GRAND AWARD ® – dark red climbing rose – Olesen
If You dream of a softly lit Irish cottage or a Dublin terrace framed in romantic deep red, GRAND AWARD ® offers an easy, rewarding way to achieve it. This own-root climber settles in reliably, coping well with cool summers and rainfall while building a long-lived framework of glossy green foliage and repeat-flowering shoots. Large, velvety blooms with a classic, gentle fragrance appear in generous clusters, giving a cheerful, welcoming feel to walls, porches and small pergolas. Plant once, then enjoy steady flowering with only modest care, as the healthy, fungus-resistant growth keeps its good looks season after season. Over time, roots, then shoots, then full display develop in succession, bringing stable structure, lasting colour and quietly confident garden charm to even the busiest household.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Cottage-style front wall in a small Irish garden |
The moderate height and spread make this climber ideal for dressing a typical front wall or house façade without overwhelming the space, while the deep red rosettes create a traditional cottage look for beginners. |
| Dublin terraced-house porch or railings |
Grand Award ® can be trained neatly on trellis or railings, giving vertical colour where ground space is tight, and its remontant habit keeps the entrance welcoming right through the short Irish summer for busy urbanites. |
| Family garden pergola or small arch |
Clusters of large, double flowers repeat through the season, clothing an arch or pergola at a height children and adults can enjoy, creating a cheerful outdoor room with relatively modest upkeep for relaxed families. |
| Low-maintenance, long-lived garden framework |
As an own-root climber it regenerates well from the base, helping maintain a stable framework for many years and reducing the risk of unsightly graft failures, suiting those seeking dependable structure for patient homeowners. |
| Rain-tolerant feature in exposed Irish conditions |
Bred in northern Europe, this variety is well adapted to cool, damp weather, combining mildew and rust resistance with solid winter hardiness, so it keeps its good looks in showery seasons for weather-conscious gardeners. |
| Softly scented seating corner or patio |
The classic, mild rose fragrance and large blooms work beautifully beside a seating area, offering gentle scent rather than overpowering perfume, ideal for evening tea or a quiet glass of wine for sensitive noses. |
| Season-long colour focus near windows |
Remontant flowering with an abundant second flush means repeated displays of dark red, and the colour holds well as the blooms open, giving a reliable, eye-level view from the house for colour-loving viewers. |
| Informal wildlife-friendly planting strip |
The multi-petal flowers provide some nectar access and shelter, so while not the top choice for pollinators, they still contribute usefully within a mixed, wildlife-planting scheme that relishes frequent soft Irish rain for nature-minded owners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-porch arch – Train Grand Award ® over a slim metal arch, underplant with Coreopsis verticillata and soft grasses for a light, romantic entrance – perfect for small-town cottage lovers.
- Ruby-wall veil – Fan the climber on tensioned wires against a rendered wall, pairing with Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’ for blue-grey contrast – suited to colour-conscious terrace owners.
- Courtyard-column duo – Plant two roses at either side of a pergola post, combining with Phormium ‘Tom Thumb’ in containers for evergreen structure – ideal for low-fuss family courtyards.
- Red-and-lime border – Let the dark red blooms rise behind lime-toned perennials and variegated foliage to brighten cloudy days – great for gardeners chasing sparkle in overcast summers.
- Romantic seating nook – Position near a bench, weaving canes along a trellis backdrop and adding scented herbs in front for layered fragrance – designed for evening patio relaxers.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Grand Award ® Courtyard®, registered as POUlcy014, a large-flowered climbing rose in the Courtyard® collection; approved exhibition name Grand Award, commercial group Rós dreapadó. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Mogens Nyegaard Olesen, Poulsen Roser A/S, Denmark, from two unnamed parents; breeding year 2001, registration 2014, introduced after 2014, with US Plant Patent PP 24 695. |
| Awards and recognition |
Le Roeulx audience award for Most Beautiful Rose 2010; multiple 2011 gold medals at Monza and Baden-Baden; Barcelona awards including Best climbing rose and Asociación Española de la Rosa special prize. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Climbing growth habit, typically 140–240 cm high with 80–160 cm spread; moderately dense, glossy mid-green foliage, moderately thorny canes, suitable for walls, pergolas and arches in family gardens. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, very double rosette blooms, 7–10 cm across, over 40 petals, produced mainly in clusters; remontant habit ensures an abundant second flush following the main summer flowering period. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Dark red flowers with RHS 45A outer and 53C inner tones; colour fades only slightly, remaining deep red to fall; buds deep crimson; full bloom uniform dark red with muted inner petal bases. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Classic, rose-like scent of mild strength, giving a restrained, elegant fragrance suitable near doors, windows or seating areas without overwhelming, complementing the bold visual impact of the dark red blooms. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip formation is generally scarce; if produced, hips are very small, around 0–4 mm diameter, and not a significant ornamental feature, so deadheading can focus on encouraging repeat flowering. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (H7, USDA 6b); good resistance to powdery mildew and rust, moderate resistance to black spot; performs reliably in cool, damp northern European garden conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions with well-drained soil; space 140–150 cm for hedging or mass planting, 240 cm as a specimen; moderate maintenance, with plant protection advisable only in extremely humid microclimates. |
Grand Award ® Courtyard® brings repeat dark red flowering, reliable health and long-lived own-root security to walls and arches, making it a thoughtful choice for Irish gardens seeking lasting, easy beauty.
