This
rose commemorates Maréchal Niel who conquered
the Malakoff at Sebastopol in 1855, and who was the
French Minister of War in 1867.
While
highly beautiful, the Maréchal Niel rose was
not very hardy and tended to grow well in the Victorian
garden only under glass. However, given a south-facing
wall and a mild climate, it could do very well. The
rose was raised by M. Acetate of Dijon, and was imported
into Britain in 1853 (in which case presumably MarÈchal
Niel was famous before his great victory of 1855).
For
complete success in raising the Maréchal Niel
rose a spacious house and deep border were necessary.
It needed free warren in a rich deep soil for its roots
to forage and, if under glass, sufficient room to have
free ventilation. It should never be exposed to frost.
While it could be forced for an early bloom, care had
to be taken not to expose it to too great a heat (in
which case the rose suffered a plague of insects and
mildew).
The
Maréchal Niel was generally grafted on to Manetti
stock.
In
pruning, Hibberd recommended that the rose should be
left at its full length, only pruning long rods as they
became exhausted.
