NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ – cream-white flower-bed shrub rose – Massad
With its soft, creamy blooms and powerful, classic perfume, NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ brings a touch of French romance to your Irish garden while coping reliably with our cool summers and humid conditions. This modern shrub rose is bred for repeat flowering, sending up cluster after cluster of pompon-like flowers from early summer well into autumn, so You enjoy months of colour with minimum effort. Its upright, compact habit fits beautifully into smaller beds, front gardens and mixed borders, giving a neat look without complicated pruning. The shrub is only sparsely thorned, making everyday care and family use more comfortable. As an own-root plant it settles in steadily, forming a long-lived, balanced bush that can regenerate from the base and keep its shape for many years. In a normal Irish garden it puts on roots in year one, builds strong shoots in year two and then shows its full ornamental value from year three. The very full, dahlia-like flowers hold their romantic charm even in changeable weather, giving You confidence that once planted, it will simply get on with its job.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Front garden feature by the entrance |
The very strong, garden-filling fragrance and creamy-white clusters create an elegant welcome near your front door or gate. Ideal where you want impact from a single shrub without complex shaping, especially for beginners |
| Small flowerbed in a family garden |
Its medium height and compact, upright habit suit small beds where space is limited but you still want a full, shrub-like presence. Reliable remontant flowering keeps the border interesting over a long season, reassuring for the busy |
| Romantic cottage-style border |
The spherical, very full blooms and soft cream-white tones blend perfectly with cottage-garden perennials for a gentle, romantic look. Works well with blues and mauves, adding old-world charm that appeals to the nostalgic |
| Low-maintenance rose grouping of 3–5 plants |
Planting a small group at the recommended spacing gives an evenly filled bed that quickly knits together, reducing visible bare soil and weeding. Own-root shrubs settle into a stable, long-lived planting that suits the practical |
| Family play lawn edge or path edging |
The moderately dense, pale green foliage and manageable height make a tidy edging along paths or lawns. Sparse prickles reduce snagging on clothes and make everyday use more comfortable around children and pets for the cautious |
| Coastal and windswept gardens |
Hardy to typical Irish winters and able to cope with cool, damp air, it is well suited to exposed gardens where roses must tolerate blustery weather and long spells of rain-heavy skies that challenge the coastal |
| Large patio pot or terrace container |
In a 40–50 litre container with good drainage this upright shrub forms a graceful, scented focal point on patios or balconies. Remontant flowering and moderate maintenance needs mean simple seasonal tasks for the urban |
| Long-term ornamental planting for conscious gardeners |
As an own-root, modern shrub it is a sound long-term choice, able to regenerate from the base and maintain its structure for years when cared for normally, offering stable ornamental value that appeals to the eco-minded |
Decorating ideas
- Cream Cottage Drift – Underplant NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ with lavender and soft pink geraniums for a low, hazy cottage edge that highlights its repeat blooms – ideal for romantic front-garden lovers
- Elegant Entrance Duo – Flank a path with two shrubs and mix in white campanula and rosemary to frame the doorway with fragrance and structure – perfect for neat, low-maintenance home entrances
- Pastel Evening Corner – Combine this rose in a 40–50 litre container with pale hostas and soft grasses for a restful, scented seating area – suited to busy urban gardeners seeking relaxation
- Country Lace Border – In a mixed border, weave NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ between foxgloves and airy Panicum ‘Sangria’ to contrast its full flowers with fine foliage – great for rural cottage-garden enthusiasts
- Soft Silver Bed – Pair with lamb’s ear, white nepeta and small hydrangeas so the creamy flowers glow against silvery foliage all summer – appealing to those who like cool, coordinated planting schemes
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Modern shrub rose from the Les Provencelles collection. Registered as MASnaxe, traded as Nadine Xella-Ricci. Classified as a flowerbed shrub rose and bed rose for garden and landscape use. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Dominique Massad at Pétales de Rose, France, introduced in 2007. Parentage is unknown. Selected for refined flower form, fragrance and reliable garden performance in temperate European climates. |
| Growth and structure |
Upright, bushy shrub 80–100 cm high with a 50–70 cm spread. Foliage is moderately dense, pale green and slightly glossy. Sparsely thorned canes make handling and positioning easier in family gardens. |
| Flower morphology |
Medium-sized, very full pompon or spherical blooms with over 40 petals. Flowers are borne in clusters, giving generous flushes. Remontant habit ensures strong first flowering and an abundant second wave. |
| Colour and phenology |
Cream-white base with a pale buttery-yellow centre. Buds open ivory with a lemon-cream tip, then fade to off-white as the soft yellow melts away. Petal edges can appear snow-white in full bloom. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, classic rose scent that easily fills a small garden space. Best appreciated near seating areas or entrances. Primarily ornamental; not selected for culinary or cosmetic harvesting purposes. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Produces only a few hips. When present they are bright red, spherical, around 10–14 mm in diameter and mainly of ornamental interest towards the end of the season. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Hardy to approximately -21 to -18 °C (H7, USDA 6b). Shows resistance to black spot with moderate susceptibility to powdery mildew and rust, requiring occasional monitoring and timely basic treatments. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in a sunny position with well-drained soil. Space 40 cm for mass planting, 35 cm for hedging, 65 cm as a specimen. In containers, choose at least 40–50 litres and ensure regular watering in dry spells. |
NADINE XELLA-RICCI™ rewards you with repeat creamy blooms, strong fragrance and a compact habit, while its own-root nature supports a long-lived, regenerative shrub; an easy, confident choice if you are planning your next garden addition.
