In my long horticultural career I have had many love affairs with plants. So on a glorious June day recently I decided to pay homage to one of my favourites and in doing so renew my admiration for one of the greatest rose breeders of our time

The plant I was looking for grows around the world in parks, homes, hospital grounds, churchyards, cottage gardens and stately homes.

As I walked around the beautiful gardens of Sandymount, there it was in all its glory, opening in the June sun, its blossoms shading from ivory to gold and pink, its stems strong with beautiful dark green foliage– the magnificent peace rose.

It was in France in 1935 that the name of Francis Meilland became known in the world of hybridists. Along with his father Papa Meilland he introduced his first new rose ‘Garden State’ and professional rose growers were impressed.

The breeding of roses is agonisingly slow. Many thousands of seedlings are discarded: selecting seedlings of cross pollination to meet the demands of the rose world is no easy task.

In 1939, Francis had a new seedling rose that looked good. He called it 3-35-40, referring to its pollinating programme. Just before World War II broke out he sent on trial two small parcels of the budded 3-35-40 to two rose growers, one in Italy and another in Germany.

The third consignment left France with the American consul in Lyons. The small parcel weighed just one pound and it travelled on the last clipper from France to America addressed to Robert Pyle, a well known rose grower.

Older people will remember the long, desolate years of the Second World War and during this time little rose growing took place. All available land was used to cultivate vegetables for food. However, as the years went by Francis decided to name 3-35-40 after his mother, Madame A. Meilland.

Other rose growers became enthused by this beautiful trial rose and in Italy it was called Gloria (Joy), in Germany Gloria Dei (Glory be to God). No news came from America.

On June 16th 1944, Allied forces landed on the coast of Normandy and France held its breath. At the end of August France was free once again. A month later a letter arrived at Tassin near Lyons. It came from America, from Robert Pyle.

Believe it or not, the last clipper to leave occupied France had arrived safely in America. Robert promptly propagated 3-35-40, planted it, tested it and there came glorious results.

The American Rose Society was so impressed they organised a name-giving ceremony at the Pacific Rose Society Exhibition at Pasadena, California on Sunday April 29th 1945.

This date was selected months in advance. The war was still going on in Europe. There had been no communication with Francis at Tassin so between them the American Rose growers decided this rose should be name ‘Peace’.

On a sunny Sunday on April 29th 1945, before a great gathering of rose growers who had travelled to Pasadena from all over America, two white doves were released and 3-35-40 was named ‘Peace’. On the same day Berlin fell and a truce was declared in Europe. On the day the rose received the all-American award, the war in Japan ended and when it received the supreme award, the Gold medal, a peace treaty was signed in Japan.

Nine years after it was named, thirty million peace rose bushes were in bloom all over the world. When the forty-nine delegates to the newly-formed United Nations first met in San Francisco, as each delegate entered his hotel room he saw a beautiful vase of roses with a message from the secretary of the American Rose Society which read “this is the rose ‘Peace’ which received its name the day Berlin fell. May it help to move all men of goodwill to strive for peace on earth for all mankind.”

At Tassin near Lyons work continued. Francis, now married with two children, worked longhours to develop the business. However, his health was failing and he died from cancer in June 1958.

It was the month when roses were at their best and his neighbours stripped their gardens of peace roses and laid Francis to rest amidst them in the cemetery of Antibes.

His name will forever rank among the greatest roses growers of all time. He gave the world the ‘Peace’ rose which to this day continues to sell in millions.

Today Francis’s son Alain has inherited his father’s drive and enthusiasm and ensures that the Meilland name lives on in rose-growing circles.