GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA ® – golden yellow hybrid tea rose – Meilland
Bring a touch of film-star glamour to a cottage-style garden with Gina Lollobrigida, an upright hybrid tea rose whose warm, golden-yellow blooms and strong, fresh-citrus fragrance create an inviting, storybook corner for afternoon tea. Its consistently high-quality flowers are borne singly on strong stems, ideal for cutting as well as for a focal point in a mixed border, and the colour holds beautifully without pink or brown tones. As an own-root plant, it develops steadily into a resilient, long-lived shrub that regrows reliably from the base and keeps its shape with minimal intervention. Over time it anchors itself well, even where gardens are exposed to brisk coastal winds and rain, and adapts comfortably to typical family-garden care routines. In normal seasons you can expect a remontant display with abundant second flushes, while a simple regime of light deadheading and once-a-year pruning is enough to keep it looking impeccably tidy and generously floriferous. Planted in a classic cottage border or a large terrace pot, its upright habit and moderately glossy foliage frame the glowing blooms, setting a romantic, cosy atmosphere in even a small courtyard. The own-root structure supports a long ornamental life and reliable regrowth, with roots building in the first year, top growth filling out in the second and the full picture emerging by the third, for enduring garden elegance.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose by the terrace or seating area |
The strong, fresh citrus fragrance and large, full blooms make this rose perfect beside a patio table or bench, where you can enjoy its scent during everyday use and relaxed family time; light annual pruning is enough for busy homeowners. |
| Cutting garden and vase displays |
Hybrid tea form, XL bloom size and long, straight stems give reliable, exhibition-style flowers for indoor arrangements, while their warm golden-yellow colour holds well in the vase; deadheading simply mirrors cutting, suiting hobby florists. |
| Romantic cottage-style mixed border |
Upright habit and moderately dense, mid-green foliage fit neatly into mixed planting with perennials, creating a traditional cottage border look without demanding complex care, ideal for cottage-garden lovers. |
| Sunny front garden focal point |
Performs best with good sun and regular watering in dry spells, producing dependable flushes from summer onwards; a single specimen near the front door offers long-season colour for first-time gardeners. |
| Large container on balcony or small courtyard |
Its upright, contained spread suits a 40–50 litre pot, giving structure and fragrance where borders are limited; own-root resilience supports long-term pot culture with straightforward seasonal feeding for urban balcony owners. |
| Small rose bed or formal planting |
Recommended planting distances help you create a tidy, repeat-flowering bed with consistent flower quality; moderate disease resistance, including strong black spot performance, suits low-maintenance seekers. |
| Family garden play-and-relax lawn edge |
Placed along a lawn edge, its defined outline and moderate prickliness are easy to manage, while remontant flowering provides colour through school holidays with just occasional deadheading, appreciated by busy families. |
| Sheltered coastal or exposed suburban spots |
The shrub forms a well-anchored framework over time, coping reliably with typical British wet and windy spells in exposed gardens, as the own-root system matures and thickens, reassuring for practical homeowners. |
Styling ideas
- Golden cinema border – Combine Gina Lollobrigida with soft mauve asters and cranesbill for a film-star focal point in a front border – ideal for lovers of classic glamour in traditional settings.
- Afternoon-tea corner – Position in a large pot by a bistro set, under an arbour or pergola, to enjoy scented golden blooms during relaxed weekend teas – perfect for couples creating a romantic nook.
- Kitchen-garden edge – Line the outer edge of a productive veg patch with these upright roses to bring structure, scent and cut flowers – suited to home growers who like beauty beside practicality.
- Sunny terrace trio – Plant three roses in generous containers to frame a family seating area with repeating colour and fragrance – good for busy households wanting easy elegance near the house.
- Cottage-front welcome – Set a pair either side of the front path amongst coneflowers and low perennials for a warm, storybook entrance – appealing to those who favour inviting, old-fashioned charm.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MEIlivar, marketed as Gina Lollobrigida ® in the Classics collection; exhibition-category hybrid tea suitable for garden display and cutting. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Alain Meilland, Meilland International, France, from ‘Laura’ × ‘Parador’®; bred 1986, registered 1990 with US Plant Patent 7 541, introduced internationally after 1990. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright shrub 110–150 cm tall, 75–105 cm spread, moderately thorny, with mid-green, slightly glossy foliage of medium density; forms a clear structure suitable for specimen or grouped planting. |
| Flower morphology |
Very full, 40+ petalled, XL-sized, cup-shaped flowers with a medium rise, usually borne singly on stems; remontant habit with abundant second flush when lightly deadheaded through the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Warm golden-yellow blooms, ARS dy, RHS 12A–12B; colour remains yellow as it fades, without pink or brown tones; good retention gives a long visual window in borders and in cutting gardens. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, fresh, citrusy fragrance typical of quality hybrid teas; well-scented in the garden and suitable for cutting, providing a notable scent in vases and near frequently used seating areas. |
| Hip characteristics |
Sparse hip set due to very double flowers; occasional orange-red, ellipsoidal hips around 10–14 mm in diameter can form if flowers are left uncut after flowering late in the season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to around –15 to –12 °C (RHS H6; Swedish zone 2; USDA 7b); disease resistance moderate overall, with good black spot resistance and moderate tolerance to powdery mildew and rust. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny sites with regular watering during dry spells; medium maintenance with occasional pest and disease checks, annual pruning, and deadheading; suitable for beds, specimens, hedging and large containers. |
GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA ® offers strong citrus fragrance, long-lasting golden blooms and dependable own-root resilience, making it a cultured choice for a romantic yet easy-care family garden; you may wish to consider adding it to your planting plans.
