BORDEAUX® – burgundy bedding floribunda rose – Kordes
Step outside for a few quiet minutes and you will notice how the rich, wine-red blooms of BORDEAUX® instantly create a feeling of easy-going contentment. This floribunda is bred for dependable flowering rather than fuss, thriving even where rain meets heavy soil, as long as you give it simple drainage so it can ride out our showers and soft light. Its compact, upright habit fits beautifully into cottage-style beds or small Dublin front gardens, giving generous clusters of large, double blooms from early summer well into autumn. With strong built-in resistance to common rose diseases, maintenance stays light: an occasional tidy and seasonal feed are usually enough. Own-root plants establish steadily and offer a reassuring lifespan, regrowing from the base if winter or pruning ever seem too harsh. Over the first few years the pattern is simple: roots in year one, fuller shoots in year two and the truly lush display in year three. Whether you plant one as a romantic focal point or repeat it along a path, its glossy dark foliage and refined, fruity fragrance bring a quietly luxurious note to everyday walks through the garden.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Front garden feature shrub |
The compact, upright shape and lush, glossy foliage make BORDEAUX® ideal as a stand-out shrub beside a gate or path, offering a long season of bold burgundy colour with minimal fuss and easy basic care for the busy homeowner. |
| Cottage-style mixed border |
Continuous clusters of large, double blooms bring classic cottage charm, weaving rich colour through perennials and grasses while its strong disease resistance keeps it looking neat without spraying, perfect for the nature-loving beginner. |
| Low flowering hedge |
Planting at hedge spacing creates a dense, upright row that flowers repeatedly, the own-root plants forming a stable, long-lived line of colour that can be refreshed by simple pruning over the years for the practical gardener. |
| Bedding and mass planting |
At recommended spacing BORDEAUX® quickly knits into a full, even carpet of colour, giving reliable display in public-view beds or along driveways with only light deadheading, suiting the impact-focused homeowner. |
| Large patio containers (40–50 L+) |
In generous containers this rose delivers a rich, wine-red focal point near doors or seating, its moderate height easy to manage and own-root vigour helping it recover well if pots dry a little, ideal for the urban balcony-owner. |
| Small family garden focal point |
One or three plants together create a long-flowering centrepiece that children and adults can enjoy on everyday garden walks, with the simple arc of roots, then shoots, then full effect over three years reassuring the first-time planter. |
| Clay-soil family plots with good drainage |
BORDEAUX® copes well where reliable rainfall and heavier soils meet, provided you give it sensible drainage so roots never sit in water, making it a forgiving choice in typical Irish plots for the low-maintenance seeker. |
| Cut flowers for the home |
The large, cup-shaped blooms and mild fruity scent translate beautifully into short-stem bunches, their colour shifting gently from deep wine-red to softer magenta tones in the vase, pleasing the home flower-arranger. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Romantic – Thread BORDEAUX® through soft pinks, foxgloves and campanulas for a traditional cottage feel – perfect for lovers of relaxed, storybook-style gardens.
- Wine-and-Lime – Pair its burgundy blooms with lime heucheras and pale grasses to highlight the flower colour – ideal for design-conscious small-garden owners.
- Front-Door Welcome – Flank a doorway with two large containers of BORDEAUX® underplanted with trailing ivy – suited to busy urban households wanting instant kerb appeal.
- Family-Border – Combine with hardy geraniums and dwarf catmint to soften edges and extend flowering – great for families wanting colour with minimal upkeep.
- Evening-Nook – Plant near a favourite bench with white astrantia and soft ferns so the dark flowers glow at dusk – appealing to evening garden enjoyers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Floribunda bedding rose, registered as KORelamba, marketed as BORDEAUX® – burgundy bedding floribunda rose; bush rose for exhibition and garden use with uniform naming across catalogues. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tim-Hermann Kordes for W. Kordes’ Söhne in Germany, from unknown parentage; bred 2004, introduced and registered around 2014–2015, now widely proven in European gardens. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated floribunda: silver medals at Geneva and Kortrijk (2013), gold medal Rome (2013), Journalist Award Monza (2015), silver medal Glasgow (2017) and Australian National Trial Gold Medal. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright, bushy habit 70–100 cm high and 45–65 cm wide, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate thorns; medium self-cleaning, some spent blooms benefit from occasional deadheading. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cupped clusters with 26–39 petals and 7–10 cm blooms; strongly remontant, giving abundant repeat flushes from early summer into autumn when lightly deadheaded and regularly fed. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Deep burgundy wine-red (RHS 53A–53B; ARS MR), with ruby centre tones; buds velvety dark, ageing through magenta and fuchsia-purple shades, with moderate fading in strong sun yet remaining decoratively rich. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Pleasant but restrained fruity fragrance, noticeable at close range rather than across the garden; ideal for those wanting gentle scent without overwhelming intensity, suitable near paths and seating. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hips form sparsely due to double flowers; when present, they are small, spherical, dark red (RHS 45A), about 10–14 mm diameter, adding discreet late-season interest without significant seeding. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Excellent health with strong resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; reliably hardy to about −23 to −21 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6a, Swedish Zone 3), keeping foliage attractive in typical Irish seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny beds, borders or 40–50 L+ containers; space 30–55 cm depending on use. Prefers fertile, well-drained soil; water in dry spells and deadhead lightly to support repeat flowering and shape. |
BORDEAUX® – burgundy bedding floribunda rose KORelamba offers long-season colour, dependable disease resistance and a compact, own-root habit that settles in for years, making it a thoughtful choice for anyone refining a family garden.
