Rich, velvety deep violet with a delicate slate-grey shading. - historic, portland rose - strongly scented, far-carrying rose - scent description not available
– Bláthanna corcra domhain, velvetaigh, fíor-dhrámatúla
– Cumhrán láidir sean-arda, boladh fadraoin
– Tor díreach, dlúth le duilliúr glan, snasta
– Athbhláthú flaithiúil le dara tonn saibhir
– Friotaíocht an-mhaith i gcoinne galair rós
– Gné speisialta: Rós Portland stairiúil crua go -32 °C, oiriúnach do ghairdíní oidhreachta agus leapacha clasaiceacha.
Expert background – Shapes and contours
antoniaROSE® ORIGINAL rós i bpota 2 lítear ar a fhréamhacha féin
19,40 €
4(6200)
INDIGO – violet historic Portland rose - Laffay
If You love romantic cottage gardens and front borders with a hint of old-world charm, ‘Indigo’ brings richly violet, velvety blooms and strong fragrance to even compact Irish plots. This historic Portland shrub rose thrives in our changeable weather, coping well with frequent rain and blustery days while still flowering generously through the short Irish summer. Its upright habit and dense mid‑green foliage create a tidy, elegant backdrop, perfect beside paths where You can brush past the far‑carrying scent on a quick outdoor walk. Fully hardy and strongly disease‑resistant, it stays healthy with minimal fuss, ideal for busy gardeners who prefer simple pruning and light deadheading to complicated regimes. Planted in a 2‑litre own‑root form, it establishes steadily and offers a reassuringly long lifespan, keeping both flower and foliage display reliable over many seasons. Think of it as an investment in future memories: roots settling in the first year, stronger shoots and more flowers in the second, then full cottage‑garden abundance by year three.
Closed bud of Indigo with dark violet outer petals.
Closed bud of the historic Portland rose Indigo, with dark violet outer petals.
Usage options
Target area
Reasoning
Front garden focal shrub
Upright growth to about 1–1.5 m with dense, mid‑green foliage makes ‘Indigo’ an easy focal point beside a path or front door, offering rich violet flowers and strong perfume from a compact footprint; suits the busy urban front‑garden homeowner.
Cottage‑style mixed border
The historic Portland character, dusky violet blooms and repeat flowering sit beautifully among perennials and grasses, giving an instant “girly” cottage feel with very little specialist care; perfect for nature‑loving cottage‑garden beginners.
Low‑effort flowering hedge
Plant at 90 cm intervals for a loosely formal hedge that flowers repeatedly and smells wonderful, while good disease resistance keeps the line attractive without constant spraying; ideal for time‑pressed family‑garden owners.
Specimen in lawn or gravel
As a solitary shrub at about 1.8 m spacing, ‘Indigo’ becomes a sculptural accent with velvety blooms that stand out against grass or pale gravel, needing only annual pruning and watering in dry spells; suited to design‑aware garden enthusiasts.
Historic rose collection corner
This 1840s Laffay rose adds genuine period atmosphere, its form and colour echoing heritage gardens while remaining robust and winter‑hardy, rewarding long‑term planting plans; appealing to collectors and story‑seeking rose connoisseurs.
Part‑shade side garden
Suitable for partial shade, it keeps good colour and still flowers well in side passages or between houses where sun is limited, providing scent and structure without demanding ideal conditions; reassuring for small‑plot city‑garden residents.
Large container by seating area
Grown in a 40–50 litre pot with good drainage, ‘Indigo’ brings perfume right up to your patio chairs, and the own‑root form supports long container life with simple renewal pruning; attractive for balcony and terrace‑focused garden users.
Weather‑tolerant family border
With strong resistance to black spot, rust and mildew and a tolerance for cool, damp spells, it stays good‑looking through unsettled, rainy Irish seasons, reducing spraying and worry for the average family‑garden gardener.
Styling ideas
Cottage-Romance – Underplant ‘Indigo’ with small scabious and soft pink perennials for a loose, storybook border – ideal for homeowners seeking a gentle, feminine cottage feel.
Velvet-Contrast – Pair the deep violet blooms with white foxgloves and silver foliage to highlight the dusky tones – perfect for design‑minded urban gardeners wanting drama in small spaces.
Heritage-Path – Line a short front path with two or three shrubs, edged by low euonymus, to create a traditional welcome – suited to terraced‑house fronts needing simple structure.
Gravel-Chic – Plant as a specimen in pale gravel with Mexican feather grass for a soft, wind‑moved frame around the dark flowers – great for low‑maintenance, contemporary cottage owners.
Perfumed-Nook – Place one large‑pot plant near a bench, adding lavender and potted herbs to build a scented corner – perfect for busy beginners who want easy, close‑up fragrance.
Technical cultivar profile
Parameter
Data
Name and registration
Indigo, historic Portland shrub rose; ARS exhibition name ‘Indigo’, unregistered cultivar, heritage collection type, commercial group Rós stairiúil, often listed as Indigo – Laffay.
Origin and breeding
Historic French rose first introduced by breeder Jean Laffay around 1844–1845; parentage unknown, typical of Portland and Damask Perpetual groups, now propagated on its own roots.
Growth and structural characteristics
Upright shrub, approximately 100–150 cm tall and 80–120 cm wide, with dense, slightly glossy mid‑green foliage and moderate thorniness, forming a full, tidy bush under light annual pruning.
Flower morphology
Medium double blooms, 4–7 cm across, with 26–39 petals and a flat, clustered form; remontant flowering pattern with a generous second flush, though spent blooms may require manual deadheading.
Colour data and phenology
Rich deep violet to purplish‑crimson tones with slate‑grey shading; colour intensifies in cooler conditions, may lighten and fade to lilac‑grey and brownish edges in strong sun as flowers age.
Fragrance and aroma
Strong, far‑carrying perfume typical of historic scented roses; reliable scent performance in average seasons, even in partial shade, making it well suited to areas where fragrance is a priority.
Hip characteristics
Low hip production; occasional small, spherical orange‑red hips about 10–15 mm in diameter may form if some spent flowers are left, adding discreet seasonal interest in late summer and autumn.
Resistance and winter hardiness
Good overall disease resistance, rated resistant to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; fully hardy to about −32 to −29 °C, corresponding to RHS H7, USDA zone 4b and Swedish zone 5 conditions.
Horticultural recommendations
Best in well‑drained soil with organic mulch; spacing 90–100 cm for hedges or 1.8 m as specimen, suitable for partial shade, moderate drought tolerance but benefits from watering in prolonged dry periods.
INDIGO offers richly violet historic blooms, strong fragrance and disease‑resistant, long‑lived own‑root growth that matures gracefully over the years; an excellent choice if You wish to anchor a small garden with character.
Detailed product attributes
Product Identification Data
Product Name:
INDIGO – violet historic Portland rose - Laffay
Product Type:
antoniaROSE® ORIGINAL - rós i bpota 2 lítear ar a fhréamhacha féin
Pollinator Attraction:
The very double flower form and reduced accessibility of the stamens mean it attracts pollinators poorly.
Pollinator-Friendly Rating:
Its double flowers partially cover the stamens, so it attracts pollinators poorly; pollinator-friendliness is limited, primarily an ornamental cultivar.
Our product is a rose grown with unique pharmaROSA® cultivation technology!
2 litre, own-root, potted rose.
With shoots appropriate to the season.
With roots thoroughly interwoven through the growing medium.
Quality in line with the requirements of the E.N.A. (European Nurserystock Association).
In unique packaging that prevents damage.
Can be planted during frost-free periods.
True-to-type rose plant with an individual identifier.
The pharmaROSA® own-root potted rose is a well-rooted plant that supports reliable establishment when planted and cared for properly, so it can be planted whenever the soil is not frozen.
Stock: several varieties and several stages of development in a short stock section.Shoot system: intensive growth of fresh basal shoots on a young plant.Root system: presentation of the strong root system interwoven through the growing medium with the pot removed.Balance: mature plant where the development of the root system and the shoots is in harmony.
Information about the videos
The video series is not a “seasonal showcase”, but makes the essence of pharmaROSA® own-root production tangible: how the plant is built, what the root system is like and how the shoots renew themselves. The footage was therefore taken at different times, showing plants at different stages of development, so mixed leaf coverage or differing growth stages may appear in the videos. This is not a “sample” of the batch delivered, but an illustration of how the technology works. The current condition of the rose available to order — typical of the given period and similar to what you can expect to receive in the parcel — is shown at the top of the product page.
Pages for private customers Garden roses for the family garden, with minimal care → ORIGINAL® Premium garden roses – instant impact, a truly showpiece garden → EXTRA® Pages for professionals and private customers Roses for public spaces – large areas, sustainable maintenance → NATURAL® Roses for projects – hedge and row planting, fast implementation → RAPID® For professional partners only Production – propagation material for garden roses, wholesale → NEONATAL®
Sonraí cuideachta
PharmaRosa Ltd. Company registration number: 01-09-717479 VAT number: 13075314-2-43 Plant health registration no.: HU130721 Bank account (IBAN): HU85117631891388688400000000 BIC (SWIFT): OTPVHUHB Bank name: OTP Bank Nyrt.
