CASANOVA – pale yellow hybrid tea rose – McGredy
Bring romantic charm to your garden with CASANOVA, a pastel, pale-yellow hybrid tea bred by McGredy for elegant, high-centred flowers that slip effortlessly into cottage borders and under an arbour for afternoon tea. Its upright, graceful habit and long, straight stems make it as useful in a jug on the kitchen table as it is in a mixed border, while a medium, sweet fragrance adds to the storybook mood. Own-root planting offers quietly dependable longevity, with sturdy regrowth after pruning and stable flowering over the years. In typical British conditions, it performs reliably even where frequent showers and brisk winds can challenge less robust roses, coping well with wet spells and unsettled weather. Once planted, there is no graft union to manage or replace, just steady regeneration and a mature, well-anchored root system that supports flowering season after season. Over time you will notice the natural rhythm of an own-root rose – first establishing its roots, then building confident shoots, and by the third year settling into its full ornamental presence within your family garden.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Classic hybrid tea in a sunny flower bed |
CASANOVA was bred as a traditional hybrid tea, producing upright, high-centred blooms that read clearly from a distance in a family garden border. Regular reblooming provides a steady sequence of pastel flowers through the season with straightforward deadheading and no complex pruning systems, making it easy to integrate into existing beds for beginners. |
| Cutting garden and kitchen-table vases |
The long, straight stems and pointed, double blooms lend themselves perfectly to cutting for indoor arrangements. Flowers hold their form attractively in a vase, with a clear, sweet fragrance that suits informal jugs and old-fashioned teapots on the table. Plant near a path or patio for easy access to stems ideal for homeowners. |
| Romantic cottage-style focal point |
Used as a solitary specimen at the recommended wider spacing, CASANOVA creates a soft, pale-yellow focal point among herbs and cottage perennials. The medium height and light green foliage allow it to sit comfortably with pastel companions without overpowering them, ideal where you want a gentle accent for cottage-lovers. |
| Low-maintenance family flower border |
With good resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust, CASANOVA suits busy gardeners who prefer to avoid frequent spraying. Routine tasks are limited mainly to feeding, basic pruning and removing spent blooms. It slips readily into family borders where children play and time is limited for busy-owners. |
| Reliable own-root planting for long-term structure |
Supplied as an own-root plant, CASANOVA avoids graft-related issues and gradually forms a well-balanced framework from the base. If winter pruning is a little enthusiastic, the plant can regenerate cleanly from its own wood, supporting a long garden life and stable shape for long-term-planners. |
| Weather-tolerant choice for unsettled seasons |
Although not suited to prolonged drought or extreme heat, CASANOVA performs well in the cooler, changeable conditions typical of much of the UK, where showers and wind are more common than scorch. In such gardens its sturdy structure and disease resistance make it a climate-conscious option for coastal-gardeners. |
| Container planting on patios and terraces |
Planted in a generously sized container of at least 40–50 litres with quality compost and good drainage, CASANOVA can provide a romantic focal point beside seating areas. Regular watering and feeding support repeat flowering, while the upright habit fits neatly in modest spaces for urban-owners. |
| Structured planting for easy border planning |
The clear height range and upright habit simplify layout in small to medium gardens, making it straightforward to position in front of taller shrubs and behind low edging plants. Recommended spacings support airy, healthy growth, and help you map out beds confidently over several seasons for planner-gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-arch – Plant CASANOVA near a simple wooden arbour with thyme and parsley at its feet to echo a relaxed kitchen garden – for cottage-style enthusiasts.
- Pastel-border – Combine its pale-yellow blooms with soft pink roses and airy white perennials for a calm, storybook border – for romantic planners.
- Kitchen-cutting – Arrange a short row in a sunny vegetable plot edge, ready for regular cutting into jugs indoors – for home growers.
- Patio-centrepiece – Place one plant in a 50-litre container by a seating nook, underplanted with low euonymus for year-round structure – for terrace owners.
- Soft-hedge – Use closer spacing to create a loose, low rose line that frames a lawn without feeling formal or rigid – for family gardeners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Casanova hybrid tea rose, exhibition-type cut-flower hybrid tea; ARS exhibition name Casanova, unregistered as a formal cultivar, offered here as CASANOVA – pale yellow hybrid tea rose – McGredy. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV, Samuel McGredy & Son, Portadown, Northern Ireland; cross of ‘Queen Elizabeth’ × ‘Perfecta’; bred 1957, introduced in the United Kingdom in 1964. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recipient of a Certificate of Merit at the Geneva Rose Trials in 1963, indicating recognised ornamental value and performance under independent trial garden conditions at the time. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright hybrid tea with medium-density, light green foliage; typical height around 100–140 cm and spread 55–85 cm; sparsely thorned stems; faded flowers tend to remain and may require manual removal. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double hybrid tea blooms with 26–39 petals, high-centred, pointed buds and mostly solitary flowers on stems; repeat flowering is good, with an abundant second flush given appropriate care. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Overall effect pale lemon-cream yellow, straw-yellow centres lightening to cream; ARS LY, RHS 12B inner and 11D outer; in strong sun the colour gradually fades towards cream-white on exposed petals. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength, clearly perceptible fragrance with a sweet character; scent is distinct enough to be enjoyed at close range or in cut stems indoors, without being overpowering in smaller garden spaces. |
| Hip characteristics |
Double blooms limit hip set; if present, hips are small, ovoid and orange-red, around 10–14 mm diameter, appearing only occasionally and not considered a primary ornamental feature of the cultivar. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good resistance reported to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3), suitable for most UK regions when planted in well-prepared soil. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny sites with reliable moisture but not prolonged drought; recommended spacings: 50 cm for beds, 40 cm for loose hedging, 75 cm as specimen; responds well to low-maintenance care and seasonal feeding. |
CASANOVA – pale yellow hybrid tea rose – McGredy offers reliable repeat flowering, sweet fragrance and long-lived own-root resilience, making it a thoughtful choice for gardeners seeking enduring romance in a manageable form.
