Bonanza ® – yellow-red park rose – KORmarie
Step outside to the soft patter of rain and discover how Bonanza turns a small Irish garden into a cheerful corner of colour, even where rainfall is frequent and summers feel short; its upright, well-branched habit carries glowing flowers in warm amber-yellow with crimson edges, creating a cosy, “girly” cottage-garden mood beside a Dublin terrace or country doorway. As an own-root shrub it offers reassuring longevity, regrowing reliably from the base after harsh weather or a hard prune and building a stable, leafy framework over time. Plant it once, give it basic drainage and room to grow, then enjoy its self-cleaning clusters with only light tidying. In a family garden it offers easy-going maintenance, combining dense, glossy foliage with generous repeat blooming, so that by the third season it feels fully settled, after its first year rooting in and second year filling out.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front-garden focal shrub by the door |
The strong amber-yellow and red bicolour blooms, held on an upright, well-branched framework, create an instant welcome in a small front garden without needing complex pruning. Self-cleaning clusters keep the display tidy between visits, ideal if you are often busy or away, and the own-root shrub builds a reliable long-term presence for colour-loving homeowners. |
| Mixed cottage-style border with perennials |
Bonanza repeats reliably from early summer into autumn, so it knits flowering gaps between perennials and keeps borders lively through unsettled Irish weather and frequent soft showers. As an own-root plant it thickens year by year rather than exhausting itself, supporting an informal, “girly” cottage style with dependable blooms for relaxed gardeners who value continuity. |
| Informal flowering hedge along a path |
Planted at hedge spacing, Bonanza forms a dense, upright line of dark green leaves that screens and guides family foot traffic while offering a run of cheerful colour. Self-cleaning, double clusters reduce deadheading along long paths, making it easier to manage a lived-in family garden for time-pressed householders. |
| Small family lawn backdrop or boundary |
The combination of medium-tall height and glossy foliage creates a soft backdrop to a play lawn without appearing overbearing. Flowering in waves gives interest beyond the short Irish summer peak, while own-root resilience means it copes better with the odd knock from footballs or pets, suiting practical family-garden owners. |
| Statement shrub in a large container (40–50 litres+) |
In a substantial pot Bonanza brings its amber-and-crimson colour right up onto a balcony, doorstep or terrace, where its moderate maintenance needs fit urban routines. Good self-cleaning keeps containers looking smart, and own-root growth helps the shrub recover if watering slips occasionally, supporting city gardeners with limited time. |
| Low-care rose bed in heavy Irish clay soil |
Bonanza’s good general robustness suits typical Irish ground, as long as you improve drainage with organic matter and mulch to keep roots comfortable. Once established, it handles changeable moisture and cool spells, and the own-root system gives a safety margin against winter setbacks, reassuring newer gardeners on difficult sites. |
| Colour anchor for public or shared spaces |
The ADR rating highlights sound garden performance, with a sturdy frame, good colour retention and manageable disease levels under normal care. Clusters of large blooms show well from a distance, while own-root durability makes long-term maintenance more predictable for residents’ associations or shared courtyards. |
| Easy seasonal colour in a busy gardener’s plot |
With moderate care needs, a remontant habit and good self-cleaning, Bonanza offers repeat colour without a demanding spraying or pruning schedule, especially if you accept a few blemishes as part of natural gardening. Its three-year settling-in arc rewards patience as the shrub becomes a stable, low-fuss feature for beginners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Ribbon – Edge a front path with Bonanza and airy honesty and lady’s mantle for a soft, nostalgic cottage look – ideal for homeowners wanting romance from a low-fuss shrub.
- Sunset-Corner – Combine Bonanza with terracotta pots and warm-toned gravel near the doorstep to echo its amber and red flowers – suited to small Dublin terraces seeking impact in tight spaces.
- Green-Curtain – Plant a loose hedge of Bonanza backed by tall bellflowers to create a leafy, flowering screen around play areas – for families needing colour and a bit of privacy.
- Pot-Parade – Use one Bonanza per 50-litre container with trailing thyme beneath to keep maintenance simple yet stylish – perfect for balcony or patio gardeners with limited time.
- Meadow-Blend – Mix Bonanza into a border of ornamental grasses and lady’s mantle so its repeat blooms punctuate the soft greens – for nature-oriented gardeners who enjoy gentle movement and long-season colour.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Bonanza ® park shrub rose, shrub group, registered as KORmarie, ARS exhibition name Bonanza; commercial type park rose, collection Park - shrub rose, cultivar name inspired by the TV series. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Reimer Kordes (Wilhelm Kordes’ Söhne, Germany) from Seedling × ‘Arthur Bell’, introduced and registered in 1983 as a vigorous shrub rose for garden and landscape use. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holds the ADR award (1984), indicating strong overall garden performance under trial conditions, including growth, general health and ornamental value, with no intensive spraying regime during the assessment. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright shrub 110–180 cm high, 60–100 cm spread, with dense, dark green glossy foliage and moderate prickliness; forms a well-branched framework suitable for hedging, specimens and mixed borders. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cup-shaped blooms 7–10 cm across, carried in clusters; 26–39 petals with good self-cleaning, most spent flowers dropping naturally; remontant with a generous second flush in season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Vivid amber-yellow base with crimson-red edging (ARS yb, RHS 14A/46B); buds orange-red; colours fade gently to pale gold and brick orange, with the strong contrast softening as blooms mature on the shrub. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance is very weak and barely noticeable, so Bonanza is chosen primarily for its visual impact and repeat flowering rather than scent; suitable where strong perfume is not desired near windows or seating. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hips form sparsely due to the double flowers; occasional small, spherical, bright red hips 10–16 mm may appear, adding a light decorative accent rather than a heavy crop for wildlife or harvest. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated to about -21 to -18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3); medium resistance to powdery mildew and rust, black spot susceptible, so basic hygiene and occasional treatment are recommended in humid climates. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with improved drainage and mulch, spacing 50–90 cm depending on use (3.3–3.8 plants/m²); moderate maintenance and occasional plant protection keep it performing well as bed, hedge or specimen rose. |
Bonanza ® – yellow-red park rose – KORmarie offers vivid long-season colour, self-cleaning double blooms and durable own-root growth, making it a thoughtful choice if you would like dependable impact from a single easy-care shrub.
