Lavender Meidiland, close-up of the flower
Photo: Salicyna, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Shrub / Landscape; PolyanthaMichèle Meilland Richardier; Meilland International, 2008Pink

Lavender Meidiland

In France — Louis Blériot® (named after the aviation pioneer who flew the English Channel in 1909!); NOT pure lavender — deep pink with a lavender reverse; very high 'self-cleaning' toughness.

Meidiland series · 'self-cleaning'

Variety profileGardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat flowering

Continuous from spring to frost. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Series

Meidiland

Meilland landscape roses · no official awards (no AARS/ADR/AGM)

Winter hardiness

−34 °C

USDA zone 4–9. All of Ukraine without winter protection.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

40–90 × 60–90 cm
person 170 cm40–90 cm
Habit
Upright, branching — typical Meidiland-form for mass planting
Dimensions
40–90 × 60–90 cm
Support
No support needed
Shoots
Sturdy, holds clusters well
Branching
Excellent, from the base

Flower

5–6 cm
Bud shape
Round, deep pink with a noticeable lavender tint
Open flower
Medium cupped form; visible stamens in the centre
Centre
Visible, with yellow stamens
Fullness
~20 petals — semi-double
Flower carriage
Abundant clusters of 5–10 flowers — typical Meidiland-form

Fragrance

Light; rose

Moderate (light–medium) — light rose scent; the variety's strength lies not in its fragrance but in its exceptional toughness.

Disease resistance

5 out of 5

5/5 'self-cleaning' — typical Meidiland-series; petals drop by themselves, no need to remove spent flowers.

Sun

Sun and shade

Full sun; tolerates partial shade.

Thorns

Few
thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Few thorns — convenient for mass planting.

Foliage

Dark green, leathery, very healthy.

Other names

Louis Blériot, Thrive! Lavender
All characteristics in a table
Group
Shrub / Landscape; Polyantha
Breeder
Michèle Meilland Richardier; Meilland International, France, 2008
Bud shape
Round, deep pink with a noticeable lavender tint
Open flower
Medium cupped form; visible stamens in the centre
Centre
Visible, with yellow stamens
Colour
Not truly lavender despite the name — deep pink with a lavender reverse; fades to light pink. 'Lavender' is a marketing name, not a descriptive one.
Fullness
~20 petals — semi-double
Flower carriage
Abundant clusters of 5–10 flowers — typical Meidiland-form
Flowering
Continuous from spring to frost
Fragrance
Moderate (light–medium) — light rose scent; the variety's strength lies not in its fragrance but in its exceptional toughness
Hips
Not documented
Habit
Upright, branching — typical Meidiland-form for mass planting
Branching
Excellent, from the base
Shoots
Sturdy, holds clusters well
Thorns
Few thorns — convenient for mass planting.
Dimensions
40–90 × 60–90 cm
Support
No support needed
Foliage
Dark green, leathery, very healthy
Resistance
5/5 'self-cleaning' — typical Meidiland-series; petals drop by themselves, no need to remove spent flowers
Variations of the variety
Code MEIbivers (NOT MEIxxx as is often written); US PP 20,720; parentage (Immensee × Flower Carpet Pink) × Applejack; synonym Louis Blériot® (France), Thrive! Lavender™ (Star Roses USA)

Colour scheme

Not truly lavender despite the name — a deep pink with a lavender reverse to the petals; it fades to light pink. The name 'Lavender' is a marketing name, not a descriptive one.

Rose neighbours

Knirpsdeep pinkLarissasoft pinkBonicasoft pinkIcebergpure white · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

LavenderlavenderCatmint (Nepeta)sky blueOrnamental grassesgolden ochreLamb's ear (Stachys byzantina)silvery

Rose neighbours

Family of 'trouble-free' landscape roses — for mass landscaping:

KnirpsLarissaBonicaIceberg

Companion perennials

⭐ Lavender-violet, the 'true' lavender palette — scent resonance:

lavendercatmint (Nepeta)ornamental grasseslamb's ear (Stachys byzantina)

Availability worldwide

Modern Meidiland series, with different trade names by country:

  • 🇫🇷 France: high · as Louis Blériot
  • 🇺🇸 USA: high · as Thrive! Lavender (Star Roses)
  • 🇪🇺 Europe: high · Meilland landscape
  • 🇺🇦 Ukraine: moderate · via European nurseries

More about the variety

Hips
Not documented
Variations of the variety
Code MEIbivers (NOT MEIxxx as is often written); US PP 20,720; parentage (Immensee × Flower Carpet Pink) × Applejack; synonym Louis Blériot® (France), Thrive! Lavender™ (Star Roses USA)

How to grow

Where to plant. Hedges, borders, slopes, city squares, park drifts, containers; ideal for mass planting thanks to its 5/5 health and 'self-cleaning' habit.

Climate. Down to −34 °C — all of Ukraine without winter protection; exceptionally hardy for a pink-lavender variety.

Care. Minimal — prune in autumn or spring; no need to remove spent flowers (self-cleaning); needs no seasonal disease prevention.

About the name

Name. 'Lavender Meidiland' — a marketing association with the lavender tint of the petal reverse. 'Meidiland' — Meilland's brand prefix for its landscape series since the 1980s (Meilland + 'landscape'). The colour is not truly lavender, but a two-sided pink-lavender. The French name honours the aviation pioneer Louis Blériot (Louis Blériot, 1872–1936) — the first flight across the English Channel on 25 July 1909 in the monoplane Blériot XI (Calais — Dover). In France the variety is sold precisely as Louis Blériot®.

Breeding. Bred by Michèle Meilland Richardier at Meilland International (Provence, France), bred by 2006, market release 2008 (Europe), 2009 (USA through Edmunds' Roses). Correct code MEIbivers (NOT MEIxxx as is often written). US Plant Patent PP 20,720. Parentage: (Immensee × Flower Carpet Pink) × Applejack.

Significance. Part of the Meidiland series — lines of healthy landscape roses from Meilland, aimed at mass urban planting (alongside Bonica, Astronomia, Lavender Dream). One of the most 'self-cleaning' varieties in the series. No official awards (AARS/ADR/AGM not recorded), but it is widely used in municipal plantings for its exceptional toughness. Often confused with other 'lavender' varieties (Lavender Dream [Interplant 1985], Lavender Lassie [Kordes 1960]) — these are different varieties.

Frequently asked questions about Lavender Meidiland

Does Lavender Meidiland need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −34 °C (USDA zone 4–9). Overwintering depends on the conditions. All of Ukraine without winter protection.

How many times a season does Lavender Meidiland flower?

Continuous from spring to frost.

How big does Lavender Meidiland grow?

40–90 cm tall, 60–90 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Lavender Meidiland?

Overall resistance: 5 out of 5. Very high 'self-cleaning' — typical Meidiland.

How much sun does Lavender Meidiland need?

Sun and shade; full sun; tolerates partial shade.

What does Lavender Meidiland smell like?

Moderate (light–medium) — light rose scent; the variety's strength lies not in its fragrance but in its exceptional toughness.

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.