The PEACE ROSE, is an extraordinary story. Meilland was a small family business established in the early 1900’s near Lyon. The son, Francis, had started to patent a beautiful rose in the US when war broke out. Obviously, the family gave up roses and grew vegetables for that period. However, a close friend, flying out on the last diplomatic plane to the US took this precious plant with him. When war ended Robert Pyle, with whom Francis had signed a contract in 1935, informed him the rose had been called Peace to commemorate the day war ended. He said, ‘I am convinced it will be the greatest rose of the century’. Also known as Mme A. Meilland, it was offered to the 49 delegates who met in San Francisco in 1945 to create the United Nations. Meilland’s fortunes were made and as we all know, their plants grace many houses and gardens here - and around the world. https://meilland.com/en/catalogue/madame-a-meilland
