Double Delight Roses are the Two-Tone Blooms of Your Dreams

They look like they belong in a fairy tale.

Double Delight Roses
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In this case, double absolutely equals delight. 'Double Delight' is a hybrid tea rose cultivar that produces lovely blossoms with creamy yellow or white centers and petals edged with coral or strawberry red. 'Double Delight' was introduced to the garden world in the 1970s, and it became an instant favorite because of its big flowers, pretty foliage, and eye-catching color patterns. Isn't it beautiful? Gardens planted with this cultivar can look forward to double the delight come blooming season.

About ‘Double Delight' Roses

The gorgeous colors of 'Double Delight' can be traced in its lineage, which includes the hybrid tea cultivars 'Granada', a rose that produces red and yellow blossoms, and 'Garden Party', which blooms in cream and ivory hues. It also goes by the names Rosa 'Andeli' and Rosa 'Double Delight'. This rose was bred by Swim & Ellis, who launched it into the garden world, at which point it won several international awards. The "Swim" of Swim & Ellis is Herbert C. Swim, who also bred the cultivars 'First Love', 'Heat Wave', and 'Duet'.

Growing ‘Double Delight' Roses

These roses are long-lasting and have a lovely, strong fragrance. They bloom from May until the first frost, and in the right conditions, 'Double Delight' can grow to be 4-5 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide. They're perfect for hedges, in borders, or as flowering centerpieces in the garden. To thrive, they need full sun and regular water. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, 'Double Delight' is "best grown in medium moisture, slightly acidic, well-drained garden loams in full sun. Tolerates some light shade, but best flowering and disease resistance generally occur in full sun. Water deeply and regularly (mornings are best)." These roses require some attention—both careful pruning in winter and regularly removing spent leaves and foliage to keep them tidy will ensure your roses bloom healthily come summer.

Learn more about planting and cultivating Rosa 'Double Delight' in your Southern garden at missouribotanicalgarden.org.

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Do you have any of these roses growing in your garden? What are your favorite roses to plant?

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