TAPIS PERSAN – red bedding floribunda rose - McGredy
Invite a sense of storybook romance into your garden with TAPIS PERSAN, a floribunda rose whose vivid scarlet-red blooms and cream-white eye create a living tapestry of colour all summer long. Bred by McGredy, its clustered, single flowers form eye‑catching swathes that feel perfectly at home in a cottage‑style border or family garden. This own‑root plant is selected for longevity, building a reliable framework of roots, then shoots, before reaching full ornamental value over three years. It performs steadily in typical British conditions, even where breezes bring moisture off the sea and borders must cope with frequent rain and wind. Medium disease resistance and moderate maintenance needs mean you can keep tasks simple: occasional dead‑heading and a seasonal prune are usually enough. In return, you enjoy repeat flowering, pollinator‑friendly, open blooms and a versatile shrub that anchors beds, low hedges and larger containers with easy elegance.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Mixed cottage flowerbed beside a family patio |
The vivid red and cream contrast reads clearly from a distance, so even a small bed near your seating area feels abundantly planted. Repeat blooming in clusters keeps the border lively between perennials. Suitable for those wanting colour with minimal pruning for busy urban gardeners. |
| Informal low hedge along a path or drive |
Its bushy, slightly spreading habit and recommended 50 cm spacing allow you to form a loose, flowering hedge that guides visitors without feeling rigid. Medium height lets children enjoy the flowers while adults still see over the plants. Ideal for homeowners seeking a friendly boundary for family gardens. |
| Raised bed or improved soil on heavy ground |
Own‑root plants establish steadily, forming a resilient framework that copes better with periods of winter wet once drainage is improved. Over time, the shrub thickens, maintaining ornamental value even after harder prunes. Helpful for those gardening on challenging clay wanting reliable results for beginner gardeners. |
| Large container on terrace or front step (40–50 litres+) |
The moderate maintenance needs and compact spread make it suitable for a substantial pot, where watering and feeding are easy to manage. Clusters of bright, single blooms dress entrances without demanding daily work. A good choice for those with paved spaces seeking seasonal charm for balcony and patio owners. |
| Pollinator-friendly cottage border with herbs and perennials |
Single, open flowers with readily accessible stamens provide a clear food source for bees, fitting beautifully into wildlife‑minded cottage schemes. The red and cream eye partners well with mauves, blues and soft grasses. Best for nature‑conscious buyers who want gentle structure and nectar for wildlife lovers. |
| Small specimen shrub as a focal point in front garden |
At up to 180 cm, it stands tall enough to act as a focal plant without overwhelming a modest plot. The strong colour pattern draws the eye, while own‑root vigour supports recovery if winter pruning is occasionally over‑enthusiastic. Suited to those wanting impact from one key plant for time-poor owners. |
| Coastal or exposed suburban sites |
The robust shrub structure and moderate thorniness help it anchor planting in breezy gardens, while its medium disease resistance copes reasonably with damp air when well ventilated. Especially useful where beds must withstand blustery days yet still look welcoming for seaside homeowners. |
| Urban borders with partial shade and limited attention |
Its suitability for partial shade and remontant flowering ensure regular colour even where buildings cast light shade and maintenance visits are occasional. Adequate spacing and air movement support its health in enclosed, humid courtyards with frequent rain and fresh breezes from nearby coasts for city gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage Ribbon – plant TAPIS PERSAN in a loose line with catmint and pale pink geraniums to edge a lawn, using its repeat colour and hedge-forming habit – for lovers of relaxed English cottage borders.
- Kitchen Patch Glow – tuck a small group near herbs and vegetables, where its pollinator-friendly single blooms and moderate height support bees and frame the plot – for home cooks who like flowers among their crops.
- Front-Door Welcome – place one shrub in a 50-litre terracotta pot with trailing thyme and lobelia so its vivid clusters and compact spread greet visitors – for busy owners wanting instant kerb appeal.
- Storybook Screen – combine a short TAPIS PERSAN hedge with low box or lavender to divide play lawn from flowerbed, using its long-lived, own-root framework for gentle screening – for families needing soft, floral boundaries.
- Evening Focus – position a specimen against a dark fence with white daisies and silver foliage to highlight the cream eye and repeated flowering – for gardeners seeking a simple, romantic focal point.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda shrub rose, registered as MACeye, traded as TAPIS PERSAN, also known at shows as Eye Paint; part of the Hand-painted roses collection of vividly patterned cultivars. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV (McGredy Roses International) from ‘MACyeleye’ × ‘Picasso’; registered in 1976 and introduced after 1976 from New Zealand breeding work. |
| Awards and recognition |
Gold medal at Baden-Baden and merit certificate in New Zealand (1976), plus Belfast awards in 1978 for cluster-flowered performance, confirming strong ornamental and garden value. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, slightly spreading shrub reaching 120–180 cm high and 65–95 cm wide, with moderately dense dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; moderate self-cleaning of spent blooms. |
| Flower morphology |
Single, flat, small flowers (around 0.5–1.5 inches) carried in clusters, typically 5–12 petals per bloom; remontant, with a strong second flush maintaining colour over the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Vibrant scarlet-red petals (RHS 46A, ARS RB) contrasted by a cream-white eye (RHS 11C); colours lighten as blooms age, but the central eye generally remains visually distinct in the garden. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance very weak and barely perceptible, so the cultivar is chosen primarily for its bold colour contrast and floriferous clusters rather than scent-dependent garden compositions or cutting use. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces moderate numbers of egg-shaped hips, 11–15 mm in diameter, in RHS 33B shades; hips follow single blooms and can add additional seasonal interest if dead-heading is reduced. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3); medium disease resistance overall, resistant to powdery mildew and rust, with moderate tolerance of heat and drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to beds, borders, hedges, parks and containers; prefers well-ventilated sites, with plant protection advisable in enclosed, humid courtyards; recommended spacings 50–90 cm depending on use. |
TAPIS PERSAN offers vivid repeat flowering, a resilient own-root framework and pollinator-friendly single blooms; consider this floribunda if you want long-lived, romantic colour without complex maintenance.
