ALASKA® – cream-white climbing rose – Kordes
Step out to the pergola after rain and let ALASKA® wrap your garden in soft, creamy-white light. This large-flowered climber brings an easy sense of elegance to Irish cottage plots and Dublin terraces alike, its long, arching stems clothing walls and fences in flowers from early summer into autumn. Bred for dependable hardiness, it takes our changeable weather in its stride, even where cool breezes follow frequent Atlantic showers and the soil holds more moisture than you’d like. The bloom form is classically cut-rose style, with high-centred buds opening into very double, pearly rosettes that hold their colour beautifully. Own-root plants establish steadily for a naturally long lifespan, staying in character without suckering surprises. You simply tie in the new shoots, remove the occasional spent truss, and enjoy a quietly luxurious, romantic backdrop to everyday family life.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Front garden focal climber |
Use ALASKA® beside the front door or gate where its repeat creamy-white flowering and tidy, climbing habit create an elegant welcome without demanding daily attention; ideal for a low-fuss but polished entrance for the busy homeowner. |
| Pergola or arch for seating area |
Trained over a pergola or arch, this rose gives long-lasting vertical structure and soft overhead shade, with very double blooms and a gentle scent that feel luxurious yet are straightforward to manage for the cottage-garden lover. |
| Family-friendly boundary screen |
Along a fence, ALASKA® forms a medium-tall, leafy screen that flowers on and off all season, bringing privacy and beauty while remaining manageable in height and pruning complexity for the beginner gardener. |
| Cool, exposed Irish sites |
The strong winter hardiness, good heat tolerance and steady performance in our breezy, moisture-laden climate mean it copes well where many climbers sulk, giving reliable structure and blossom for the Atlantic-coast resident. |
| Small city garden vertical accent |
In compact spaces, vertical planting is key: ALASKA® climbs rather than sprawls, so you gain masses of flowers on a narrow footprint with simple tying-in and light deadheading for the urban balcony-owner. |
| Long-term garden framework |
As an own-root climber it matures into a stable, characterful plant that can be renewed from its base if ever cut back hard, offering dependable ornamental presence over many seasons for the long-view planner. |
| Large container on patio (40–50 L+) |
In a generously sized 40–50 litre or larger pot with good drainage, ALASKA® provides height and romance on patios or terraces, rewarding regular watering and feed with months of bloom for the terrace rose-collector. |
| Informal cutting corner |
The high-centred, long-stemmed clusters make graceful, cream-white stems for the vase; with remontant flowering you can cut sparingly all summer without stripping the plant, suiting the home flower-arranger. |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE-PERGOLA – Let ALASKA® drape over a rustic timber pergola, underplanted with Gypsophila repens and foxgloves for a soft, romantic cloud of white and pastels – perfect for the relaxed cottage-garden admirer
- URBAN-ARCH – Frame a small city front path with a slim metal arch, pairing ALASKA® with lavender for scent and low edging, keeping the look chic yet easy-care – ideal for style-conscious terrace owners
- CREAM-BORDER – Train ALASKA® on a sunny wall behind iris and pale pink Verbena hastata ‘Pink Spires’ to create a calm, cream-and-blush scheme – suited to gardeners seeking a gentle, cohesive palette
- NIGHT-GLOW – Use this cream-white climber near seating where it catches evening light, with simple evergreen shrubs below, for atmosphere that requires little more than seasonal tying-in – good for time-poor households
- FAMILY-FENCE – Soften a functional fence by spacing several plants along it, mixed with hardy perennials for a long-lived, low-fuss flowering backdrop – great for busy families wanting easy beauty
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Large-flowered climbing rose from the Klettermaxe® collection; registered as KORjoslio, marketed as Alaska® Klettermaxe®; exhibition name ‘Future’, premium silver merit rating. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tim-Hermann Kordes in Germany (2005) from ‘Moonlight’ × unnamed seedling; introduced by W. Kordes’ Söhne in 2014 with subsequent EU PBR and US plant patent protection. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated climber with multiple European prizes, including Gold Medals at Kortrijk and La Tacita, Best Climber awards at La Tacita and Belfast, plus Certificat de Mérite at Bagatelle. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climber 1.8–2.8 m high and 0.8–1.6 m wide, with moderately dense, slightly glossy medium-green foliage and moderate prickliness; needs support and tying-in on arches, walls or fences. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, 7–10 cm, very double, high-centred blooms in clusters, cut-rose style; over 40 petals per flower; remontant habit with a generous second flush provided spent trusses are removed as needed. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Silky cream-white with subtle pink veiling on buds and edges; maintains colour well with minimal fading to pearly white; creamy, milky-white inner petals at full bloom give a luminous, refined effect. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Subtle, delicately sweet scent of mild intensity, more of a refined background perfume than a strong fragrance, adding charm around seating areas without overwhelming confined spaces or sensitive noses. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rosehip production is generally sparse due to the very double flowers; where pollinated, occasional small, spherical orange-red hips 7–11 mm across may develop late in the season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7 and USDA zone 6b, reliably hardy to about –21 °C; good heat and moderate drought tolerance, with medium resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust in average garden conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Prefers sunny, well-drained soil with organic matter; space 140–240 cm depending on use; support and tie in young shoots; deadhead larger clusters; medium maintenance with occasional plant protection as needed. |
ALASKA® Klettermaxe® offers long-season creamy-white flowering, strong winter hardiness and a stable, own-root framework that settles in for many years, an excellent choice if you favour lasting beauty with modest care.
