Hommage à Barbara, close-up of the flower
Photo: T.Kiya, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Hybrid Tea; bushDelbardRed

Hommage à Barbara

A deep velvet-red that develops almost to black; outer petals with a black velvet sheen; self-cleaning — spent blooms drop off on their own; holds its colour in rain.

Code CC 98.8303.2 · Grands Coloris collection

Variety profileGardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat flowering

Remontant, abundant from May to frosts; self-cleaning — spent blooms drop off on their own, so the bush does not need daily deadheading. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Awards

4 awards

Geneva 2002 · Bagatelle Gold 2002 · The Hague Gold 2002 · Glasgow 2008

Winter hardiness

−20 °C

USDA zone 6b–9b. In Ukraine — light cover.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

80–120 × 120 cm
person 170 cm80–120 cm
Habit
Compact, broad bush
Dimensions
80–120 × about 120 cm
Support
Not needed — a compact, self-supporting bush
Shoots
Strong, holding the flower without flopping
Branching
Broad — the bush is wider than it is tall

Flower

26–40 petals
Bud shape
High-centred, classic hybrid tea
Open flower
Deep velvet-red, developing almost to black; the outer petals have a black velvet sheen, and the reverse of the petal has a light gloss; diameter — no data
Centre
High-centred; full flower — 26–40 petals
Fullness
26–40 petals — a full flower; the edge is wavy or toothed
Flower carriage
Singly and in small clusters

Fragrance

Barely perceptible; almost without scent

Barely perceptible, almost without scent (none to mild) — the variety is valued for its colour, not its perfume.

Disease resistance

4 out of 5
Black spotresistant

Good, in particular to black spot — 4/5.

Sun

Holds its colour

The colour stays stable even in rain; darkens to almost black.

Thorns

Moderate
thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

No data on prickles; medium prickliness is customary for a bush-type HT.

Foliage

No data; healthy (see resistance).

Other names

Dancing in the Dark, Heinz Winkler, Rooibos Rose
All characteristics in a table
Group
Hybrid Tea; bush
Breeder
Delbard, France
Bud shape
High-centred, classic hybrid tea
Open flower
Deep velvet-red, developing almost to black; the outer petals have a black velvet sheen, and the reverse of the petal has a light gloss; diameter — no data
Centre
High-centred; full flower — 26–40 petals
Colour
It holds its colour in rain — it does not scorch in the sun or fade; on the contrary, it darkens to an almost black shade
Fullness
26–40 petals — a full flower; the edge is wavy or toothed
Flower carriage
Singly and in small clusters
Flowering
Remontant, abundant from May to frosts; self-cleaning — spent blooms drop off on their own, so the bush does not need daily deadheading
Fragrance
Barely perceptible, almost without scent (none to mild) — the variety is valued for its colour, not its perfume
Hips
No data
Habit
Compact, broad bush
Branching
Broad — the bush is wider than it is tall
Shoots
Strong, holding the flower without flopping
Thorns
No data on prickles; medium prickliness is customary for a bush-type HT.
Dimensions
80–120 × about 120 cm
Support
Not needed — a compact, self-supporting bush
Foliage
No data; healthy (see resistance)
Resistance
Good, in particular to black spot — 4/5
Variations of the variety
Code DELchifrou; code CC 98.8303.2; Grands Coloris collection. Synonyms: Dancing in the Dark (USA), Heinz Winkler, Rooibos Rose

Colour scheme

It holds its colour in rain — it does not scorch in the sun or fade; on the contrary, it darkens to an almost black shade

Rose neighbours

Black Baccaradark burgundyPapa Meillandvelvety darkDeep Secretdark redIcebergpure white · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Woolly stachyssilver foliagePerovskialavender-blueGypsophilawhiteHeucherapurple foliage

Neighbouring roses

The darkest velvety-red Hybrid Teas — the 'black' family:

Black BaccaraPapa MeillandDeep SecretIceberg

Companion perennials

Silver foliage and cool lavender set off the deep, almost black colour:

woolly stachysperovskiagypsophilaheuchera

Awards

Awards from international rose competitions:

🇨🇭 Geneva 2002🇫🇷 Bagatelle Gold 2002🇳🇱 The Hague Gold 2002🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Glasgow 2008

More about the variety

Hips
No data
Variations of the variety
Code DELchifrou; code CC 98.8303.2; Grands Coloris collection. Synonyms: Dancing in the Dark (USA), Heinz Winkler, Rooibos Rose

How to grow

Where to plant. A compact, broad bush (80–120 × ~120 cm) needs no support and stands on its own. Its main value is the deep velvet-red colour that develops almost to black; to make it 'sing', plant it in a sunny spot and set it off against silver foliage (stachys, perovskia) or white gypsophila — against such a background the almost black flower looks most striking. Its neighbours in the 'black' family are Black Baccara, Papa Meilland, Deep Secret and Barkarole.

Climate. Hardy to −20 °C, USDA 6b–9b; in Ukraine, with light cover. It keeps its colour in rain and is self-cleaning (spent blooms drop off on their own), so it needs less care.

Care. Remontant, flowering abundantly from May until the frosts. Good disease resistance, including to black spot (4/5). It has almost no scent; the variety is grown for its colour.

About the name

Name. The rose is named after the French singer Barbara (Monique Serf, 1930–1997). A telling detail: the year the variety was bred (1997) matches the year of her death, a tribute to the artist's memory.

Breeding. Bred by the Delbard house (France), code DELchifrou, code CC 98.8303.2; bred in 1997, on sale in 2004–2005. Parentage: Rheinaupark × Lasting Love. It belongs to the Grands Coloris collection. Synonyms: Dancing in the Dark (USA), Heinz Winkler, Rooibos Rose.

Significance. Delbard is known for its series of roses dedicated to artists, and 'Hommage à Barbara' continues this tradition. The variety has won four international awards: Geneva 2002, Bagatelle Gold 2002, The Hague Gold 2002, Glasgow 2008.

Frequently asked questions about Hommage à Barbara

Does Hommage à Barbara need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −20 °C (USDA zone 6b–9b). Overwintering depends on the conditions. In Ukraine — light cover.

How many times a season does Hommage à Barbara flower?

Remontant, abundant from May to frosts; self-cleaning — spent blooms drop off on their own, so the bush does not need daily deadheading.

How big does Hommage à Barbara grow?

80–120 cm tall, about 120 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Hommage à Barbara?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Good disease resistance, in particular to black spot.

How much sun does Hommage à Barbara need?

Holds its colour; the colour stays stable even in rain; darkens to almost black.

What does Hommage à Barbara smell like?

Barely perceptible, almost without scent (none to mild) — the variety is valued for its colour, not its perfume.

Gardeners' photos and reviews

My climate

Choose a reference temperature to compare with the cultivar’s data. This is not an overwintering forecast or advice on winter protection; consider wind, moisture and the duration of frost.

Regional data are generalised. USDA describes average annual extreme minima, not a forecast; the values in the list are rounded. Check the conditions at your site. More information: Roses in Ukraine's climate.