Shrub; landscape groundcover roseAlain Meilland; Meilland InternationalPink

Carefree Marvel

Deep pink with a paler edge; GRANDDAUGHTER of Bonica — daughter of Magic Meidiland (three-generation lineage: Bonica '82 – Magic Meidiland – Carefree Marvel); HOMONYM: there is Marvel™ JACvelma — a different variety.

Carefree™ / Anadia® series

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat, in flushes

Repeat-flowering, abundant, from June to the first frosts; pruning stimulates new flushes. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Legacy

Carefree™

Meilland series for mass planting · triploid

Winter hardiness

−28 °C

USDA zone 5a–8b. All of Ukraine with minimal winter cover.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

60–90 × 120–130 cm

Habit: Spreading groundcover — width 1.5–2 times its height
Dimensions: 60–90 × 120–130 cm — spreading
Support: Does not need support
Shoots: Flexible, with a prostrate habit — they fill the soil
Branching: Very good, from the base

Flower

≈ 5 cm

24–28 petals.

Bud shape: Small, round, deep pink
Open flower: Pompon, very double — dense but small; characteristic of the Carefree series
Centre: Densely packed, deep pink
Fullness: 24–28 petals (very double)
Flower carriage: In large clusters of 8–15 flowers — a 'rose carpet' effect

Fragrance

No scent; 'no fragrance'

Absent — HMF 'no fragrance'; nurseries describe it as 'slight spicy' (this is a marketing description, treat with caution).

Disease resistance

5 out of 5

4–5/5 'very disease resistant' — no treatments against black spot and powdery mildew.

Sun

Full sun

Tolerates partial shade.

Thorns

Moderate

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Average number, typical of shrub roses.

Foliage

Dark green, glossy, leathery — characteristic of the Meilland Carefree series.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Shrub; landscape groundcover rose
Breeder: Alain Meilland; Meilland International, France
Bud shape: Small, round, deep pink
Open flower: Pompon, very double — dense but small; characteristic of the Carefree series
Centre: Densely packed, deep pink
Colour: Deep pink in the centre – paler towards the petal edge; the bush looks like a deep pink 'carpet'
Fullness: 24–28 petals (very double)
Flower carriage: In large clusters of 8–15 flowers — a 'rose carpet' effect
Flowering: Repeat-flowering, abundant, from June to the first frosts; pruning stimulates new flushes
Fragrance: Absent — HMF 'no fragrance'; nurseries describe it as 'slight spicy' (this is a marketing description, treat with caution)
Hips: Not documented
Habit: Spreading groundcover — width 1.5–2 times its height
Branching: Very good, from the base
Shoots: Flexible, with a prostrate habit — they fill the soil
Thorns: Average number, typical of shrub roses.
Dimensions: 60–90 × 120–130 cm — spreading
Support: Does not need support
Foliage: Dark green, glossy, leathery — characteristic of the Meilland Carefree series
Resistance: 4–5/5 'very disease resistant' — no treatments against black spot and powdery mildew
Variations of the variety: Code MEIrameca; triploid; US PP 16,030 (2005); CA 2670 (2007); AU AU4430P (2012). Parentage: Flower Carpet® Pink × (Magic Meidiland × Immensee) — a direct daughter of Magic Meidiland. HOMONYM: there is a separate Marvel™ (JACvelma) from Jackson & Perkins — a cut-flower HT deep pink, a different variety; 'Carefree Marvel' is a Meilland

Colour scheme

Deep pink in the centre — paler towards the edge of the petals; the bush looks like a richly pink 'carpet'

Rose neighbours

Magic Meidilandfuchsia

Bonicasoft pink

Knirpsrich pink

Molineuxwarm yellow · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Lavenderlavender

Soft lady's mantle (Alchemilla)lime green

Catmintsky blue

Byzantine betony (Stachys byzantina)silvery

Neighbouring roses

Landscape family — undemanding shrub roses for mass planting:

Magic Meidiland Bonica Knirps Molineux

Companion perennials

A classic landscape family for mass planting:

lavendersoft lady's mantle (Alchemilla)catmintByzantine betony (Stachys byzantina)

Availability worldwide

A working landscape rose — mainly in the USA via Star Roses:

🇺🇸 USA: high · Star Roses (Carefree Marvel)🇫🇷 France: moderate · Meilland (Anadia)🇩🇪 Germany/🇪🇺 EU: moderate🇺🇦 Ukraine: low · via imports

More about the variety

Hips: Not documented
Variations of the variety: Code MEIrameca; triploid; US PP 16,030 (2005); CA 2670 (2007); AU AU4430P (2012). Parentage: Flower Carpet® Pink × (Magic Meidiland × Immensee) — a direct daughter of Magic Meidiland. HOMONYM: there is a separate Marvel™ (JACvelma) from Jackson & Perkins — a cut-flower HT deep pink, a different variety; 'Carefree Marvel' is a Meilland

How to grow

Where to plant. Mass plantings, slopes, urban spaces, around tree trunks; ideal as a 'rose carpet' beside Magic Meidiland (its mother) — a reference Meidiland-Carefree family.

Climate. To −28 °C — all of Ukraine with minimal winter cover; hardier than its mother (Magic Meidiland −20 °C).

Care. Minimal — the Carefree™ series was created specifically for gardeners with no time; prune once every 2–3 years; no compulsory treatments.

About the name

Name. 'Carefree Marvel' — a 'carefree wonder' — for its exceptional hardiness and undemanding nature, which make this rose a 'wonder' for low-maintenance gardens. The English trade name 'Carefree' stands for a whole Meilland line for North America, with the emphasis on 'no maintenance' (Carefree Beauty, Carefree Wonder, Carefree Delight, etc.). In France the variety was released under the trade name Anadia® (2000) — a Portuguese city, and a skittle-shaped 'wonder' in Portuguese festivals.

Breeding. Bred by Alain Meilland at Meilland International (Provence, France), bred in 1992, released in Europe as Anadia® in 2000 and in the USA as Carefree Marvel™ in 2003 (through Conard-Pyle / Star Roses & Plants). Code MEIrameca. Triploid. US PP 16,030 (2005). Parentage: Flower Carpet® Pink (Noack 1989) × (Magic Meidiland × Immensee) — a GRANDDAUGHTER of Bonica through Magic Meidiland (Bonica '82 – Magic Meidiland (1992) – Carefree Marvel (1992)). A separate three-generation lineage in the catalogue.

Significance. The 11th Meilland work in the catalogue (alongside Bonica, Magic Meidiland, Lavender Meidiland, Astronomia, Marie Curie, Jean Cocteau, Mimi Eden, Jubilé du Prince de Monaco, Leonardo da Vinci, Alexandrine, Jean Giono). The 3rd landscape Meidiland-Carefree in the catalogue. The 4th 'parent–daughter' pair in the catalogue: Bonica – Magic Meidiland – Carefree Marvel (three generations!) + Fragrant Cloud – Just Joey + Golden Celebration – Jubilee Celebration + Lydia – Lovely Lydia. HOMONYM: there is a separate Marvel™ (JACvelma) from Jackson & Perkins — a cut-flower HT deep pink, a different variety with no link to the Meilland Carefree series. The Carefree™ series has NOT won major awards (it is not an AARS/ADR-type programme); it is a popular commercial success with millions of sales in North America.

Frequently asked questions about Carefree Marvel

Does Carefree Marvel need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −28 °C (USDA zone 5a–8b). Overwintering depends on the conditions. All of Ukraine with minimal winter cover.

How many times a season does Carefree Marvel flower?

Repeat-flowering, abundant, from June to the first frosts; pruning stimulates new flushes.

How big does Carefree Marvel grow?

60–90 cm tall, 120–130 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Carefree Marvel?

Overall resistance: 5 out of 5. 4–5 / 5; 'very disease resistant' (HMF); no treatments needed.

How much sun does Carefree Marvel need?

Sun; full sun; tolerates partial shade.

What does Carefree Marvel smell like?