Rose Melody Parfumée

'Melody Parfumée' stands as a celebrated Grandiflora rose, renowned globally for its intensely fragrant and visually captivating blooms. Its flowers undergo a delightful transformation, emerging as deep plum and maturing into an elegant, softer silvery-lavender. This remarkable variety is a testament to the meticulous art of rose breeding, consistently offering both spectacular visual appeal and an unforgettable aromatic experience to enthusiasts worldwide. The rose's repeat-flowering habit ensures a continuous display of these magnificent blossoms from spring through autumn, making it an excellent choice for both garden display and as a long-lasting cut flower.

FLOWERING

This variety is a repeat-flowering rose, consistently producing blooms in flushes throughout the growing season. Its flowering period typically extends from late spring or early summer well into autumn or mid-fall, ensuring a prolonged and continuous display of its beautiful, fragrant blossoms. It is widely recognized for its robust and reliable blooming habit.

The flowers of ‘Melody Parfumée' begin as distinctive purple buds, unfurling into gorgeous plum-purple hues. As they mature, these vibrant tones gracefully soften to an elegant silvery-lavender. The exact shade of lavender can be influenced by environmental conditions; cooler climates or weather tend to produce a more pronounced lavender shading, while hotter conditions might cause the blooms to display a pinkish-lavender tint.

These are large, high-centered, double blooms, often possessing a cupped form. They typically measure an average diameter of 11.4 cm (4.5 inches) and are composed of 25 to 30 petals, though some flowers have been noted to have as many as 45 petals. The flowers are frequently borne in clusters of 3 to 9 blooms together, enhancing their collective visual impact in the garden.

True to its name, 'Melody Parfumée' is celebrated for its intensely strong and rich fragrance. Enthusiasts frequently describe its aroma as a classic Damask scent, often complemented by discernible notes of clove and lemon. This complex and potent aroma is a primary factor in its enduring popularity among rose lovers.

The fragrance of 'Melody Parfumée' is so powerful that it can waft through the garden, permeating the air and even drifting into open windows, creating a truly immersive sensory experience. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable when temperatures are cooler, allowing the volatile aromatic compounds to linger and concentrate.

The blooms of 'Melody Parfumée' are highly prized for cutting. Their substantial size, elegant form, and, most notably, their enduring and potent fragrance make them an excellent choice for bouquets and floral arrangements. Once cut, the flowers maintain their beauty and aroma remarkably well, often lasting in a vase for 5 to 7 days, with their captivating scent remaining potent throughout this period.

PLANT

'Melody Parfumée' is predominantly and officially classified as a Grandiflora rose. This distinction is important, as Grandifloras are known for combining the large, elegant blooms characteristic of Hybrid Teas with the abundant, cluster-flowering habit typically seen in Floribundas.

This rose typically displays a medium, bushy, and upright growth habit, presenting a well-branched structure that tends to fill out effectively right to the ground, often negating the need for additional facer plants. 'Melody Parfumée' generally reaches a height of 120 - 150 cm (4 to 5 feet) and a spread of 100 - 120 cm (3.5 to 4 feet). However, it is important for gardeners to note that this rose can grow quite tall if not regularly formed. The plant's ultimate size can be significantly influenced by the rootstock it is grafted onto, as well as local growing conditions such as climate, soil fertility, and pruning practices. 'Melody Parfumée' exhibits a fast growth rate and, under ideal conditions, can be expected to thrive for approximately 30 years.

The foliage of 'Melody Parfumée' is dark green and semi-glossy. The leaves are typically oval and compound, the number of leaflets on normal mid-stem leaves is typically 5, including the terminal leaflet. The foliage is large, the leaflets are serrated, the type of serrations is single and medium sized. The stems of the plant have a normal quantity of prickles of a class.

'Melody Parfumée' thrives best in full sunlight and does not perform well in shaded conditions. It prefers moist but well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter, and it is crucial to ensure it does not sit in standing water. This rose exhibits notable tolerance to various environmental conditions. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and can even thrive in inner-city environments. Also, it has shown tolerance to coastal conditions, some shade (despite its preference for full sun), and hot, dry climates. Pruning is best carried out in late winter or in early spring, depending on the region, after the threat of extreme cold has passed. For clustered roses, hard pruning is advised.

This rose is considered moderately hardy, suitable for USDA Zones 5b and warmer, with some sources extending its range to Zone 4 or 4b with adequate winter protection, and up to Zone 10 in milder climates. In colder regions, spring freeze protection and winter protection are recommended to ensure its survival and robust performance.

While 'Melody Parfumée' is generally lauded for its good or excellent disease resistance , it is important to understand that this resistance is specific. The variety is noted to be resistant to powdery mildew and rust, but it can be susceptible to blackspot, particularly in climates conducive to this fungal disease or without proper cultural care. Ensuring good air circulation around the plants and providing proper spacing are vital to prevent fungal diseases like black spot and powdery mildew.

'Melody Parfumée' is a versatile rose, making it suitable for a variety of landscape applications. It is frequently recommended for accent planting, where its striking blooms and fragrance can be showcased. It also performs exceptionally well in mass plantings, creating a dramatic visual and aromatic impact. Furthermore, its bushy, upright habit lends itself well to hedges and screening, and it is a popular choice for general garden use. Its strong fragrance is a significant benefit, as it makes the rose a good choice for attracting beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies to the garden.

The primary commercial names for this rose, 'Melody Parfumée' and 'Violette Parfumée', are both French in origin and directly reflect the rose's most captivating attributes. 'Melody Parfumée' translates to "Perfumed Melody," while 'Violette Parfumée' means "Perfumed Violet".

The official registration name, 'DORient', is a breeder code, a standardized system designed for unique international identification. "DOR" in this context refers to the breeder, Dorieux, followed by a unique identifier assigned to this specific variety.

Baden-Baden Fragrance Prize, Baden-Baden Rose Trials, Germany, 1995;

Bagatelle (Paris) 1er Prix, Bagatelle (Paris) Rose Trials, France, 1995;

Coupe du Parfum à Bagatelle, Paris, France, 1995;

Médaille de Bronze, Madrid, Spain, 1995;

Médaille d'OR, Baden Baden, Germany, 1995;

AJJH, Prix de la Rose, Association des Journalistes du Jardin et de l'Horticulture Show, 1997;

Hybrid Tea/Grandiflora (Fully Open Bloom), South Penn Area Rose Society Show, 2000;

New Zealand Certificate of Merit, New Zealand Rose Trials, 2002;

Portland's Best Rose, Portland Rose Trials, 2002;

Nantes - Special Prize, Nantes, France, 2010;

James Gamble Fragrance Award, USA, 2015;

Division I – Single Cut Rose, Fillmore Flower Show, California, USA; 2024;

Div. IV – Bouquet, Fillmore Flower Show, California, USA, 2024;

'DORient' / 'Melody Parfumée', was bred by the esteemed French hybridizer Francois Dorieux II (1955-2015) in France in 1992. Following its development, the rose was introduced to the French market by Establissement J. Renoard in 1995 under the name 'Melody Parfumée'.

The rose variety 'DORient' / 'Melody Parfumée' is a result of cross pollination of the female parent (seed parent) a Floribunda / Grandiflora rose ‘DELdiore’ / ’Dioressence’ with the male parent (pollen parent) a Hybrid Tea rose ’STEbigpu’ / ”Stephens' Big Purple”.

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