Plant Patent Applied For. Cultivar name: 'MEIzmea.' Synonym: 'Red Carefree Delight.'One of the standout Carefree™ series from the House of Meilland in France, this very vigorous, disease-resistant, heavy-blooming shrub Rose is a spectacular addition to the garden. It is bred for heavy repeat flowering, with a well-branched habit and healthy foliage untroubled by mildew, rust, and other foliar diseases. A far and grateful cry from the fussy Roses your mother grew, Carefree Spirit™ lives up to its name every day in the garden!
Giant clusters of 2- to 2 1/2-inch blooms dot this shrub all summer long, appearing in great flushes with a brief rest between each flowering cycle. Single-petaled, they have an almost translucent appearance, so bright is the red, and they surround a merry yellow eye. Very attention-getting -- the butterflies take notice, and in fall and winter, songbirds visit to nibble on the nutritious hips that follow the blooms.
Just 4 to 5 feet high and 3 to 4 feet wide, this shrub is a fine choice for the foundation, a hedge, mass planting, or border grouping. It fits nicely with perennials and shrubs -- no need to worry about crowding its foliage, as is often the case with older Roses. Carefree Delight™ stays well-branched and densely clothed in glossy dark green foliage from spring 'til frost!
Particularly at home in the heat and humidity of our American summers, this French Rose is a fine addition to gardens where ease of care and abundance of brilliant color are valued. Make it the centerpiece of your sunny garden this season, and it will repay you generously for many, many years to come. Zones 5-9.
