GARDEN OF ROSES® – apricot bedding floribunda rose – Kordes
Imagine a soft shower on a summer evening, as raindrops bead on glossy foliage and clusters of pastel blooms glow in the light. Garden of Roses® is bred for reliability in Irish gardens, shrugging off long spells of rainfall and everyday family life with compact, bushy charm. Its pastel apricot rosettes repeat flower steadily, keeping your beds and borders gently cheerful from early summer into autumn, with almost no specialist care. On its own roots it settles in for the long term, quietly building strength below ground while forming tidy, low hedges and cottage-style drifts above. Year by year its performance improves as roots, then shoots, then full flowering display develop, bringing lasting contentment to small and medium gardens.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Front garden bed in a Dublin terrace |
The compact, bushy habit and 45–70 cm height make it ideal for neat, low-maintenance front beds where space is tight. Repeating apricot blooms keep kerb appeal high with little pruning or spraying, suiting busy urban garden owners. |
| Cottage-style mixed border |
Clusters of rosette flowers in soft peach and cream weave beautifully among perennials, giving that “girly” cottage look without demanding expert care. Own-root resilience means it quietly matures into a durable feature for nature-oriented homeowners. |
| Low flowering hedge along a path |
Recommended spacings of 50–60 cm allow you to create a continuous, tidy hedge that flowers from early season to autumn. The structured, uniform growth makes paths look finished and welcoming while remaining easy to manage for beginner gardeners. |
| Mass planting in small to medium family gardens |
With 2.8–3.2 plants per m² you can form a soft, pastel carpet that looks designed but not fussy. The development from strong roots in year one to full ornamental value by year three rewards patient family garden owners. |
| Large containers on patio or balcony |
Its bushy, compact form and remontant flowering make it excellent for 40–50 litre pots, where it brings weeks of colour with simple watering and feeding. On its own roots it copes reliably with re-potting, helping apartment and balcony gardeners. |
| Partially shaded Irish cottage garden corner |
Tolerant of partial shade, it still flowers well where sun is limited to a few hours. Good disease resistance keeps foliage attractive, even where damp air encourages fungal problems for hobby cottage gardeners. |
| Family play garden with minimal spraying |
ADR-level health and resistance to black spot, mildew and rust mean less need for chemicals around children and pets. The plant remains tidy and presentable with only light deadheading, appealing to health-conscious parents. |
| Water-wise bed in milder coastal areas |
Suitable for areas with wetter weather and humidity, it tolerates Irish showers yet handles heat spells if watered in drought, so beds stay colourful with modest care from time-pressed garden owners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Drift – Plant loose groups with hardy geraniums and blue globe thistle to create a romantic, pastel drift that looks full but unfussy – ideal for relaxed cottage-garden lovers.
- Pathway-Edge – Use a single row along a front path, underplanted with low thyme or catmint, for a soft, scented welcome – perfect for house-proud terrace owners.
- Apricot-Accent – In a 50 litre terracotta pot, combine with trailing ivy and seasonal bedding in creams and blush for a long-flowering patio focal point – suited to balcony and courtyard gardeners.
- Family-Border – Mix with evergreen St John’s-wort and sturdy grasses for a tough, child-friendly border that looks good with very little upkeep – great for busy young families.
- Structured-Sweep – Plant in repeating blocks through a lawn edge or small park-style bed to create a calm, ordered sweep of colour – appealing to fans of clean, contemporary layouts.
Technical cultivar profile
| Characteristic | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Floribunda bedding rose, registered as KORfloci01, marketed as Garden of Roses®; exhibition floribunda class, trade name Garden of Roses® Bedding rose KORfloci01. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tim-Hermann Kordes (Germany) from ‘Bernstein-Rose’ × unknown seedling; bred 1997, introduced and registered in 2006 by W. Kordes’ Söhne. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated: ADR certification (2009), RHS Award of Garden Merit (2012), Rose of the Year UK (2011) plus medals from Le Roeulx, Nagasaki and Glasgow. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Compact, bushy shrub reaching about 45–70 cm high and 50–80 cm wide; dense, dark glossy foliage with moderate prickles, forming neat, well-shaped bushes in beds and borders. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, rosette-shaped clusters with over 40 petals per bloom; medium-sized 4–7 cm flowers borne in trusses, repeating strongly with an abundant second flush through the season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Soft peach to pastel cream flowers, warmer peach-pink at centres; colour lightens in strong sun, stays richer in cool weather, giving gentle tonal variation from bud to fading bloom. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild, slightly sweet scent that is present but not overpowering; suitable near seating areas for a gentle fragrance without dominating small patios, balconies or compact gardens. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hips are sparse due to very double flowers, though occasional small spherical red-orange hips, around 10–14 mm diameter, may appear late season as a modest ornamental feature. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Excellent disease resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; hardy to around −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b), coping well with typical Irish winters and damp conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best at 50–90 cm spacing depending on use; suits beds, borders, containers and urban green spaces; prefers well-drained soil with mulching, regular watering in prolonged dry spells. |
Garden of Roses® offers compact, long-season colour, strong disease resistance and durable own-root growth, making it a thoughtful choice for easy-care Irish family gardens.
