NICOLAS HULOT® – yellow hybrid tea rose – Meilland
Imagine afternoon tea under an arbour, where generous, golden blooms bring a soft, storybook romance to your garden with very little fuss. This own-root hybrid tea offers long-term reliability, building a sturdy framework that copes well with exposed sites and breezier, rain-washed conditions near the coast, so you can relax rather than worry about shelter. Its very strong, garden-filling perfume adds luxury to cottage borders and family lawns alike, while the large, high-centred flowers are ideal for cutting and indoor arrangements. In an average family garden, you can enjoy serious hybrid tea impact from a single shrub or a short run of plants along a path. Own-root vigour means the plant can quietly regenerate from its base after harder pruning or winter damage, supporting a genuinely long garden life with stable ornamental value. From a practical point of view, it fits busy lifestyles: medium maintenance, straightforward pruning, and a structure that anchors well even in heavier soils, especially if you prepare good drainage. Over the first three seasons the plant settles in, first building roots, then stronger shoots, and by the third year giving you its full, dependable performance.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose in a small front garden |
The tall, upright habit and XL, high-centred yellow blooms provide an immediate focal point without needing a large planting space, perfect beside a front door or bay window. Best for those wanting classic presence with minimal complexity, especially beginners. |
| Cutting patch for scented bouquets |
Very strongly scented, long-stemmed hybrid tea flowers make this rose a reliable source of fragrant, formal blooms for vases and gifts across the season, with a generous second flush. Ideal for gardeners who enjoy arranging flowers at home, typically hobbyists. |
| Romantic cottage-style border |
The warm, sun-yellow colour combines beautifully with pinks, blues and soft whites, echoing English cottage gardens while keeping a tidy, upright outline that is easy to weave among perennials. Suited to lovers of traditional charm, usually cottage-gardeners. |
| Own-root, long-lived specimen shrub |
Being supplied on its own roots supports long lifespan, steady regeneration from the base and an even look over time, without worries about rootstock suckers, making long-term care simpler. Best for planners who think ahead, often homeowners. |
| Family garden flower bed with moderate care |
Medium maintenance needs and only periodic plant protection make this a realistic choice where time is short, yet you still want a “proper” rose bed with structure and repeat flowering. Well suited to busy but quality-conscious families. |
| Planting in heavier or clay-based soils |
A sturdy, upright framework and dense foliage help the plant anchor securely; if you improve the soil and create raised planting with sound drainage, it copes well with typical heavy British garden ground. Designed for practical-minded, solution-seeking gardeners. |
| Large decorative container on patio or terrace |
In a 40–50 litre or larger container with good compost and regular watering, the neat, upright habit and bold flowers create a classic focal point close to seating without overwhelming small spaces. Ideal for compact plots and balconies owned by urbanites. |
| Part-shaded seating area or pergola edge |
Suitable for partial shade, it will still flower well with a few hours of sun, so you can green up a sitting area or pergola side without needing a completely open, south-facing spot. Particularly useful for awkward corners managed by non-specialists. |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE ELEGANCE – Combine with lupins and soft pink perennials for a romantic cottage border where the yellow blooms and perfume frame a seating area – perfect for traditional-style enthusiasts.
- GOLDEN TEA – Plant three in a gentle arc beside a patio table to cut armfuls of fragrant stems for afternoon tea indoors and out – ideal for home flower arrangers.
- PATHWAY FOCUS – Use as a single specimen at a path junction, underplanted with low marigolds to highlight the upright form and vivid colour – good for small, busy family gardens.
- PATIO STATEMENT – Grow one plant in a 50 litre terracotta pot, paired with airy grasses, to give strong structure and scent on a terrace – suited to compact urban or courtyard spaces.
- KITCHEN GARDEN CHARM – Edge a productive plot with a short row for cut flowers, blending ornamental structure and utility in one border – appealing to kitchen-garden owners.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as MEIfazeda, marketed as Nicolas Hulot® PERFUMELLA® MEIfazeda, also known in some registers as Golden Perfumella for exhibition use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Alain Meilland for Meilland International in France, with parentage not publicly disclosed; introduced and registered in 2004 after proving garden and cutting performance. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright hybrid tea reaching around 80–105 cm in height with a 50–75 cm spread; moderately thorny stems and dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage give a well-filled, formal appearance. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, high-centred, exhibition-type blooms with more than 40 petals, typically borne singly on stems; extra-large flower size makes it particularly suited to cutting and specimen display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Strong, warm sun-yellow flowers: buds are pale lemon, opening to rich golden-yellow, then fading through buttery and creamy lemon tones; overall colour retention is moderate in full sun exposure. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, garden-filling scent with a classic rose character layered with soft peach notes; fragrance is immediately noticeable in still air and carries well around seating and path areas. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is limited due to very double blooms, but occasional small, ovoid, orange-red hips 8–12 mm across may appear, adding a discreet seasonal touch without heavy seeding. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H6, generally hardy to around −15 to −12 °C; heat tolerance is good with moderate drought resistance if watered, and disease resistance is medium, with rust showing better resilience. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in well-prepared soil with regular feeding and periodic protection against black spot and powdery mildew; plant 50–90 cm apart depending on use, suitable for beds, hedging and cut flowers. |
NICOLAS HULOT® offers bold yellow blooms, powerful fragrance and durable own-root growth for long-lived, low-fuss structure in family gardens; consider it if you value classic roses without complicated upkeep.
