ELAINE PAIGE™ – pink hybrid tea rose - Olesen & Olesen
Imagine summer afternoon tea framed by tall, elegant blooms of Elaine Paige™, a bushy hybrid tea that settles happily into an ordinary family garden without demanding expert care. This own-root plant arrives already established in its 2-litre pot, so you can plant throughout the season and trust it to anchor itself well even where winds are brisk and rain comes in from the coast. Over time, its glossy dark foliage and large, cupped, mid-pink flowers create a romantic, storybook focus that feels perfectly at home beside hedging, a kitchen garden or a small lawn. With remontant flowering and a reliably strong, fruity fragrance, this medium-maintenance rose keeps its display going month after month, needing only simple, occasional tasks. In its first year the emphasis is on rooting, the second on building shoots, and by the third it reaches its full ornamental character, rewarding patient gardeners with generous flushes for many seasons. The moderate self-cleaning, good heat tolerance and flexible pruning options make it a practical, long-lived choice for busy households who want classic romance without complicated maintenance.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Feature rose in a family flowerbed |
The tall, bushy habit and large, cupped blooms create an immediate focal point in a mixed border, giving classic hybrid tea structure without overpowering a small to medium garden. Ideal for the romantic cottage gardener |
| Cutting patch or kitchen-garden border |
Long-stemmed, solitary flowers with strong, far-reaching scent make this rose excellent for cutting, bringing fragrant mid-pink blooms indoors alongside homegrown produce with minimal impact on the garden display. Perfect for the home flower arranger |
| Own-root, long-term garden investment |
As an own-root shrub it regrows reliably from the base, maintains varietal character over many years and recovers better if winter or pruning are a little harsh, reducing the risk of losing the plant. Reassuring for the cautious beginner |
| Sunny terrace in a large container |
Elaine Paige™ adapts well to life in a generous pot; use at least 40–50 litres so the bushy growth, strong roots and repeat flowering have enough space to perform with simple watering and feeding. Designed for the busy balcony owner |
| Part-shaded corner near a seating area |
This cultivar tolerates partial shade, so it will still flower and scent the air beside a pergola or bench that only enjoys several hours of sun, making awkward corners feel more welcoming. Suited to the time-poor homeowner |
| Heat-exposed spots with regular watering |
Good heat tolerance means the plant copes well in warmer, reflective areas by a path or patio, provided you water during prolonged dry spells, so the glossy foliage and blooms stay fresh through summer. Helpful for the urban courtyard gardener |
| Low-fuss, seasonal display with simple deadheading |
Moderate self-cleaning and remontant flowering provide waves of bloom; a quick snip of spent flowers encourages the abundant second flush without complex pruning techniques, keeping maintenance straightforward. Ideal for the relaxed hobby gardener |
| Weather-exposed cottage-style border |
Planted into improved soil, the strong root system and bushy framework help it stand steadily and flower reliably even where rain and wind arrive frequently from open aspects near the coast. Reassuring for the practical family gardener |
Styling ideas
- Tea-table focus – Plant Elaine Paige™ beside a small patio set, underplanted with lavender and thyme for added scent and softness – ideal for the cottage-style romantic
- Kitchen-border charm – Mix this rose with rosemary, sage and bupleurum along a vegetable bed edge to link cut flowers and herbs – perfect for the kitchen gardener
- Storybook arch – Use two or three plants in deep containers flanking an arbour, letting their tall blooms frame the entrance – suited to the small-garden dreamer
- Pastel ribbon – Repeat-plant in a loose row along a path, filling gaps with airy grasses for movement and a soft pink corridor of scent – attractive to the weekend gardener
- Courtyard centrepiece – Place a single, well-grown plant in a large terracotta pot with trailing thyme around the rim for a simple, long-lived feature – best for the low-maintenance seeker
Technical cultivar profile
| Property | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea group, commercial type hybrid tea rose; registered as POUlht008, marketed as Elaine Paige™ Hybrid tea POULSEN®, approved exhibition name Elaine Paige™ in ARS listings. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by L. Pernille Olesen and Mogens Nyegaard Olesen (Poulsen Roser A/S, Denmark) from unnamed seedlings; bred 2006, registered 2012, introduced commercially after 2012. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated exhibition hybrid tea: Bagatelle Coup de Cœur Children’s Favourite & Most Fragrant Rose 2013; medals and merits from Belfast, Geneva, Monza, Orléans and Baden bei Wien. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy shrub 100–140 cm high and 60–80 cm wide, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickles; forms a solid framework suited to specimen or grouped planting. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cupped blooms carried mainly singly on stems; 26–39 petals, remontant with an especially abundant second flush; classification L-sized flowers approximately 2.75–3.95 inches across. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Vibrant mid-pink flowers (RHS 65C outer, 65D inner); buds deeper pinkish-red, opening to clear mid-pink then gently fading to pale, powder-pink edges as blooms age on the plant. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Noted for a strong, far-reaching fragrance combining classic rose with fresh, fruity notes; valued both in the garden and as a cut flower where scent remains a primary attraction. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is limited due to the double-flowered form; where present, hips are small, ellipsoid, around 8–12 mm diameter, colouring to orange-red towards the end of the season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated to approximately –21 to –18 °C (H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3); shows moderate resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust, with routine monitoring and care advised. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to beds, borders, hedged rows, specimens and large containers; plant 40–75 cm apart depending on use; medium maintenance with occasional pest and disease control and regular watering in dry spells. |
ELAINE PAIGE™ Hybrid tea POULSEN® POUlht008 offers elegant tall blooms, strong fragrance and dependable repeat flowering on a regenerating own-root shrub, making it a thoughtful choice for long-term garden planting.
