OLYMPIAD™ – red hybrid tea rose - McGredy
Imagine sitting with afternoon tea while the rich, velvety red blooms of Olympiad frame your view in a classic cottage setting: an upright, neatly shaped hybrid tea chosen for elegance, romance and long-lived garden structure. This premium own-root shrub establishes steadily, rewarding you with dependable flowering and a reassuringly low-maintenance routine that suits busy family gardens. Its strong, sunfast colour and resilient foliage cope well with blustery, damp British spells and the kind of challenging weather that often rolls in from exposed coasts. Over time the sturdy framework and repeat-flowering habit help anchor your planting, supporting both traditional borders and larger mixed beds with enduring impact. In a generous container or raised bed it develops a clear vertical focus, while the mild fruity scent adds a refined, understated atmosphere at nose height. Own-root vigour means a long garden life with reliable regeneration, giving you a settled, confident presence as the plant matures.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Main feature in a small front garden bed |
Olympiad’s upright habit and XL, exhibition-style blooms create a clear vertical focus without overwhelming a modest plot, giving you a smart, welcoming look with very little fuss, ideal for a busy homeowner. |
| Romantic cottage-style mixed border |
The rich, stable scarlet-red flowers bring a classic storybook feel, pairing beautifully with soft perennials while holding their colour in sun, perfect if you love traditional planting in a relaxed family setting. |
| Cutting patch near the kitchen garden |
As a renowned exhibition hybrid tea with long-stemmed, high-centred blooms and good vase life, it supplies reliable, home-grown cut flowers throughout the season for the practical yet romantic gardener. |
| Low-maintenance flowering hedge or row |
Planted at the recommended spacing, its dense foliage and repeat flowering form a tidy, colourful line that needs only basic pruning and deadheading, suiting the time-poor but quality-conscious buyer. |
| Large container on a sunny patio (40–50 litres+) |
In a generous pot, the upright growth and modest width give a strong architectural line, with manageable care and easy watering access, ideal for urban patios or balconies kept by the space-limited owner. |
| Family garden focal point by a seating area |
The mild fruity fragrance and classic hybrid tea form feel elegant rather than overpowering, adding a sense of occasion around outdoor seating that still works for everyday use by a relaxed family. |
| Reliable performer in challenging, breezy spots |
With good disease resistance and a colour that scarcely fades, it copes well with unsettled, wind-driven rain and cool, damp spells, offering steady results and peace of mind for the cautious beginner. |
| Long-term structural rose in a traditional scheme |
Its hardy, own-root constitution and sturdy framework build into a durable garden presence over successive seasons, supporting long-term planting plans and suiting the forward-thinking, investment-minded planner. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage Axis – Line a path with Olympiad and low Heuchera to frame a storybook walk to your front door – ideal for romantically inclined homeowners.
- Kitchen Posy – Plant a short row by the veg patch for easy cutting, mixed with sea thrift at the edges – perfect for practical gardeners who love home-grown bouquets.
- Patio Pillar – One plant in a 50-litre terracotta pot flanked by herbs offers height and colour beside outdoor seating – suited to balcony and courtyard owners.
- Classic Border – Use groups of three in a mixed border with pale perennials to let the red blooms sing – for those curating a traditional, coordinated scheme.
- Family Frame – Create a loose hedge near play areas, underplanted with tough groundcovers, giving colour and structure – appealing to families wanting beauty with little extra work.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as MACauck, marketed as Olympiad™ Hybrid tea rose MACauck; ARS exhibition name Olympiad; part of the hybrid tea rose collection. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV from ‘Red Planet’ × ‘Pharaoh’; introduced 1974 in New Zealand and later in the USA by Star Roses and Jackson & Perkins. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holder of the All-America Rose Selections award (1984) and the Portland Gold Medal (1995), confirming its ornamental performance and reliability over many seasons. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright shrub reaching about 100–140 cm high and 65–95 cm wide, with dense, mid-green matte foliage and moderate prickliness; weak self-cleaning so spent blooms benefit from removal. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, high-centred blooms with 26–39 petals, borne mostly singly on stems; classic pointed buds and a strong hybrid tea form ideal for cutting and exhibition display purposes. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Uniform, rich scarlet red with velvety sheen; RHS 46A–46B; colour holds well in sunlight, fading only slightly to deeper carmine tones, with good repeat flowering and an abundant second flush. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild, fruity fragrance providing a subtle background scent rather than a dominant perfume; strongly double flowers limit access to stamens, so it is less attractive to pollinating insects overall. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional small, spherical red hips around 8–12 mm across, adding modest seasonal interest; mainly of decorative rather than culinary or wildlife significance in most garden situations. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good disease resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to approximately −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4) with reliable performance in temperate gardens. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well-drained soil; suitable for beds, hedging, containers and specimen use; low general maintenance but benefits from deadheading and regular watering in prolonged drought. |
Olympiad™ Hybrid tea rose MACauck offers enduring red blooms, reliable garden structure and low-effort care in a durable own-root form; a considered choice if you value lasting beauty with straightforward upkeep.
