they evolve. They are clustered at the ends of long shoots from the current year or appear on 2-year-old stems. The repeat-flowering is also distinguished by a more or less pronounced but always pleasant fragrance. Note that the heavy flowering of this variety sometimes requires support, especially in late spring.

With its unique colour and gentle rose scent, this 'New Imagine' rose is ideal as a backdrop for a bed of roses or delicate perennials or as a standalone specimen in a well-maintained small garden. It is also perfect for use in large, fragrant, monochromatic borders, as its rich colour can be challenging to match. It can be paired with mauve, violet, white, or purple roses, white or pink panicled phlox, red penstemons, fuchsia pink shrubby salvias, as well as silver foliage plants like artemisias and cinerarias or dark foliage plants like boxwoods, Distylium (x) Blue Cascade, and cotoneasters. Its cut flowers, which have good longevity, naturally make perfect bouquets.