Introduction of Rosa 'La France', the first hybrid tea rose, in Lyon

Background. Rosa 'La France' is a pink rose cultivar found in France in 1867 by the rosarian Jean-Baptiste André Guillot (1827–1893). It is generally accepted to be the first hybrid tea rose, recognized as a class in the 1880s. Its introduction is therefore also considered the birth of the modern rose.

Classification. An old garden rose is defined as any rose belonging to a class which existed before the introduction of the first modern rose, La France, in 1867. Hybrid teas were initially created by hybridising hybrid perpetuals with Tea roses in the late 19th century. 'La France', created in 1867, is universally acknowledged as the first indication of a new class of roses.

Context. The introduction of Rosa 'La France' is associated with Lyon, a city in France. The cultivar's creation in 1867 is treated as the starting point from which the old garden rose class boundary is defined, marking the emergence of the first modern rose.