I have bought many of the Meilland 'Romanticas' over the last few
years and have found that they are more likely to be better quality
varieties on average than the same number of 'Austins' that I grow:

I put them in a similar category because they are modern roses with an
'Old Garden Rose' bloom form and bush form (in general). They are
actually meant to be marketed as Meilland's direct competitors of
David Austin's roses.

Here is the list of the ones that I grow in the order of quality as I
see it in my garden.

(1) Frederic Mistral - The best and most consistent smelling rose in
my garden (of 350 varieties).
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...icMistral.html

(2) Jean Giono - Amazing poofy non rose looking yellow roses with
gold centers. I truly love this rose, Unusual and beautiful.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...JeanGiono.html

(3) Peter Mayle - a newer variety with gorgeous huge extremely
fragrant many petaled blooms. Very nice.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...eterMayle.html

(4) Yves Piaget - Completely unique big ruffled balls of bloom.
Fragrant and beautiful.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...vesPiaget.html

(5) Traviata - Great looking, long lastin 'OGR' form bright scarlett
blooms in profusion. No scent however.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/.../Traviata.html

(6) Abbaye de Cluny - Large Apricot colored rounded form blooms in
profusion on large bush with medium scent.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...yeDeCluny.html

(7) Paris d' Yves St. Laurent - Beautiful pink blooms in clusters.
starts out with HT form and opens to big wide ruffled edged look. No
fragrance.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...StLaurent.html

(8) Guy de Maupassant - Pink 'OGR' looking cupped, medium sized
blooms in profusion. Blooms in flushes. No discernable scent.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...aupassant.html

(9) Toulouse Lautrec - Beautiful yellow unusually formed blooms
Tentatively put in this position. Only had if for a season so the
long term jury is still out.

(10) Eden (aka Pierre de Ronsard) The oldest variety of the bunch
with a couple of problems - it takes a while to grow to full size, the
blooms tend to droop a bit, and it isn't very fragrant. Other than
that it is quite beautiful as you can see from Cass's photo.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/climbers/Eden.html

(11) Polka - Amazingly complex and large many petaled beautiful
blooms on a large climbing bush. Problem is: doesn't bloom enough.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/climbers/Polka.html

(12) Auguste Renoir - Big blooms that look great sometimes, but have
trouble opening other times and get brown edges. Blooms do last a
long time. Strong Fragrance
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...steRenoir.html

(13) Johann Strauss - A rose that is once in a while beautiful, but
not always so, Needs to bloom more. Fragrance: mild.
http://www.rose-roses.com/rosepages/...nnStrauss.html

Any other 'Romanticas' that you grow? How would you rate yours? How
do they do in your climates?

Bob Bauer
Zone 6 in Salt Lake City