NINA WEIBULL® – dark red bedding floribunda rose
Create a romantic, storybook corner in your family garden with NINA WEIBULL®, a floribunda that brings clusters of velvety dark red blooms and reassuring reliability to small and medium spaces. This bushy shrub forms a dense, low hedge or generous bed, thriving even in exposed spots with frequent rain and wind when planted with sensible drainage. Its semi-double flowers open repeatedly in generous flushes, their clusters glowing against glossy dark foliage and dropping cleanly so you spend less time deadheading. As an own-root rose it develops steadily, with roots establishing in year one, stronger shoots in year two and full ornamental value by year three, giving lasting structure and dependable flowering. The discreet fragrance and bee-friendly open centres support a relaxed, wildlife-aware style, while its cold hardiness and heat tolerance suit most UK regions. Plantable from spring to autumn in borders, low hedges or large 40–50 litre containers, it offers long-term ease and classic cottage-garden romance without complicated routine.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front-of-border cottage beds |
Compact, bushy growth and medium height make this rose ideal for the front or mid‑front of borders, where its repeat clusters of dark red flowers provide season‑long colour without overwhelming nearby perennials – perfect for beginners. |
| Low flowering hedge along paths |
Planted at 35–40 cm spacings, plants knit into a dense, glossy hedge that gives clear structure, privacy at low level and a neat frame to lawns or vegetable plots, with minimal shaping once established – reassuring for busy homeowners. |
| Small family gardens and urban plots |
The moderate spread and height allow generous flowering in modest spaces, offering a traditional rose look without dominating patios, play areas or compact lawns, and fitting easily into existing beds – convenient for city gardeners. |
| Containers and large pots (40–50 litres+) |
In sizeable containers, the bushy habit and self‑cleaning flowers give an abundant, tidy display on terraces or beside seating, while own‑root resilience supports long life if watering is regular – attractive for balcony owners. |
| Mass bedding and mixed planting schemes |
Uniform colour and habit make it excellent for mass planting, where clusters of dark red blooms read clearly from a distance, pairing well with grasses and cottage perennials for a cohesive, easy‑to‑manage scheme – suitable for design‑conscious families. |
| Exposed or variable UK sites |
The combination of good heat tolerance, strong frost hardiness and a sturdy, bushy framework helps it cope with changeable weather and damp coastal breezes, provided drainage is reasonable – reassuring for coastal residents. |
| Wildlife‑friendly cottage gardens |
Semi‑double flowers with open centres provide accessible pollen for bees throughout the remontant season, while modest hip production adds autumn interest in less‑tidy areas – appealing to wildlife‑minded gardeners. |
| Long-term, low‑fuss family planting |
Being grown on its own roots, the shrub regenerates well after pruning or winter damage, keeping its shape and flower quality over many years, while most spent blooms fall naturally so routine care stays simple – ideal for time‑pressed owners. |
Styling ideas
- Tea‑time Arbour – Train a short run of NINA WEIBULL® as a low hedge around a bistro set, underplanted with catmint and violas for a soft, romantic afternoon‑tea nook – for lovers of intimate cottage corners.
- Kitchen‑Garden Edge – Line vegetable beds with this tidy dark‑red border, echoing beetroot and chard stems, with chives and marigolds tucked between for colour and pollinators – for practical kitchen‑garden enthusiasts.
- Storybook Front Path – Alternate clumps of NINA WEIBULL® with garden iris and feather reed grass ‘Karl Foerster’ to create a textural, windswept welcome that copes well with everyday family use – for traditional front‑garden planners.
- Courtyard Containers – Plant single specimens in 50‑litre terracotta pots with trailing thyme and white verbena, giving a rich red focal point beside benches or doorways – for patio and balcony decorators.
- Classic Red Rose Bed – Combine groups of NINA WEIBULL® with white perennials and silvery foliage for a formal yet easy‑care bed that stays structured and colourful from summer into autumn – for fans of timeless garden schemes.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda shrub rose; registered as POUlwei, traded as Nina Weibull® Floribunda POULSEN® POUlwei; ARS exhibition name Nina Weibull®; feminine given‑name cultivar meaning. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Svend Poulsen (Poulsen Roser A/S, Denmark) from ‘Fanal’ × ‘Masquerade’; bred before 1961 and introduced and registered in 1961 by Poulsen Roser A/S. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recipient of the Belfast Rose Trials RJ Frizzell Award for Most Fragrant Rose in 2007, highlighting its valued performance and discreet rosy scent in formal trial grounds. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, well‑branched shrub reaching about 80–110 cm high and 50–70 cm wide, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; naturally forms a compact, full, bedding‑style plant. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi‑double, cupped, cluster‑flowered blooms, typically 17–25 petals and medium sized (around 1.5–2.75 inches), repeating strongly with an especially abundant second flush in suitable conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep, uniform dark red (ARS DR; RHS 53A outer, 53B inner), ruby buds and velvety wine‑red tones before fading; holds colour well in light with no significant fading during opening. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very weak yet pleasant rosy fragrance, noticeable mainly at close range on still, warm days; sufficient to give a traditional rose character without overpowering nearby seating or dining areas. |
| Hip characteristics |
If spent flowers are left, forms moderately abundant, small spherical hips about 8–12 mm across, bright red and decorative in autumn, adding subtle seasonal interest among the dark foliage. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7 with approximate hardiness to about −34 to −32 °C (USDA 4a, Swedish Zone 5); disease resistance generally medium against black spot, mildew and rust, benefits from routine monitoring. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions; ideal for beds, borders, low hedges, mass plantings and urban greens; medium maintenance, with occasional plant protection; typical spacing 35–65 cm depending on use and layout. |
NINA WEIBULL® offers reliable repeat flowering, compact structure and resilient own‑root growth for long‑term, easy‑care planting in family gardens; an excellent choice if you prefer a quietly dependable, classic dark red rose.
