GRAND PALACE® – burgundy bedding floribunda rose
Step out to soft Irish light and discover how Grand Palace transforms even a small front garden into an elegant, gently glowing border. Its velvety burgundy blooms repeat reliably through cool summers, bringing weeks of relaxed colour when evenings are short and wet weather passes quickly, with flowers that shrug off showers and keep their rich tones. Compact, bushy growth stays neat without fussy pruning, while own-root stamina means long-term reliability and easy renewal if stems are ever damaged. In the first year it quietly builds roots, in the second it pushes stronger shoots, and by the third it settles into full garden presence, giving you lasting, quietly luxurious flowering with very little effort.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Cottage-style front path border |
The compact, bushy habit and medium height make Grand Palace ideal for edging a front path without overwhelming it, while the long, repeating flowering season keeps a welcoming band of colour outside the door from early summer into autumn for the cottage-style gardener next-door |
| Low flowering hedge along a driveway |
Planted at the recommended 35 cm spacing, the dense branching quickly knits into a low hedge, giving a coherent burgundy ribbon that is easy to keep in shape with one light prune a year, suiting time-pressed householders nearby |
| Feature group in a small lawn |
A rounded group of three to five plants at 70 cm spacing forms a strong focal clump; the even height and uniform colour read clearly from the house windows, giving high visual impact with minimal upkeep for busy home workers indoors |
| Large container on a sunny patio (40–60 L) |
The moderate root system of this compact floribunda adapts very well to a spacious 40–60 litre pot, where good compost and drainage make care straightforward and watering predictable, ideal for urban balcony or patio owners upstairs |
| Mixed cottage bed with perennials |
Clustered, medium-sized blooms thread rich burgundy through lady’s mantle, hardy geraniums or foxgloves, and its repeat flowering bridges gaps between perennial peaks, rewarding relaxed, nature-minded cottage gardeners nearby |
| Partial-shade city front garden |
Tolerating partial shade, Grand Palace keeps good colour and structure beside north- or east-facing walls, where many roses sulk; it offers reliable form and bloom in tighter Dublin terraces for space-conscious city dwellers outside |
| Easy-care family flower border |
Moderate maintenance and H7 hardiness mean no elaborate winter protection and only occasional disease checks, so it fits a simple care routine of feeding, mulching and one annual prune, reassuring beginner gardeners starting |
| Long-term planting in heavy Irish clay beds |
Once established, its own-root structure gives long-lived resilience; if tops are damaged by wind or weather it re-sprouts from below, steadily improving over the first three years and suiting practical, forward-looking householders planning |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE RIBBON – Drift Grand Palace along a front path with Alchemilla mollis and soft grasses for a relaxed burgundy-and-lime edge – for lovers of informal Irish cottage charm.
- PALACE PARTERRE – Use neat rows as low hedging around a small lawn or seating area, echoing classic formal gardens on a family-friendly scale – for homeowners who enjoy tidy structure without fuss.
- TERRACE JEWEL – Plant a trio in a 50–60 litre container with trailing ivy and seasonal violas to anchor a balcony or patio – for urban gardeners wanting easy elegance in tight spaces.
- EVENING GLOW – Combine with pale foxgloves, white campanulas and silver foliage so the dark blooms glow at dusk – for those who unwind in the garden after work.
- SOFT SCREEN – Create a waist-high, semi-formal screen along a driveway, underplanting with low catmint to soften the line – for families seeking gentle privacy without blocking light.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda bedding rose from the Palace collection; registered as POUlgrad, marketed as Grand Palace® Palace® POUlgrad, approved exhibition name Grand Palace in floribunda bush category. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen at Poulsen Roser A/S, Denmark, from an unknown seedling × ‘POULmax’; introduced and registered in 1997 for garden and bedding use. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Compact, bushy shrub reaching about 40–60 cm high and 35–55 cm wide, with moderately dense, dark green foliage and moderate prickliness, forming tidy, even mounds suited to borders and low hedges. |
| Flower morphology |
Double, cup-shaped, medium-sized blooms of 4–7 cm carried in clusters; around 26–39 petals per flower, with good remontancy that provides a generous second flush after the main summer display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Uniform dark burgundy with velvety matte finish; buds dark ruby red, freshly opened flowers deep burgundy, later fading gently to mahogany red, with good colour retention through the flowering cycle. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Mild, restrained rose fragrance with a delicately classic character; not overpowering near doors or windows, but offering a gentle scented note when blooms are cut for the house or enjoyed at close range. |
| Hip characteristics |
Limited hip set due to double blooms; when present, small spherical orange-red hips, about 5–8 mm in diameter, adding a discreet seasonal accent without seeding around or distracting from flowering. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Moderate overall disease resistance with good black spot resistance and moderate susceptibility to powdery mildew and rust; winter hardy to about −21 to −18 °C, corresponding to RHS H7 and USDA zone 6b, Swedish zone 3. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Suited to borders, low hedges, ground cover, specimens, containers and cutting; spacing 35–70 cm depending on use, tolerates partial shade, needs occasional plant protection and benefits from mulching and balanced feeding. |
GRAND PALACE® offers compact, repeat flowering, refined burgundy colour and long-lived own-root reliability; a thoughtful choice if you would like lasting structure with quietly luxurious blooms.
