Our history, our roots André Eve, designer, collector, gardener, passionately pink
André Eve Gardener
For André Eve, the love of gardening was born in a vegetable garden, at the age of 15 in 1946. After the war, the priority was to feed himself. He trained at the Versailles School of Horticulture. He forged his experience by working as a landscape gardener with some of the great names in the business, before moving on to the horticultural trade at Vilmorin in Paris, the benchmark for the garden.
André Eve, rose designer
In 1958, André Eve met Marcel Robichon, a landscape nurseryman and rose grower based in Pithiviers in the Loiret region of France. André Eve took over the business and moved to the commune. This gave him the opportunity to put all his knowledge and expertise in nursery and garden design into practice. But what he didn't know, and what aroused his curiosity, was the creation of roses. He learns from Marcel Robichon and is hooked.
His first creation in 1969, Sylvie Vartan, was a success. A classic rose, typical of the time, it still appeals today. Next came Red Parfum, Prestige de Bellegarde and Coraline, all of which have become classics. Climbing roses hold a special place in André Eve's nursery and in his heart. The pergolas in his garden seem to be the work of a rose magician. He even invented the word liane to describe the most acrobatic ones.
André Eve, collector of old roses
The early 80s marked a turning point in André Eve's professional career and the third part of his life. He sold his business and devoted himself to roses from centuries past, known as anciennes. Aware of their qualities and seductive power, he set about bringing them up to date by showcasing them in his personal English-style garden in Pithiviers. The time was right. Plant festivals were springing up, welcoming collectors, producers and passionate amateurs. An immense palette of plants was the object of everyone's envy. Success followed for André Eve, who became a great name in roses, renowned for his creations and his collection of old roses, and famous for his fabulous garden, the company's emblem, Le jardin André Eve®. In the late 80s, Les Roses Anciennes André Eve was born and moved to Morailles. Another site, another André Eve garden. The company expanded.
In 2000, André Eve successfully passed on his company. This is the fourth part of his horticultural life. He continued his role as ambassador for the old rose, the company and his garden until his death in 2015. At his funeral, the crowd was dense and the sadness deep, reflecting all the friendships André Eve had forged, through visits to his garden or the christening of a rose. In 2016, Les Roses Anciennes André Eve moved to Chilleurs-aux-Bois. Under the impetus of Jérôme Rateau since 2004, rose creation is active, recognized and awarded in international competitions. In-house creations now number almost a hundred varieties, representing one-sixth of our catalog. The varietal collection is growing and will soon be enriched with old roses. The André Eve® garden is reborn to welcome garden and rose lovers and visitors to the Route de la Rose.