Francis Meilland
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Francis Meilland (February 20, 1912— June 15, 1958) was a French rose breeder and co-founder of Meilland International, a family-owned rose growing company in southern France. The Meilland family has been breeding and selling roses since 1850. Francis Meilland is best known for developing the legendary
Hybrid tea rose Hybrid tea is an informal horticultural classification for a group of garden roses. The first hybrid tea roses were created in France in the mid-1800s, by cross-breeding the large, floriferous Garden roses#Hybrid perpetual, hybrid perpetuals with ...
, 'Peace', in the 1930s. Since the rose's introduction in the
U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
in 1945, over 40 million 'Peace' roses have been sold worldwide.


Biography


The Meilland family

Francis Meilland is the most celebrated member of the six generation, Meilland family of French rose breeders and nursery owners. The family's rosarian origins began in 1850 with Francis's great-grandfather, Joseph Rambaux, a gardener at
Parc de la Tête d'Or The Parc de la Tête d'or (; English: "Park of the Head of Gold") is the largest urban park in Lyon, France, with an area of approximately . Located in the northern part of its 6th arrondissement of Lyon, 6th arrondissement, it features the Jardi ...
in Lyon. He is best known for developing the popular Polyantha rose, 'Perle d'Or'. None of the rose varieties that Rambaux developed were introduced until after his death in 1878. Rambaux left his nursery to his wife Claudine, his daughter, Marie, and her husband, Francis Dubreuil. Dubreuil was a tailor at the time, but gave up the profession to help run the family business. Claudine also bred and introduced her own roses. Dubreuil developed over 64 rose varieties during his career. Francis's father, Antoine Meilland, was hired as Dubreuil's gardening assistant in 1900. At the nursery, he met Dubreuil's daughter, Claudia. The couple married in 1909, and Francis was born three years later on February 20, 1912, in
Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...
. He was named after his grandfather, Francis Dubreuil.


Early years

Francis's father, Antoine was drafted into the French army in 1914. His wife, Claudia, managed the family nursery until Antoine returned from the war in 1919. The Meilland family later moved to
Tassin-la-Demi-Lune Tassin-la-Demi-Lune () or simply Tassin is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, central-eastern France. Geography The town of Tassin-la-Demi-Lune is located in the western suburbs of Lyon and is part of Lyon M ...
and bought a larger property to expand their rose growing business. Francis showed a strong interest in roses as a child. He worked with his parents at the nursery from the age of fourteen. He would often accompany Antoine to meetings with clients and other rose breeders. On one of their business trips in 1932, Francis and Antoine met with one of his father's clients in
Antibes Antibes (, , ; ) is a seaside city in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in Southeastern France. It is located on the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice; its cape, the Cap d'Antibes, along with Cap Ferrat in Saint-Jean-Ca ...
, the rose breeder Francesco Paolino and his wife Marie-Elizabeth. During this trip, Francis met their daughter, Louisette, who was twelve at the time and would later marry Francis. Francis's first attempts to breed roses were not successful. His father later took Francis to a meeting of rose hybridizers to meet a prominent rose breeder, Charles Mallerin. Mallerin became a mentor to Francis and encouraged his efforts in rose breeding. Years later, Francis honored his mentor by naming a rose after him, the dark red hybrid tea, 'Charles Mallerin'. At the meeting, Mallerin introduced the Meillands to the American businessman, Robert Pyle, who represented Star Roses Nursery in the U.S. Pyle would later sign an agreement with the Meillands, allowing his company to introduce their roses in the United States. Francis travelled overseas after his mother, Claudia, died of cancer in 1932. He drove across the U.S. to pick up new ideas in rose breeding and cultivation. During this trip, he met again with Robert Pyle. Pyle's company introduced Meilland's first successful rose variety, 'Golden State', bred by Francis before 1937; it was introduced in America in 1938. The name was chosen to commemorate Francis's visit to
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. During his U.S. visit, Francis viewed Star Rose's color photo catalog and when he returned to France, he added photos to Meilland's annual rose catalog with great success. The nursery sold every rose advertised in the catalog. During his travels overseas, he learned how cut roses were grown in winter in
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. He later had greenhouses built in
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to grow the Meilland's nursery's cut roses during the winter. In America, Francis also learned valuable information from Robert Pyle about the American rose market, where the
patent A patent is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using, or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an sufficiency of disclosure, enabling discl ...
ing of plants began in 1930. He returned to France and began trademarking the Meilland roses.


The 'Peace' rose

Francis was a talented and prolific rose breeder, and is best remembered for developing the legendary 'Peace' rose. In 1935, he cross-pollinated roses ( 'George Dickson' x Souvenir de Claudius Pernet') x ( 'Joanna Hill' x 'Charles P. Kilham'). This cross resulted in an unnamed seedling that was later crossed with 'Margaret McGredy. Francis thought the resulting Hybrid tea seedling of this second cross was very promising. It had dark green, healthy foliage, and beautiful cream-yellow blooms with edges of pink. He noted the seedling in his records as #3-35-40. Louisette and Francis were married on January 14, 1939. They worked together at the Meilland nursery in
Tassin-la-Demi-Lune Tassin-la-Demi-Lune () or simply Tassin is a commune in the Metropolis of Lyon in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, central-eastern France. Geography The town of Tassin-la-Demi-Lune is located in the western suburbs of Lyon and is part of Lyon M ...
, collaborating on the selection of new rose varieties; Louisette was the administrator for the nursery. Months later, right before Germany's invasion of France, Francis sent cuttings of the new rose cultivar to fellow rose growers in
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, and
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, and also to the Conard-Pyle company in the U.S. Francis named the pink and yellow blend rose, ‘Madame Antoine Meilland,’ after his late mother, Claudia. In the U.S., the new rose was successfully propagated. It was later introduced on April 29, 1945, on the same day that
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
surrendered to Allied forces. The rose was given the marketing name, 'Peace', in the U.S., to mark the end of the war. It was an immediate commercial success and sold extremely well worldwide. The tremendous success of the 'Peace' rose when it was first introduced, allowed the Meilland family to sell a major portion of their thriving business to Francisque Richardier, rose business owner and friend, so that Francis could focus solely on rose breeding. The Meilland nursery became the Meilland-Richardier company. Francis and Louisette bought property near
Cap d'Antibes Antibes (, , ; ) is a seaside city in the Alpes-Maritimes department in Southeastern France. It is located on the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice; its cape, the Cap d'Antibes, along with Cap Ferrat in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to the northe ...
, his wife's birthplace and where the Paolino family still had a nursery. Francis died at the age of 46, of cancer, on June 15, 1958. Besides his world famous 'Peace Rose', Francis, developed over 150 rose varieties during his career. Since its introduction, there have over 40 million 'Peace' roses sold. It is considered the most popular selling rose of the 20th century. His work was continued by his wife, Louisette, son Alain and daughter Michelle Meilland Richardier.


Meilland International

Meilland Richardier grew into the large rose growing business, Meilland International. The company's headquarters are located in Le Luc en Provence, France. The company is owned entirely by the Meilland and Richardier families. Meilland International, also known as the House of Meilland in France, has three divisions: Meilland International, which creates new rose varieties; Meilland Richardier, which grows and sells commercial roses worldwide; and Selection New Plant (SNP), which finds and acquires innovative varieties of ornamental plants. The company employs over 800 people worldwide and owns rose trial gardens and test stations in France, the U.S. and Germany. The company's new roses are grown on 600 hectares (1500 acres) in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
,
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, the
Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, and in
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. Meilland International sells over 12 million rose plants each year. The company is managed by Alain Meilland and Michell Richardier Meilland, who are also rose breeders for Meilland International. The company's rose breeding program has been led by Jacques Mouchotte since 1978.


Selected roses

* 'Golden State', Hybrid tea, (1938) * 'Ampère', Hybrid tea, (1939) * 'Alain', Floribunda (1940) * 'Peace', Hybrid tea, (1942) * 'Baccarat', Hybrid tea, (1956) * 'Michele Meilland', Hybrid tea, (1948) * 'Alsace', Hybrid tea, (1948) * 'Tahiti', Hybrid tea, (1948) * 'Caprice' Hybrid tea, (1948) * 'Charles Mallerin', Hybrid tea, (1948) * 'Monte Carlo', Hybrid tea, (1949) * 'Confidence', Hybrid tea, (1951) * 'Symphonie', Hybrid tea, (1950) * 'Belle Blonde', Hybrid tea, (1955) * 'Champs-Elysées', Hybrid tea, (1957) * 'Christian Dior', Hybrid tea, (1958) * 'Bettina', Hybrid tea, (1959)


Gallery

Rosa_Vatican_2019-06-07_1576.jpg , 'Vatican', (1939) Rosa_Alain.jpg, 'Alain', (1946) Rosa_Tahiti.jpg, 'Tahiti', (1948) Rosa_Michele_Meilland_1.jpg, 'Michele Meilland', (1948) Rouge_Meilland_Th_1949_IMG_8761.jpg, 'Rouge Meilland', (1949) Concerto_(Meilland_1994).JPG, 'Concerto' (1953) Rose_Black_Baccara_%E3%83%90%E3%83%A9_%E3%83%96%E3%83%A9%E3%83%83%E3%82%AF_%E3%83%90%E3%82%AB%E3%83%A9_(5693278972).jpg, 'Baccará' (1954) %E7%8E%AB%E7%91%B0_Rosa_White_Knights_-%E5%A5%A7%E5%85%8B%E8%98%AD%E7%8E%AB%E7%91%B0%E5%9C%92_Parnell_Rose_Garden,_Auckland-_(46632027951).jpg, 'White Knight', (1955) Rose,_Cl._Sarabande_-_Flickr_-_nekonomania.jpg, 'Sarabande', (1957) Pink_Peace_YR.AARS1974_Hybrid_Tea_005.jpg, 'Pink Peace', (1958) Rosa_%27Manou_Meilland%27_03_(cropped).JPG, 'Manou Meilland' (1979)


Notes


Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Meilland, Francis People from Lyon Rose breeders 1912 births 1958 deaths