ELINA ® – creamy-yellow hybrid tea rose - Dickson & Dickson
If You are looking for a reliable hybrid tea that simply settles in and performs, ELINA® is a graceful, creamy-yellow choice that suits typical Irish gardens, even where the soil is heavy and drainage needs a little attention in wet winters. Planted as a well-rooted, own-root 2-litre rose, it arrives “ready to start”, developing roots in year one, strong bushy growth in year two and full garden impact from about year three onwards. Its upright, medium-tall habit forms a neat, dense bush that fits beautifully into smaller front beds without overwhelming them, yet still gives long, elegant stems perfect for cutting. Large, high-centred blooms appear repeatedly through the season, their pastel lemon to cream-yellow tones fading softly to ivory, bringing a luminous, classic-rose look to both modern and cottage-style spaces. With good disease resistance and solid winter hardiness, ELINA® offers long-term value and dependable flowering for busy gardeners who want beauty without fuss, giving You confidence that once planted and watered regularly, it will quietly reward You for years.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Front garden focal rose |
Upright, medium-tall growth and dense, glossy foliage create a tidy, eye-catching focal point near your entrance without taking up too much space, ideal for homeowners who want a neat, welcoming front garden with minimal effort for beginners |
| Classic cut-flower row |
Large, high-centred blooms on long stems repeat through the season, so a short row along a sunny fence can keep supplying elegant creamy-yellow roses for the vase, suiting those who enjoy bringing garden flowers indoors for home-use |
| Small mixed border in full sun |
Combines well with perennials and grasses; its stable, upright structure and long flowering season provide a calm vertical accent that anchors looser planting schemes, making design easier for gardeners who prefer straightforward, low-stress choices for planning |
| Feature rose in cottage-style beds |
The soft cream-yellow colouring blends beautifully with lavender, catmint or soft pink perennials, giving a romantic, cottage feel without needing complex combinations, ideal for those who like traditional looks but simple maintenance for style |
| Sunny terrace in a large container |
Performs well in a minimum 40–50 litre pot with good drainage; regular watering and feed reward You with repeated, showy flowers close to seating areas, suiting busy people who mainly garden in containers for convenience |
| Low-maintenance family flowerbed |
Good general disease resistance and low routine care needs mean it fits well into family beds where time is limited, needing mainly watering, feeding and light deadheading, reassuring anyone who wants colour without regular spraying or advanced skills for families |
| Long-lived structural rose in small gardens |
As an own-root rose it develops its permanent shape in place, regenerating well from the base over the years and offering stable ornamental value, ideal for smaller gardens where each shrub must earn its keep for longevity |
| Exposed but sunny urban front border |
Its proven hardiness and ability to cope with cool, damp weather help it adapt to Irish front gardens that face wind and heavy rain, even where soils tend to stay wet and need some improvement, supporting those gardening in typical local conditions for confidence |
Decorating ideas
- Entrance Elegance – Plant a pair of ELINA® roses flanking your front door with low box or dwarf honeysuckle edging for a polished, easy-care welcome – ideal for homeowners who like a smart look without detailed gardening.
- Cottage Charm – Combine ELINA® with lavender, catmint and soft pink geraniums in a sunny bed to create a romantic, gently scented cottage effect – perfect for those who want a relaxed, traditional feel.
- Cut-Flower Corner – Line a narrow, sunny strip with ELINA® and underplant with low herbs like thyme for a tidy row that provides armfuls of creamy blooms – suited to gardeners who enjoy arranging their own flowers.
- Patio Statement – Grow ELINA® in a 40–50 litre terracotta pot with trailing white lobelia or hardy ice plant spilling over the rim for long-season colour beside seating – great for balcony and terrace users.
- Calm Mixed Border – Place ELINA® among ornamental grasses, white hydrangeas and blue perennials to anchor a small mixed border with steady structure and soft colour – ideal for busy people wanting simple, harmonious planting.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered cultivar name DICjana, trade name Elina ® Hybrid tea rose DICjana; American Rose Society exhibition name Elina; feminine given-name cultivar meaning. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Patrick and Colin Dickson, Dickson Nurseries Ltd, Northern Ireland; cross of ‘Nana Mouskouri’ × ‘Lolita’; bred 1981 in the United Kingdom; registration year 1984; introduced after 1984. |
| Awards and recognitions |
RNRS Certificate of Merit 1983; ADR 1987; multiple international medals including Gold Star of the South Pacific 1987 and Belfast Golden Rose 1987; WFRS Hall of Fame inductee in 2006. |
| Growth and structure |
Medium-tall, upright bush reaching about 110–140 cm high and 80–100 cm wide; dense, dark green glossy foliage; moderately thorny stems; forms a well-filled, structural shrub in beds or as a specimen. |
| Flower morphology |
Large XL flowers, high-centred, pointed-budded hybrid tea form, usually solitary on stems; double with approximately 26–39 petals; repeat flowering with particularly abundant second flush under good care. |
| Colour and phenology |
Cream-yellow blooms with pastel lemon tones; buds butter-yellow, opening to warmer yellow centres and paler outer petals; colour softens towards creamy white while retaining a light golden centre as flowers mature. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild, subtly scented rose fragrance with a classic rosy character; noticeable at close range without being overpowering; generally suitable near seating areas and entrances where a gentle scent is preferred. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Hip set usually sparse due to double flowers; when present, small 10–14 mm ovoid orange-red hips; primarily grown for floral display rather than fruiting interest in the autumn and winter months. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Good overall disease resistance, especially to black spot and rust; moderate powdery mildew sensitivity possible in some seasons; hardy approximately to -21 to -18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3). |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny locations with well-drained soil; recommended spacings: 65 cm for mass planting, 55 cm for hedging, 100 cm as a specimen; low maintenance, though deadheading and occasional protection against mildew may help. |
ELINA ® – creamy-yellow hybrid tea rose – offers reliable repeat flowering, good disease resistance and long-term structure as an own-root shrub, making it a practical, easy-care choice if You want a beautiful rose You can simply plant and enjoy.
