Photo: Sminthopsis84, CC0

Hybrid Tea; very double, quartered, romantic typeAlain Meilland; Meilland International, 1999Red

Botero

Rich cherry-red with a dense quartered flower of the old type; award-winning fragrance (Geneva Fragrance Cup, prizes at Saverne and Madrid, Grand Prix for fragrance at Nantes); named after the Colombian artist Fernando Botero; correct code MEIafone (NOT MEIcupsail).

Registered name Henri Dunant · a series of fragrance awards

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat flowering

Repeat-flowering – from spring to frost. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Awards

Geneva Fragrance Cup

Nantes Grand Prix for fragrance + Saverne and Madrid prizes · Rome bronze

Winter hardiness

−20 °C

USDA zone 6b–9b. −20 °C; in Ukraine – winter cover plus spring protection. ~−20 °C · in Ukraine — winter protection + spring protection.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

100–120 × 50 cm

Habit: Upright, compact
Dimensions: 100–120 × ~50 cm
Support: Not needed – an upright compact bush (a separate climbing version of the variety exists, which needs support)
Shoots: Strong, holding up the voluminous quartered flowers
Branching: Compact; the bush holds its shape

Flower

12–13 cm

Bud shape: Dense cherry-red, opening into a voluminous very double flower
Open flower: Old-fashioned cup-shaped quartered rosette – dense, romantic in style (this is not the official Romantica series, only a style of form); ~12–13 cm in diameter
Centre: Quartered, divided into segments in the style of old roses
Fullness: Very double; Meilland International gives about 70 petals, Meilland Richardier gives 100
Flower carriage: Flowers mostly borne singly, sometimes in small clusters of up to 3

Fragrance

Strong; old-rose fragrance with berry notes of raspberry and currant

Strong, award-winning – an old-rose fragrance with berry notes of raspberry and currant.

Disease resistance

5 out of 5

Good to excellent – 4–5/5 against the main diseases.

Sun

Full sun for the dense quartered flower

Thorns

Moderate

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Data on thorniness are limited – a moderate level, typical of Hybrid Teas, is assumed.

Foliage

Healthy, holds up well – the basis for the 4–5/5 rating for disease resistance.

Other names

Duftfestival, Madame Entian, Red Parfum de Provence, The One & Only

Breeder's code MEIafone.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Hybrid Tea; very double, quartered, romantic type
Breeder: Alain Meilland; Meilland International, France, 1999
Bud shape: Dense cherry-red, opening into a voluminous very double flower
Open flower: Old-fashioned cup-shaped quartered rosette – dense, romantic in style (this is not the official Romantica series, only a style of form); ~12–13 cm in diameter
Centre: Quartered, divided into segments in the style of old roses
Colour: Rich cherry-red / strawberry-red; no data on fading
Fullness: Very double; Meilland International gives about 70 petals, Meilland Richardier gives 100
Flower carriage: Flowers mostly borne singly, sometimes in small clusters of up to 3
Flowering: Repeat-flowering – from spring to frost
Fragrance: Strong, award-winning – an old-rose fragrance with berry notes of raspberry and currant
Hips: No data
Habit: Upright, compact
Branching: Compact; the bush holds its shape
Shoots: Strong, holding up the voluminous quartered flowers
Thorns: Data on thorniness are limited – a moderate level, typical of Hybrid Teas, is assumed.
Dimensions: 100–120 × ~50 cm
Support: Not needed – an upright compact bush (a separate climbing version of the variety exists, which needs support)
Foliage: Healthy, holds up well – the basis for the 4–5/5 rating for disease resistance
Resistance: Good to excellent – 4–5/5 against the main diseases
Variations of the variety: Registered name Henri Dunant (after the founder of the Red Cross); in Australia sold as Sir Donald Bradman. Other trade synonyms: Duftfestival, Madame Entian, Red Parfum de Provence, The One & Only

Colour scheme

Rich cherry-red / strawberry-red; no data on fading

Rose neighbours

Traviatadeep red

Red Edendeep red

Papa Meillanddark red

Icebergpure white · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Catmint (Nepeta)lavender-blue

Salviaviolet

Lamb's earsilver foliage

Delphiniumblue

Neighbouring roses

Dark red quartered and fragrant varieties — the Botero family:

Traviata Red Eden Papa Meilland Iceberg

Perennial companions

Blue-violet and silver partners set off the cherry-red flower:

catmint (Nepeta)salvialamb's eardelphinium

Fragrance awards

One of the most award-winning Meilland varieties for fragrance from the late 1990s:

🇨🇭 Fragrance Cup · Geneva
🇫🇷 Grand Prix for fragrance · Nantes (1999–2003)
🇫🇷 prize for fragrance · Saverne
🇪🇸 prize for fragrance · Madrid
🇮🇹 bronze · Rome

More about the variety

Hips: No data
Variations of the variety: Registered name Henri Dunant (after the founder of the Red Cross); in Australia sold as Sir Donald Bradman. Other trade synonyms: Duftfestival, Madame Entian, Red Parfum de Provence, The One & Only

How to grow

Where to plant. An upright compact bush of 100–120 cm – for the front and middle of a mixed border, beside a bench or path where its strong fragrance can be enjoyed. It needs no support. Silver foliage and blue and violet perennials set off the rich cherry-red quartered flower beautifully.

Climate. USDA 6b–9b (tolerates about −20 °C). In Ukrainian conditions it needs winter cover and spring protection from late cold snaps. Full sun – for the dense quartered form and abundant repeat flowering.

Care. A repeat-flowering variety, flowering from spring to frost. Standard Hybrid Tea care applies; healthy foliage (resistance 4–5/5) makes care easier. There is a separate climbing version of the variety – unlike the bush form, it needs support.

About the name

Name. The variety is named after the Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero (1932–2023). His instantly recognisable, full, voluminous figures echo the dense, full flowers of the variety – hence the name.

Breeding. Bred by Alain Meilland, Meilland International house (France), 1999. Breeding code MEIafone (NOT MEIcupsail). Parentage: (Hidalgo × Gisselfeld) × Duftzauber. The registered name is Henri Dunant, after the founder of the Red Cross; in Australia the variety is sold as Sir Donald Bradman (the photo on this card was taken under that name). Other trade synonyms: Duftfestival, Madame Entian, Red Parfum de Provence, The One & Only.

Significance. One of Meilland's most award-winning roses for fragrance – the Geneva Fragrance Cup, the Grand Prix for fragrance at Nantes (1999–2003), prizes for fragrance at Saverne and Madrid, and bronze in Rome. The combination of an old-fashioned quartered form with rich cherry-red colour and a powerful berry fragrance (raspberry, currant) makes it 'romantic' in style, although it does not officially belong to the Romantica series.

Frequently asked questions about Botero

Does Botero need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −20 °C (USDA zone 6b–9b). Overwintering depends on the conditions. −20 °C; in Ukraine – winter cover plus spring protection.

How many times a season does Botero flower?

Repeat-flowering – from spring to frost.

How big does Botero grow?

100–120 cm tall, about 50 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Botero?

Overall resistance: 5 out of 5. 4–5 / 5; good to excellent resistance.

How much sun does Botero need?

Sun; full sun for the dense quartered flower.

What does Botero smell like?