Rose Hommage à Barbara

Modern hybrid tea rose cultivar renowned for its deep red, velvety blooms and exceptional garden performance. This rose has garnered international recognition for combining classic flower form with improved disease resistance. It produces large, frilled, very double blooms of intense dark red that deepen to near-black velvet tones. ‘Hommage à Barbara’ has proven resilient in diverse climates: it was awarded the stringent German ADR designation for disease-resistant roses in 2009, performs well in both cool and warm-summer regions, and won gold at a national rose exhibition in Poland in 2020. Since its introduction, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ has gained a reputation for exceptional performance in gardens, bridging the gap between exhibition - quality blooms and robust disease resistance. It is frequently cited as a breakthrough among dark-red hybrid teas for its vigor and health.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

FLOWERING

‘Hommage à Barbara’ is a repeat blooming rose, flowering in flushes from late spring (in May or June) through autumn until frost. In warm climates, it may even have a nearly continuous blooming cycle. One of the rose’s acclaimed qualities is the exceptional flowering. Each flush produces numerous buds; after one bloom finishes, new buds are often already developing on lateral shoots, giving a quick rebloom interval.

Bloom:

The standout feature of ‘Hommage à Barbara’ is its large, very double flowers with a unique coloring and form. Blooms are typically borne singly on long stems or sometimes in small clusters of 1 - 3, a trait intermediate between a classic Hybrid Tea and a Floribunda. Each flower has a full high-centered form with approximately 26 - 40 petals, often with a ruffled or fluted edge and reflexed (outward-curving) petal tips.

The flower buds are ovoid and pointed, also of a typical Hybrid Tea rose form, opening to blooms about 8 - 11 cm in diameter (approximately 3 - 4.5 inches) when fully opened. The petals have substantial substance, dense with a velvety texture, helping the blooms resist rain and sun damage.

The flower color is described as a deep, intense crimson red to garnet with black shadings. The outer petals often darken to a blackish-red or maroon on the edges, giving a velvety bicolor effect, while the undersides of petals can show a subtle golden or metallic sheen in strong light. In other words, the blooms are a saturated dark red that can appear almost black in cool weather or at the petal edges, with an eye-catching sheen. This intense coloration does not fade quickly; on the contrary, the red darkens as the flower ages, ending in a deep blackish burgundy before the petals drop. Such stable, dark coloration is a prized trait inherited from the parentage. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart coding for similar blooms is often in the Red-Purple Group (e.g., RHS 187A for velvety dark red); while an exact RHS code for ‘Hommage à Barbara’ isn’t universally reported, the Delbard catalog simply calls it “d’un extraordinaire rouge intense aux reflets de velours noir” (an extraordinary intense red with black velvet highlights).

Petals:

Importantly, the spent blooms are self-cleaning: the petals fall off cleanly once the flower is finished, without clinging brown remnants, and the old flower receptacles will also drop or can be easily snapped off. This trait is relatively rare in hybrid teas. The result is that the shrub maintains a neat appearance and can channel its energy into new growth and blooms more readily. Gardeners thus spend less time deadheading, though light deadheading can still be done to prompt faster repeat bloom.

Fragrance:

The fragrance of the rose ‘Hommage à Barbara’ is light to none, has a faint traditional rose scent at best, which is also rather typical for modern Hybrid Tea hybrids, grown for color and form rather than for a perfume.

Reproductive parts:

Few hips form after the flower fades, it is not a notable hip-producing rose.

PLANT

‘Hommage à Barbara’ is classified as a Hybrid Tea rose. Grows as a medium-sized deciduous shrub, typically reaching about 80 to 120 cm (2’ 6” - 4’) in height with a similar spread, approximately 80 - 120 cm (2’ 6” - 4’) at maturity. The growth habit is bushy, compact, and rounded, with an upright tendency but good branching at the base.

The success of ‘Hommage à Barbara’ has significance for modern rose breeding. Dark red “velvet” hybrid tea roses are perennially popular in the cut flower and garden market, yet many older varieties suffer from weak disease resistance. ‘Hommage à Barbara’ showed that excellent black-spot resistance and vigor could be achieved without sacrificing bloom form, heralding a trend toward “landscape-friendly” Hybrid Teas. Breeder catalogues emphasize that Delbard’s breeding goal was a rose with flowering duration and healthy foliage. In fact, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ is often marketed not only to exhibitors but also to casual gardeners, as it is easy enough to grow so everyone can enjoy the exquisite beauty and strong performance. Its broad adaptability (USDA hardiness approx. Zone 6 and up) and continuous bloom make it valuable for public plantings and home gardens alike. Extension specialists and rose trial coordinators in multiple countries have included ‘Hommage à Barbara’ in recommended cultivar lists for disease-prone climates. Overall, this rose holds an important place in modern rosiculture as an example of marrying ornamental quality with disease resistance - a key demand of 21st-century gardeners and breeders.

Canes and Foliage:

The canes of this rose variety are sturdy and bear the characteristic prickles of Hybrid Teas; no unusual prickle morphology is noted. The foliage is medium to dark green and has a matte to slightly satin, semi-glossy surface. Leaves are compound with typically 5 - 7 leaflets, elliptic with serrated margins. The foliage shows usually good health and density, its leaves are generally free of disease spotting and form a dense cover. This dense, matte foliage provides an attractive backdrop to the blooms and also indicates substantial disease resistance.

Disease resistance and Performance:

A key aspect of this rose’s botanical profile is its above-average resistance to common rose diseases, especially fungal diseases like black spot (Diplocarpon rosae) - leaves remain clean in no-spray conditions, powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa), and rust (Phragmidium spp.) - no significant rust observed in trials. In no-spray trial gardens, this cultivar has shown minimal leaf spotting. Holds ADR (German award for disease-free performance) from 2009. For this variety the minimal spraying needed, though not immune to all strains of disease.

For example, a UK nursery catalogue notes it has “good disease resistance”. In Germany and Eastern Europe, observers report that its dark green foliage remains largely unblemished through the season: a Latvian source rates its disease resistance as “+++” (high), and a Polish grower notes “dobrej odporności na choroby grzybowe” (good resistance to fungal diseases) with foliage that stays clean and presentable. Indeed, its ADR award confirms multi-site disease robustness.

The overwhelming consensus is that ‘Hommage à Barbara’ is very disease resistant, especially against black spot and mildew, making it suitable for humid or rainy climates. The flowers themselves also tolerate adverse weather well: thick velvety petals are not easily damaged by rain (they resist “balling” or petal rot), and the dark red color does not scorch in strong sun. In trials, blooms have been noted to withstand heavy rain without significant spotting or drooping.

In terms of stress tolerance, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ handles both heat and moderate cold. It is rated hardy to about USDA Zone 6b (−20 °C) by default, and has survived winters in Zone 5 with protection (Polish growers list its cold hardiness as Group IV, ~−26 °C, i.e. USDA Zone 5b). Conversely, in hot summer climates (e.g. Mediterranean or subtropical conditions), it shows “heat tolerant” behavior, continuing to bloom in high temperatures without reduction in size - though extreme heat may shorten bloom duration as with any rose. Its heritage includes tough varieties which likely contributed to drought tolerance and winter hardiness. ‘Hommage à Barbara’ grows well on its own roots or grafted; when grafted (often on Rosa laxa or R. multiflora rootstock in Europe), it shows vigorous growth and can reach the upper end of its size range (120 cm or 4’). Under high fertility and warm conditions, it may slightly exceed that.

The cultivar name ‘Hommage à Barbara’ is French for “Homage to Barbara.” This name was chosen to honor the memory of the legendary French singer-songwriter Barbara (stage name of Monique Andrée Serf, 1930–1997). The rose was officially dedicated to her memory on June 6, 2006 at the Roseraie de L’Haÿ-les-Roses near Paris.

‘Dancing in the Dark’ - is the English trade name under which the rose was introduced in some countries, notably the United States. The name evokes the rose’s dark color and perhaps the famous song “Dancing in the Dark,” providing English-speaking customers with a memorable moniker.

‘Heinz Winkler’ - in German-speaking countries, the cultivar was marketed as Heinz Winkler, reportedly named for the Michelin-starred Bavarian chef Heinz Winkler. This kind of renaming often occurs when a nursery secures rights to sell a rose and chooses a local namesake. It’s said that “Heinz Winkler” was chosen to honor the chef (b. 1949 – d. 2022), known for his haute cuisine - perhaps drawing a parallel between fine dining and the “gourmet” quality of the rose.

‘Rooibos Rose’ - in South Africa, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ was introduced as ‘Rooibos Rose’, referencing the reddish-brown rooibos tea native to South Africa. The velvety red-black color of the bloom is reminiscent of the color of rooibos tea leaves, making this a clever regional marketing name.

The name ‘Grand Prix Special’ has appeared in Australasia and possibly parts of Europe. The origin is a bit unclear, but it may allude to a “grand prize” or a special commemorative edition. It was possibly used in New Zealand, as the New Zealand Rose Review lists ‘Grand Prix Special (Delchifrou)’. Regardless, gardeners might encounter this name in rose annuals or older nursery lists.

Couture Collection

Notably, it received the prestigious Allgemeine Deutsche Rosenneuheitenprüfung (ADR) designation in 2009 for outstanding disease resistance and garden performance. The ADR trials in Germany involve multi-year, no-spray field evaluations, and few hybrid tea roses attain this certification, underscoring ‘Hommage à Barbara’’s exceptional robustness.

Beyond ADR, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ won a Certificate of Merit at the City of Glasgow International Rose Trials in 2008, indicating high overall scores in flower quality and garden performance in UK conditions.

More recently, it achieved the “Golden Rose” (Złota Róża) top award at the 46th National Polish Rose Exhibition in Kutno, 2020, with a score of 82 points (the highest in the competition).

In France, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ has been recognized in trials organized by the Société Nationale d’Horticulture de France (SNHF); it was one of the Delbard-bred roses featured in the SNHF’s Grand Prix de la Rose trials, and sources report it obtained a “Grand Prix de la Rose” award in 2020 from the French Association of Gardeners.

ORIGIN OF THE VARIETY

The rose was bred by Georges Delbard (1905–1999) and his son Henri Delbard. Georges Delbard founded his nursery in 1935 and was known for creating the Painter Roses series, among others. ‘Hommage à Barbara’ was one of the later projects he was involved in (selected in 1997, the year before Georges’ passing, with Henri continuing the work). After some years of testing and propagation, it was first introduced to commerce in France in 2004 by Delbard/Georges Delbard SA as ‘Hommage à Barbara’ . The first sales to the public began in France in March 2005.

The rose variety ‘DELchifrou’ / ‘Hommage à Barbara’ is a result of a deliberate cross between:

 The seed parent is rose variety ‘KOReipark’ / ‘Rheinaupark’ , a red Hybrid Tea rose bred by Kordes (Germany) in 1990;

 The pollen parent is rose variety ‘Adharman’ / ‘Lasting Love’, a red Hybrid Tea bred by Adam (France, 1993);

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The rose variety delivers beauty comparable to classic exhibition roses but with greatly reduced maintenance needs. Its deep red, velvety blossoms provide stunning visual impact in the garden, while its robust foliage and continuous blooming make it a reliable performer from spring through fall. For home gardeners across a range of climates, this cultivar offers a rewarding experience, provided a few climate-specific practices are observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

Each parent contributed important qualities:

 ‘KOReipark’ / ‘Rheinaupark’ (named after a park in Cologne) is a vigorous, large red hybrid tea known for strong disease resistance and a bright crimson color.

 ‘Adharman’ / ‘Lasting Love’ is a very dark red, highly fragrant hybrid tea (often described as deep plum-red) with heavy petal substance.

From ‘KOReipark’ / ‘Rheinaupark’ , ‘Hommage à Barbara’ likely inherited its robust plant health and floriferousness, while ‘Adharman’ / ‘Lasting Love’ passed on the deep velvety red pigment and petal texture. Notably, ‘Adharman’ / ‘Lasting Love’ also has a bit of a black-velvet edge and was bred from lines that include ‘Papa Meilland’ and ‘Golden Wave’, combining fragrance and form.

While ‘Hommage à Barbara’ unfortunately did not get the strong fragrance gene, it did receive an improved bloom form (ruffled petals) and the intense dark hue that doesn’t burn. The pairing was well-chosen: one parent for sturdiness and another for beauty. The resulting seedlings were evaluated by Delbard, and DELchifrou was selected as the standout.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE CULTIVAR

Among deep red modern roses, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ is often compared to cultivars like ‘Black Magic’ (a dark red HT known for black-velvet buds) or ‘Oklahoma’ (an older fragrant dark red HT). It distinguishes itself by its fluted petal form and better disease resistance.

Unlike ‘Black Magic’, which is primarily a cut-flower rose requiring sprays, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ maintains healthy foliage with minimal care. Its bloom form - with black velvet reflexes and a touch of sparkle - can be reminiscent of the renowned ‘Papa Meilland’ (deep red HT) or ‘Grandpa Dickson’ in color, but ‘Hommage à Barbara’ lacks the strong fragrance of those and surpasses them in continuous blooming.

A more direct contemporary comparison is to ‘Grande Amore’ (Kordes, 2004), another red hybrid tea that won ADR (in 2005) and is praised for health. Both have velvety red blooms, but ‘Hommage à Barbara’’s petals have a unique wavy edge and darker reverse. One German source notes that ‘Grande Amore’ and ‘Hommage à Barbara (Heinz Winkler)’ are among the very few red HTs with ADR awards.

In gardens, ‘Hommage à Barbara’ tends to be a bit shorter and bushier than ‘Grande Amore’, and its bloom color is slightly darker with blackish tones. Another similar cultivar is ‘Astrid Grafin von Hardenberg’ (Tantau 1997) which has dark red, almost black blooms with fragrance; however, that rose is more susceptible to mildew, whereas ‘Hommage à Barbara’ stays clean. Gardeners and trials have thus identified ‘Hommage à Barbara’ as a top choice where a classic red rose is desired without the high maintenance typically associated with hybrid teas.

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