EIFFEL TOWER – pink hybrid tea rose - Armstrong & Swim
If You would like a tall, Paris‑inspired rose that feels at home in Irish gardens, Eiffel Tower offers elegant, high‑centred blooms on long stems, carrying a powerful, classic rose fragrance ideal for cutting and bringing indoors. Its upright, stately habit lets You use it as a specimen, a feature in a mixed border or as a structural accent near a path or entrance, while its good colour‑holding mid‑pink flowers keep their refined look as they open. Own‑root planting supports a long‑lived, reliably regenerating bush that copes well where summers are cool and damp and where heavy Irish soils need a bit of attention for drainage. In its first year it focuses on roots, the second year brings more shoots and flower stems, and by the third year You can expect its full ornamental presence and cutting value.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Feature rose beside a front door or garden path |
The tall, upright habit and classic hybrid tea shape make Eiffel Tower an elegant focal point near entrances or paths, giving height and structure without taking excessive ground space, well suited to busy homeowners seeking a neat, formal accent for their front‑garden |
| Cutting bed for fragrant indoor bouquets |
Extra‑large, high‑centred blooms on long, straight stems are ideal for vases, and the very strong, sweet fragrance easily fills a room, rewarding regular cutting and making this rose a practical choice for those who enjoy arranging their own garden flowers at home |
| Sunny mixed border in a family back garden |
With height up to around 150–190 cm and moderately dense, dark foliage, it rises above perennials without overshadowing them, adding vertical interest and repeat mid‑pink flowering through the season for gardeners wanting dependable colour among existing shrubs and perennials at weekends |
| Single specimen rose in a small lawn or gravel bed |
Its award‑winning flower form and colour stand out even when planted alone, creating a simple yet impressive statement that does not rely on complex planting schemes, suitable for those who prefer one standout plant to anchor a small space in their garden |
| Large container on a sunny patio or balcony |
Eiffel Tower performs well in a generous 40–50 litre container, where good compost and regular watering support its height and bloom production, making it a strong candidate for renters or balcony gardeners wanting a showpiece rose without altering the permanent layout of their property |
| Structured rose row along a fence or boundary |
Planted at the recommended spacing, its uniform, upright growth forms a loose, elegant line that defines paths or boundaries while leaving space beneath for low herbs or groundcovers, appealing to those who like order and clear edges in a family garden used by children |
| Rose and ornamental grass combination in heavy Irish soils |
Own‑root plants gradually adapt to local conditions, forming a resilient bush that partners well with switchgrass or blanket flower in sites where heavy soil needs thoughtful cultivation to cope with frequent Irish rain and maintain healthy drainage for long‑term success for beginners |
| Classic rose bed with a few carefully chosen cultivars |
As a remontant hybrid tea, it flowers in flushes, keeping a traditional rose bed in colour for much of the season, while its good black‑spot resistance supports a longer‑lived, lower‑maintenance planting that still looks refined and curated for enthusiastic but time‑pressed gardeners |
Decorating ideas
- Parisian entrance – Underplant Eiffel Tower by the front door with lavender and white alyssum to echo French formality softened by scent – ideal for homeowners who like a classic, welcoming threshold.
- Romantic cutting corner – Combine a small group of Eiffel Tower with obedient plant and blanket flower for a pastel‑pink and warm‑toned cutting bed – perfect for those who enjoy arranging their own fragrant bouquets.
- Vertical accent trio – Plant three roses in a loose triangle in a sunny border, threading switchgrass between them to highlight their height – suited to gardeners wanting simple structure without intensive design work.
- Patio showpiece – Grow one Eiffel Tower in a 40–50 litre pot with trailing thyme at the rim to bring height and scent to a city patio – good for apartment or townhouse residents with limited ground space.
- Cottage border upgrade – Slip a single Eiffel Tower into a mixed cottage border of foxgloves and hardy geraniums to add tall, mid‑pink blooms and cut flowers – appealing to fans of relaxed, country‑style gardens.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose Eiffel Tower, registered cultivar name Eiffel Tower, ARS exhibition name Eiffel Tower; trade name Eiffel Tower – pink hybrid tea rose; part of the Hybrid tea rose commercial group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by David L. Armstrong and Herbert C. Swim, Armstrong Nurseries, California; cross of ‘First Love’ × (‘Charlotte Armstrong’ × ‘Signora’); introduced and registered in the USA in 1963 with US Plant Patent PP 2332. |
| Awards and recognitions |
Gold Medal at the Geneva International Rose Competition 1963, Gold Medal at the Rome International Rose Competition 1963, and Certificate of Merit at the Madrid Rose Competition 1963 for overall garden and exhibition quality. |
| Growth and structure |
Vigorous, upright hybrid tea reaching about 150–190 cm in height with a 100–140 cm spread; moderately dense, dark green, slightly glossy foliage and only slightly thorny stems, forming a tall, stately bush for borders or specimen use. |
| Flower morphology |
Large to extra‑large double blooms with 26–39 petals, high‑centred, pointed hybrid tea form on mostly solitary stems; remontant, with abundant second flush flowering suited to both garden display and cutting for indoor arrangements. |
| Colour and phenology |
Rich mid‑pink blooms, paler on petal backs, opening from vibrant buds; good colour retention, then fading to a light pearly pink with a silvery sheen as flowers age, providing a refined, luminous effect through successive flushes. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strongly scented hybrid tea with a sweet, classic old‑rose style aroma; fragrance is garden‑filling in still air and carries well indoors in vases, making it particularly valued by gardeners who prioritise scent alongside flower form. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Occasional spherical hips 13–17 mm in diameter, orange‑red at maturity; generally few on well‑deadheaded plants, so hips are a minor ornamental feature compared with the repeated display of large, mid‑pink flowers. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3); good heat tolerance with regular watering in dry spells; disease resistance moderate overall, with good resistance to black spot and moderate tolerance to powdery mildew and rust. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with fertile, well‑drained soil; space at 110–180 cm depending on use; suitable for borders, cutting gardens, specimens and large containers; maintenance moderate, with seasonal feeding, pruning and occasional pest and disease control as needed. |
EIFFEL TOWER offers tall, fragrant, award‑winning blooms, dependable repeat flowering and the long‑term resilience of an own‑root rose, making it a thoughtful choice if You would like a classic yet manageable focal point in Your garden.
