White with a soft pink heart; strong scent; RHS AGM; healthy.
Royal Horticultural Society award
USDA zone 6b+. Most of Ukraine; light protection in the north.
Compare reference temperatures
17–25 petals.
Strong — rich and sweet; the main strength of the variety.
Good (≈4/5) — healthy glossy foliage (RHS).
Full sun and partial shade; pale flowers hardly fade.
Moderate number (there is little precise data).
Medium, semi-glossy, healthy.
White/cream with a soft pink heart; to be honest, the pink tone in the centre is distinct, so the variety reads more as a pale pink/blush than pure white
Souvenir de la Malmaisonpale pink
Great Maiden's Blushcream with a blush
Sea Foamcreamy white
Blush Noisettepearly white
Astrantia Romapink-white
Hosta Patriotgreen foliage
Veronicastrum Albumblue-purple
Heuchera Silver Scrollspurple foliageOther white and cream varieties with a soft pink blush:
Small white, green and silver flowers and foliage — a classic supporting palette for white bouquets and 'moon' gardens:
What makes this variety appealing:
Where to plant. Fragrance gardens and borders, formal beds, cutting, and places where the scent can be enjoyed.
Climate. USDA 6b and warmer; most of Ukraine, with light protection only in the coldest zones. Pale flowers hardly fade in the sun.
Care. A sunny or partly shaded spot; spring pruning; feeding; watering at the root; moderate disease prevention.
Name. 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' is named after the song by Procol Harum, 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' (1967); it is also sold as Linked Hearts.
Breeding. Bred by the Englishman Colin Pearce (Limes New Roses) in 2006; parents: City of London × Indian Summer.
Significance. A modern, very fragrant Hybrid Tea; despite its name, the colour is closer to pale pink — a soft pink heart framed in white, with a strong sweet scent.
The cultivar’s reference temperature is −20 °C (USDA zone 6b+). Overwintering depends on the conditions. Most of Ukraine; light protection in the north.
Repeat-flowering.
90–120 cm tall, 50–100 cm wide.
Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Good — healthy glossy foliage (RHS).
Sun / partial shade; full sun and partial shade; pale flowers hardly fade.
Strong — rich and sweet; the main strength of the variety.