KISS ME KATE® – pink climbing rose – Kordes
Step outside to the soft patter of rain and the gentle perfume of KISS ME KATE®, a romantic climber that clothes walls, arches and cottage-style front gardens in abundant mid-pink rosettes. Bred for reliable health in our moist, mild climate, it shrugs off common fungal problems even when summer is cool and showery, and copes well where drainage is less than perfect. The vigorous yet manageable canes form a leafy green curtain, while the very strong, citrus-and-apple fragrance creates a cheerful sense of contentment on even the busiest weekday. As an own-root rose in a pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre pot, it is planned for the long term: roots establishing in the first year, bountiful new shoots in the second, and full, storybook character by the third.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front-garden arch in a Dublin terrace |
Ideal for dressing a narrow front path with romantic clusters of pink rosettes overhead. The refined, classic flower shape and excellent show-bench form also supply long, straight stems for occasional cutting without spoiling the display for beginners. |
| Irish cottage-style doorway or porch |
Trained around a doorway, its very strong citrus-and-apple scent greets you every time you step outside, echoing traditional cottage gardens while remaining easy to live with. Repeat flushes mean colour and perfume from early summer to autumn for fragrance-lovers. |
| Family seating area or patio pergola |
Over a pergola or pergola-style clothes-line, this climber builds a leafy, mid-pink ceiling that filters light without overwhelming the space. Own-root plants recover well from accidental breakage, so children, pets and busy family life are less of a worry for homeowners. |
| Boundary fence in a small to medium garden |
Planted at the recommended spacing along a fence, it forms a dense, glossy screen that softens boundaries without constant pruning. Its strong disease resistance keeps foliage attractive and reduces the need for spraying or frequent tidying for busy-gardeners. |
| Feature rose on a warm house wall |
On a sunny south or south-west wall, KISS ME KATE® flowers generously in repeating waves, while the colour fades softly from mid-pink to pale pink with a silvery sheen for added depth. Regular deadheading focuses energy on new blooms for style-conscious. |
| Climbing rose for mixed cottage-style border |
Threaded through foxgloves and ornamental grasses, its classic rosette blooms provide a romantic backdrop that anchors the planting across the season. Own-root vigour gives a long-lived framework, so companion plants can be refreshed over time around planners. |
| Low-intervention, long-term garden structure |
With low maintenance needs and reliable winter hardiness, this climber becomes a permanent green structure carrying flowers year after year. In rainy, cool Irish summers its strong disease resistance keeps it looking sound and trustworthy for time-poor. |
| Large container on balcony or paved courtyard |
When planted in a 40–50 litre container with good drainage, it offers vertical colour and fragrance where soil is limited. The stable, own-root habit means less worry about graft failure and easier long-term care in confined spaces for urban-dwellers. |
Styling ideas
- Storybook-arch – Train KISS ME KATE® up a metal or timber arch over a cottage-style gate, underplanting with foxgloves and low grasses for a romantic entrance – ideal for terrace and cottage frontage owners.
- Perfumed-porch – Guide canes along wires around a front door, pairing with pots of lavender to echo the citrus-apple scent – suited to fragrance-focused city gardeners.
- Soft-screen – Use along a boundary fence with airy perennials to create a semi-private, green wall that asks little more than tying-in – good for busy families wanting easy structure.
- Courtyard-column – Grow in a 50-litre pot with a slim obelisk, adding trailing herbs at the base to soften the container edge – perfect for paved courtyards and balconies.
- Cottage-backdrop – Let it climb a shed or outbuilding behind a mixed border with foxglove spikes and Hakonechloa, giving a long-lived, romantic background – appealing to informal cottage-garden fans.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Climbing, large-flowered rose from the Klettermaxe collection; registered as KORnagelio, marketed as KISS ME KATE® Klettermaxe®, with ARS exhibition name KISS ME KATE. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Wilhelm-Alexander Kordes, W. Kordes’ Söhne, Germany, from ‘DELeri’ × (‘KORgosumu’ × ‘KORvanaber’); introduced after 2019 and registered in 2019 (US PP 30 810). |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated fragrance rose; Fragrance and Gold Medal, Kortrijk 2016; Silver Medal Tokyo 2016; Fragrance Award Le Roeulx 2017; First Prize La Tacita 2017; Gold Medal Glasgow 2020. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climber reaching about 200–330 cm high and 90–160 cm wide, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate thorns; weak self-cleaning, so spent blooms may need occasional removal. |
| Flower morphology |
Large 7–10 cm rosette-shaped blooms, very double with 40+ petals, carried in clusters; remontant habit with particularly rich second flush and excellent form for cutting and exhibition use. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Uniform mid-pink flowers (ARS Mp; RHS 64B outer, 62C inner) opening from deeper buds; colour gently fades to pale pink with a soft silvery sheen, especially in strong sun, while cooler weather deepens tones. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, garden-filling perfume combining fresh citrus and crisp apple notes; ideal for positioning near paths, doors or seating areas where the scent can be fully appreciated on still, damp evenings. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose-hip production is generally low due to the many-petalled, very double flowers; where hips develop they tend to be small, typically 0–4 mm across and not visually prominent in the display. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated resistant to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4), performing reliably in cool, wet, maritime climates with regular watering in drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny, well-drained soil; space 140–225 cm depending on use. Train on arches, pergolas, fences or walls, tying in new canes; in containers use at least 40–50 litres with quality compost and drainage. |
KISS ME KATE® offers romantic pink blooms, award-winning fragrance and dependable disease resistance in a long-lived own-root climber, making it a thoughtful choice for Irish gardens seeking lasting structure and gentle charm.
