Ravel

Where to plant. First and foremost a florist's HT cut-flower rose — bred for greenhouses and wedding flowers, it is best in wedding and pastel bouquets. But it also grows well in the garden: in the Forest-Steppe and Steppe, in the open; in the north, with protection. A sunny spot and fertile soil. A niche variety, rarely found on the market outside the Netherlands.

Climate. USDA 6b+. Bred for greenhouses, but it overwinters in open ground too: in the Forest-Steppe/Steppe with light cover, in the north with full cover. Each winter is different — in harsh snowless years, dieback is possible.

Care. In greenhouse conditions, control of light and temperature.

Name. 'Ravel' — after Maurice Ravel (1875–1937), the French composer and author of the famous 'Boléro' (1928). De Ruiter's series of musical names: Vivaldi (the parent of Ravel), Ravel, and other composer names. De Ruiter's tradition of naming cut-flower varieties after composers.

Breeding. Bred by J.E. Steenks within De Ruiter's breeding structure (Netherlands). Code RUIsteenka. Introduced 1994. Parentage: sport of Vivaldi (HT, De Ruiter 1989). US Patent PP 8,632 (1994). A common myth: it is sometimes credited to Meilland — this is wrong.

Significance. A niche cut-flower variety from De Ruiter in the 1990s. The Vivaldi-Ravel pair: two cut-flower varieties from De Ruiter with a musical theme. No major official awards. Rarely seen in garden cultivation — by origin a greenhouse cut-flower variety, but it grows perfectly well in the garden. For amateur gardeners, other cut-flower varieties are more accessible: Pink Avalanche+, Peach Avalanche+, Red Naomi!.