ALCAZAR™ – orange-red bedding floribunda rose – Gaujard
Step outside after the rain and you can imagine ALCAZAR™ glowing softly in your front garden, a reliable fortress of colour in typical Irish weather with frequent showers and brisk breezes. This upright floribunda brings generous, remontant clusters of vivid orange-red blooms that deepen to coppery red, creating a cheerful, contentment along a path, cottage border or terrace railing. Its dense, dark green, glossy foliage and low-maintenance, disease-resistant nature suit busy gardeners who prefer enjoying rather than fussing. Own-root planting means the shrub matures steadily, with roots establishing in the first year, strong shoots in the second and full display by the third, giving you a long-lived, dependable feature. Semi-double flowers with a mild, sweet fragrance offer moderate appeal to visiting bees, while neat structure and uniform growth make it easy to design with in small Irish gardens.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Sunny cottage-style front border |
ALCAZAR™ thrives in full sun, producing upright, uniform bushes that are easy to line along a low wall or picket fence. The consistent, neat shape makes planning simple for narrow Dublin terraces and small cottage fronts, ideal for the time-pressed beginner. |
| Long-flowering bedding scheme |
The remontant flowering habit delivers flush after flush of blooms, keeping beds colourful through Ireland’s shorter summers with minimal intervention. Dead-heading helps, but even casual gardeners enjoy a long season of orange-red flowers, perfect for the relaxed homeowner. |
| Low-effort family garden feature |
Robust disease resistance means little spraying or specialist care, helpful where humidity and fungal pressure are common near the coast or in wetter counties. This reliability frees up time for play and relaxation, suiting a busy urban family. |
| Own-root hedge or row planting |
On its own roots, ALCAZAR™ ages gracefully, with good regeneration after pruning and no worries about rootstock suckers. Over the years it forms a stable, long-lived line of shrubs that keeps its ornamental value, reassuring the long-term-focused gardener. |
| Seasonal cut flowers from the garden |
Clustered, medium-sized blooms on upright stems lend themselves to home cutting, adding warm orange-red tones to kitchen jugs or hallway vases. Regularly taking stems encourages new growth, making this a pleasure for the creative flower-loving owner. |
| Clay soil beds with improved drainage |
Once drainage is improved with organic matter and perhaps a light grit, ALCAZAR™ settles well into heavier Irish soils and rewards the effort with sturdy, upright growth. Mulching keeps moisture even, simplifying care for the practical, soil-conscious planter. |
| Pollinator-friendly mixed planting |
Semi-double flowers with 13–25 petals offer moderate access to pollen, pairing well with airy perennials like fountain grass or obedient plant to create movement and seasonal interest that also benefits insects, appealing to the nature-oriented buyer. |
| Large container on patio or terrace |
In a generous 40–50 litre pot with good drainage, this upright, densely foliaged rose becomes a long-lived container feature. Own-root growth gives resilience if pruned hard, ideal for smaller paved spaces where every plant must earn its place for the urban gardener. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Ribbon – Plant a loose row along a path, underplant with catmint and hardy geraniums, and enjoy an easy, long-flowering cottage look – perfect for relaxed family gardeners.
- Terrace-Jewel – Use a single shrub in a 50-litre pot by the front door, with trailing ivy and seasonal bulbs for soft light and scent – ideal for compact Dublin terraces.
- Sunset-Bed – Combine with bronze grasses and apricot perennials for a warm-toned bed that flowers for months with little fuss – suited to design-conscious but busy homeowners.
- Neighbourly-Hedge – Create a low, own-root hedge at 55 cm spacing, mixing in white obedient plant for contrast and bee interest – great for friendly, front-garden-focused streets.
- Cutting-Corner – Group several plants at specimen spacing, adding airy annuals so you can cut stems freely without empty gaps – ideal for beginners who love home-grown bouquets.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Floribunda bedding rose marketed as ALCAZAR™, an exhibition floribunda also suitable for cutting; part of the bedding-rose collection, unregistered as a formal cultivar name. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Jean-Marie Gaujard, Roseraies Gaujard, France, from Jolie Princesse × (Opera × Miss France); introduced around 1960–1961 and distributed originally by Roseraies Gaujard. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy shrub 100–140 cm tall and 75–105 cm wide, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; overall uniform growth makes it reliable in mass plantings. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double, cupped blooms with 13–25 petals, medium-sized at 4–7 cm, borne in clusters; repeat flowers well, with a particularly abundant second flush under good garden conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Vivid orange-red with coppery red tones, ARS orange-red, RHS 34A outer and 33B inner; silvery-pink petal reverses and good colour retention, darkening as blooms open and age. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Lightly and sweetly scented, with a mild, restrained fragrance most noticeable at close range; suitable for those who prefer a gentle perfume rather than a strong, dominant rose aroma. |
| Hip characteristics |
Forms moderate numbers of small, spherical red hips, 10–14 mm in diameter; hips add discrete late-season interest and may appeal in more naturalistic or wildlife-friendly planting schemes. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated resistant to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3), with moderate heat and drought tolerance needing watering in dry spells. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions; spacing 65 cm for beds, 55 cm for hedges, 100 cm for specimens; typical densities 2.4–2.7 plants/m²; low-maintenance with generally minimal pruning and cleaning required. |
ALCAZAR™ offers remontant flowering, reliable disease resistance and long-lived own-root resilience, making it a thoughtful choice for an easy-care yet characterful rose in your garden.
