DOLCE LUNA| Hybrid tea rose

DOLCE LUNA ROSE

• 🌹 Flower color: Soft lilac-pink to rose-pink
• 📏 Plant height: About 100–120 cm (3–4 ft)
• 🌸 Bloom size: Around 10 cm across
• 🌺 Fragrance: Strong, with fruity and honey-like notes
• 🔁 Blooming: Repeat flowering through the season
• ☀️ Best growing conditions: Full sun with well-drained, fertile soil
• 🛡️ Disease resistance: Good resistance to common rose diseases.

Dolce Luna® was bred by Enrico Barni of the historic Rose Barni nursery in Pistoia. It was introduced in 1999 as a hybrid tea rose.

Some interesting facts about its breeding and history:

• Breeder: Enrico Barni
• Nursery: Rose Barni (Italy), a family-run rose breeding company founded in 1882.
• Year introduced: 1999.
• Parentage: 'Mount Shasta' × 'Rinascimento'.
• Registered cultivar name: BARludo (also listed with the breeding code 3380).

Dolce Luna® became one of Barni's most celebrated roses. At the 1999 Monza International Rose Trials, it won:

• Gold Medal in the Hybrid Tea category.
• "Corona della Regina Teodolinda" (Queen Theodelinda's Crown) for the most fragrant rose.
• "Most Beautiful Italian Rose" award.

Dolce Luna® is a repeat-flowering hybrid tea rose that performs best with attentive, regular care.

Planting

• Choose a location with 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
• Plant in fertile, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (about 6.0–7.0).
• Space plants 60–90 cm (2–3 ft) apart to allow good air circulation.
• Water thoroughly after planting and apply mulch to help conserve soil moisture.

Watering

• Water deeply once or twice a week, depending on rainfall and temperature.
• Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged.
• Water at the base of the plant to keep foliage dry and reduce disease risk.

Fertilizing

• Feed with a balanced rose fertilizer:
  • In early spring as new growth begins.
  • After the first flush of flowers.
  • Again in mid-summer if needed.
• Stop fertilizing about 6–8 weeks before the first expected frost in cold climates.

Pruning

• Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth starts.
• Remove dead, weak, or crossing stems.
• Cut healthy canes back to 30–45 cm (12–18 inches), making cuts just above outward-facing buds.
• Remove spent flowers (deadhead) throughout the growing season to encourage repeat blooming.

Mulching

• Apply 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) of organic mulch (such as compost, bark, or leaf mold).
• Keep mulch a few centimeters away from the base of the stems to prevent rot.

Disease and Pest Management

Dolce Luna® has good disease resistance, but preventive care is still important.

• Ensure good air circulation.
• Remove fallen leaves and diseased plant material.
• Watch for:
  • Aphids
  • Spider mites
  • Black spot
  • Powdery mildew
• Treat problems early with appropriate horticultural or biological controls if needed.

Winter Care

• In cold regions, mound 20–30 cm (8–12 inches) of soil or compost around the base after the first hard frost.
• Add straw, leaves, or other protective mulch over the crown.
• Remove winter protection gradually in spring.

With proper care, Dolce Luna® produces large, fragrant lilac-pink blooms repeatedly from late spring until autumn and makes an excellent cut flower.