WALTZ TIME™ – mauve hybrid tea rose – Delbard-Chabert
Sink into a mood of romantic afternoon calm with WALTZ TIME™, a compact hybrid tea rose that fits beautifully into smaller family gardens yet still delivers the classic long-stemmed blooms you expect from an exhibition variety. Its cupped mauve flowers carry a soft fragrance, opening from dusky buds to pastel, silvery-pink tones that glow in evening light and lend an instantly romantic feel to cottage-style borders. Bushy and densely foliaged, it works just as well as a single feature by a seating area as it does in a traditional row for cutting, holding its shape reliably even where strong breezes and regular rainfall can spoil less robust roses. As an own-root plant, it establishes steadily and lives for the long term, building a dependable framework that recovers well from pruning or weather damage. Think of it as a gentle progression: strong roots in year one, graceful shoots and shapelier flowers in year two, and a fully developed showpiece presence by year three, when the plant’s character and colour really settle into your garden’s storybook ambience.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Cottage-style front garden border |
The bushy yet compact habit (around 85–120 cm) makes WALTZ TIME™ ideal near paths or front windows, giving you elegant mauve blooms at eye level without overwhelming the space. Own-root robustness means it knits into the border year after year with minimal fuss for the busy home gardener. |
| Feature rose by a seating area or arbour |
The refined hybrid tea form and subtly scented flowers lend a calm, cultivated feel to terraces, arbours or pergola entrances. Regular, remontant flowering gives a steady supply of perfect blooms for relaxed afternoon tea moments, suiting anyone who wants classic romance without complex care for the cottage-style enthusiast. |
| Small cutting patch in a family garden |
Long-stemmed, solitary flowers provide reliable material for vases and occasional exhibition use, yet the plant remains manageable in an ordinary back garden. Own-root growth copes well with regular cutting, regrowing clean, upright shoots for those who enjoy bringing their garden indoors as a creative home arranger. |
| Mauve accent within a mixed cottage border |
The distinctive mauve-pink with silvery sheen partners beautifully with whites, soft blues and greys, creating a gentle, “girly” palette beside herbs and perennials. Its moderate height lets you layer in front and behind, building that English country storybook look prized by the romantic border planner. |
| Container rose on a sunny patio (40–50 L+) |
A sturdy, bushy framework and moderate size mean WALTZ TIME™ adapts well to a large container of at least 40–50 litres, where watering and feeding are easy to manage. Own-root resilience helps it cope with pot life and routine pruning, ideal for the space-conscious patio owner. |
| Low, traditional rose hedge or row |
Planted 50–60 cm apart, its dense foliage and repeat-flowering habit form a classic low hedge that frames lawns, paths or vegetable plots. The long-lived, own-root structure helps the row stay even and gap-free over time, which appeals to the orderly kitchen-garden keeper. |
| Family garden with limited maintenance time |
Moderate disease resistance and a tidy, bushy outline reduce the need for constant intervention; you mainly deadhead and give occasional plant protection. The plant’s gradual development arc means you can simply enjoy it maturing naturally, suiting the time-pressed garden beginner. |
| Exposed or breezier suburban plots |
The compact, well-anchored bush form helps the plant stand up to everyday garden winds and frequent showery weather without collapsing or looking untidy, even where regular rainfall and brisk breezes are part of the local climate, reassuring the coastal-influenced garden owner. |
Styling ideas
- Pastel Edges – Plant WALTZ TIME™ at the front of a mixed pastel border with pale foxgloves and soft pink campanulas to highlight its compact height and elegant blooms – for the homeowner who wants gentle cottage charm.
- Tea-Cup – Place one or three bushes near a bistro set, underplanted with low thyme and violas, to enjoy repeat-cut blooms for table vases – for those who savour slow weekend coffee among their roses.
- Mauve-Ribbon – Create a short hedge along a path, interspersed with dwarf lavender and silvery artemisia, using its dense foliage and reliable structure – for gardeners who like a neat yet romantic walkway.
- Potted-Classic – Grow it in a 40–50 litre terracotta pot with trailing lobelia or bacopa around the rim, using its manageable size and own-root toughness – for balcony and patio owners wanting a single statement rose.
- Cutting-Corner – Group several plants with blue globe thistle and airy grasses, combining long-stemmed blooms and strong structure for vases – for creative arrangers who pick from their own garden.
Technical cultivar profile
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as DELtos, marketed as Waltz Time™ and also known in exhibition circles as Saint-Exupéry; hybrid tea group, suitable for both garden use and cutting. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by André Delbard-Chabert in France (1961) from complex parentage including Christopher Stone, Marcelle Gret, Holstein and Bayadère; introduced by Georges Delbard SA. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright shrub approximately 85–120 cm high and 50–70 cm wide, moderately thorny, with dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage forming a balanced, medium-sized garden rose. |
| Flower morphology |
Hybrid tea-type, solitary, cupped blooms with 26–39 petals, double and well-formed, in the large-flower size range, remontant with a generous second flush for extended seasonal display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Mauve-pink flowers with a silvery-lilac sheen; buds medium-dark mauve, opening to pastel mauve and later fading to powdery lavender-pink, with moderate colour retention in strong sunlight. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Delicate, mild rose fragrance of classic character; pleasant but understated, contributing to a refined atmosphere near seating areas without overwhelming nearby spaces or plantings. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces a modest number of small, ovoid hips 10–14 mm in diameter, typically orange-red when mature, adding a light decorative note in late season without dominating the plant. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately –21 to –18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b); moderate resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; benefits from basic rose care and watering in prolonged drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in a sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil; space 50–90 cm depending on use; suitable for beds, low hedges, cutting and large containers, with medium maintenance needs. |
WALTZ TIME™ offers compact, romantic mauve blooms, a sturdy, long-lived own-root framework and graceful cutting quality, making it a thoughtful choice for gardeners seeking enduring elegance with manageable care.
