Photo: Kritzolina, CC BY-SA 4.0

AlbaPink

Céleste

One of the most elegant old albas; once-flowering; glaucous foliage; shade-tolerant.

Rosa alba 'Celestial'

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Once-flowering, in summer, for several weeks — the variety does not repeat-flower.

Awards

RHS AGM

Award of Garden Merit

Winter hardiness

−20 °C

USDA zone 5b. H6; below −20 °C; Ukraine: no cover or light cover. Below −20 °C · Ukraine: no or light winter protection.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

120–200 × 120–150 cm

Habit: Upright, neat, holds its shape well without support.
Dimensions: 120–200 × 120–150 cm.
Support: Not needed — a shrub rose with an upright silhouette.
Shoots: Sturdy, springy, confidently hold the weight of the flowers even after rain.
Branching: Dense and even; the bush looks compact and healthy.

Flower

7–8 cm

Bud shape: Round and dense, it opens slowly, gradually revealing the centre of the flower.
Open flower: Cupped, semi-double, with clearly visible golden-yellow stamens at the centre — a characteristic trait of the albas.
Fullness: Semi-double, 17–25 petals, flower diameter 7–8 cm.
Flower carriage: Flowers gathered in small clusters on springy flower stalks, held well above the foliage.

Fragrance

Strong, old-rose

Strong, old-rose, clearly noticeable even from a distance.

Sun

Sun / partial shade

Shade-tolerant, grows well even in partial shade.

Thorns

Few

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Foliage

Characteristically glaucous blue-green, small and dense; stays clean throughout the season.

Other names

Celestial, Rosa alba 'Celestial, Minden Rose

All characteristics in a table

Group: Alba
Breeder: Netherlands
Bud shape: Round and dense, it opens slowly, gradually revealing the centre of the flower.
Open flower: Cupped, semi-double, with clearly visible golden-yellow stamens at the centre — a characteristic trait of the albas.
Colour: Light pearly pink (shell pink), warming and deepening towards the centre of the flower.
Fullness: Semi-double, 17–25 petals, flower diameter 7–8 cm.
Flower carriage: Flowers gathered in small clusters on springy flower stalks, held well above the foliage.
Flowering: Once-flowering, in summer, for several weeks — the variety does not repeat-flower.
Fragrance: Strong, old-rose, clearly noticeable even from a distance.
Hips: In autumn attractive orange-red hips form, which feed birds.
Habit: Upright, neat, holds its shape well without support.
Branching: Dense and even; the bush looks compact and healthy.
Shoots: Sturdy, springy, confidently hold the weight of the flowers even after rain.
Dimensions: 120–200 × 120–150 cm.
Support: Not needed — a shrub rose with an upright silhouette.
Foliage: Characteristically glaucous blue-green, small and dense; stays clean throughout the season.
Resistance: Very high disease resistance — the foliage needs no treatments.
Variations of the variety: Synonyms: Celestial, Rosa alba 'Celestial', Minden Rose. Parents unknown — probably a natural seedling or a Rosa alba hybrid.

Colour scheme

Light pearly pink (shell pink), warming and deepening towards the centre of the flower.

Rose neighbours

Heritagesoft pink

Queen of Swedenporcelain pink

Olivia Rose Austingentle pink

Munstead Wooddark raspberry · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Lavenderlilac-blue

Catmint (Nepeta)blue-violet

Betonysilver foliage

Gypsophilawhite

Neighbouring roses

Soft pink roses — one colour family:

Heritage Queen of Sweden Olivia Rose Austin Munstead Wood

Companion perennials

Blue, lilac and silver neighbours set off the soft pink:

lavendercatmint (Nepeta)betonygypsophila

Variety features

Features that make Céleste easy to recognise among old garden roses:

Albablue-grey foliagegolden stamensorange hipsshade-tolerant

More about the variety

Hips: In autumn attractive orange-red hips form, which feed birds.
Variations of the variety: Synonyms: Celestial, Rosa alba 'Celestial', Minden Rose. Parents unknown — probably a natural seedling or a Rosa alba hybrid.

How to grow

Where to plant. Céleste does well as a free-standing ornamental group, in a mixed border or beside a fence; thanks to its shade tolerance it also suits partly shaded spots where other roses bloom less.

Climate. Winter hardiness USDA 5b–9b, RHS H6 — tolerates frosts below −20 °C. In Ukraine it overwinters without cover or with light cover.

Care. Undemanding and very disease-resistant — treatments against fungal infections are generally not needed. Sanitary pruning in spring is enough; as it flowers only once, the main pruning is best done right after flowering.

About the name

Name. Céleste, or Celestial, means 'heavenly' — a hint at the delicate, almost pearly tone of the petals.

Breeding. The breeder is unknown; the variety comes from the Netherlands and has been known since at least before 1717. It belongs to the Alba class.

Significance. Céleste is considered one of the most elegant old albas — thanks to its semi-double flowers, characteristic glaucous foliage, shade tolerance and very high disease resistance, it remains a welcome guest in old-rose gardens to this day.

Frequently asked questions about Céleste

Does Céleste need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −20 °C (USDA zone 5b). Overwintering depends on the conditions. H6; below −20 °C; Ukraine: no cover or light cover.

How many times a season does Céleste flower?