Rose breeder at the House of Meilland since 1974, I spend several months a year selecting new varieties in rose fields all over the world. Our facilities are located in Provence, in the South of France, exactly in Le Luc-en-Provence, this is where all our varieties are being created.

I live in Pierrefeu, about 30 miles from there and when at home you will understand that I don’t have too much time for gardening, but to keep on enjoying wonderful roses they need to belong to the easy growing ones.

A few years ago, Meilland introduced a new family of roses, the Romantica ®. Their characteristics are old-fashioned shape, sensuous fragrance but with disease tolerance and re-blooming qualities. The roses I grow in my garden all belong to this family of roses. My little 10 year old Annabelle loves to make bouquets. In that case, all foliage and bloom resources are called for duty. Roses are the core but lavender, rosmarin, asparagus, cistus as other wild plants of our surroundings are taking part of the bouquets as well.

'Peter Mayle ™' (MEIzincaro) : this wonderful variety performed agronomically well in the AARS technical trials. It is also on top of the list in the European countries from Germany to Southern Spain. The alliance between pest and disease resistance with fragrance is unique. My wife Monique loves to cut two or three roses, put them in a vase at home, they perfume the whole atmosphere with a very delicate fruity smell of lemon, apple, apricot with a touch of jasmine. (This rose has been named after the famous british author of “A Year in Provence”).

'Michelangelo ™' Meitelov : if you dream about a fragrant yellow, large flowered Romantica shaped HybridTea, 'Michelangelo' is your choice. This very vigorous rose is easy to grow in the garden even for young amateur gardeners, you can’t spoil it! During this year 2001, it was voted the best yellow large flowered rose at the International special rose contest in Rome, Italy, dealing only with yellow roses bred since the beginning of the century and the best fragrant rose at the International rose contest at The Hague, Holland. Doing well in Rome and as well 1600 miles further in the Northern direction, this is a performance that not any rose may achieve. I must say that yellow is my favourite color for roses and that in spite of our very hot and dry summers here in Provence, the color of 'Michelangelo' doesn’t fade at all.

'Traviata ™' Meilavio : A very large Romantica-shaped red rose with a subtle green apple scent. This incredible flower is borne by an almost disease-free plant. If you aim for a no spray rose, this is your choice. 'Traviata' is located in my garden in a no spray area, it is really thriving and brings all the value of the roses in a mixed border of perrennials.

'Johann Strauss ™' Meioffic : This is a universal rose that you will enjoy. Presented in all the major garden catalogues of all countries not only in Europe but also in Australia and South Africa. It is one of the rare roses able to be grown in every climatic zone. 'Johann Strauss' plants always remain very self contained. The exceptional blooming rhythm makes it a prominent focus point in my garden. Its delightful lemon-verbena fragrance is unique.