Marie Curie

Where to plant. Classic romantic flower gardens, mono-apricot groups, formal borders; ideal in a group with Leonardo da Vinci, Jean Giono and Alexandrine as a 'Romantica-quartet' — an Italian Renaissance in the garden.

Climate. To −20 °C — in Ukraine with moderate winter cover; the south — no cover needed.

Care. Classic Floribunda — spring pruning; removing spent flowers encourages new flushes; needs almost no disease prevention (5/5 health, 2× Top Rosen).

Name. The rose is named after Maria Skłodowska-Curie (1867–1934) — a physicist and chemist of Polish-French origin, the only person in history to have won two Nobel Prizes in different sciences (physics 1903, chemistry 1911). She discovered polonium (1898, named after her native Poland) and radium (1898). She died of leukaemia caused by prolonged contact with radioactive materials.

Breeding. Bred by Alain Meilland at Meilland International (Provence, France), in 1996. Code MEIlomit. Parentage: Coppélia '76 × (Allgold × LeGrice). It belongs to the Romantica® Meilland series — a line founded in the 1990s that brought back the fashion for full petals and a nostalgic form in HTs and Floribundas.

Significance. 6 awards: Certificat Saverne 1996 (France), Certificat Le Roeulx 1996 (Belgium), Médaille d'Or La Haye 1996 (Netherlands), Certificat The Hague 2001, Top Rosen 2003 and 2010 (Netherlands, for long-term garden resistance). The 4th work of the Romantica series in our catalogue — alongside Alexandrine (MEIgapencey 2009), Jean Giono (MEIrokoi 1996), Leonardo da Vinci (MEIdeauri 1994). Do not confuse with Marie Curie from Lens Roses — that is a different variety. Synonym: Romantic Dreams (international market).