NEON ® – deep pink bedding floribunda rose - Kordes
If You dream of a front garden that feels like a soft, mossy glow of colour on a grey Dublin morning, NEON® is made for You. This compact floribunda covers itself in blooms from early summer to autumn, lighting up small spaces with its vivid, uniform deep pink flowers that gently fade to a warm, romantic blush. Bred by Kordes and ADR‑awarded for its outstanding health, it shrugs off common fungal problems even in Irish rain and humidity, giving You reliable performance without complicated spraying routines. The neat, bushy plant with glossy dark foliage works perfectly in cottage‑style beds, low hedges or city front gardens, and copes well with our damp, cooler summers and changeable weather where repeat flowering really matters. Planted on its own roots, it settles in securely, building strength year after year so that roots establish in the first season, top growth fills out in the second and full ornamental impact arrives by about the third.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Cottage-style flower bed in a family garden |
Dense, bushy growth and masses of medium, cupped flowers create a classic cottage look with very little effort, especially when grouped at 35 cm for a glowing block of colour that repeats all summer for the relaxed home gardener. |
| Urban front garden or small Dublin terrace |
The compact 50–70 cm habit means NEON® fits narrow beds and small front gardens without overwhelming the space, yet its saturated deep pink colour is visible from the street, ideal for those wanting high impact in a modest area for busy city dwellers. |
| Low flowering hedge along a path or driveway |
Plant at around 30 cm centres to form a low, even hedge; the uniform height and bushy structure give a tidy line of colour that needs only light trimming, offering cheerful structure without complex pruning for time-poor householders. |
| Long-season feature near patio or seating area |
Remontant flowering with an abundant second flush keeps the bed lively over a short Irish summer, so the view from the kitchen window or patio stays colourful for months with minimal deadheading for those who like enduring seasonal interest. |
| Low-maintenance family garden border |
High resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust means far fewer treatments, even in damp, fungus-prone gardens, supporting a healthier planting scheme where routine care is simple and mostly limited to watering and an annual tidy for relaxed carers. |
| Robust own-root planting for long-term borders |
Supplied on its own roots, NEON® establishes steadily, rebuilding if ever cut back hard and keeping its character for many years, so initial planting effort is rewarded with dependable, slowly maturing clumps for long-term planners. |
| Coastal or exposed suburban site with frequent rain |
This rose performs reliably where wind brings moist air and regular showers, holding its flowers and foliage well in unsettled Atlantic-type conditions and staying vigorous without fuss for weather-conscious owners. |
| Public-style or high-traffic family front garden bed |
Bred for parks and urban bedding, it copes well with reflected heat, light soil compaction and regular viewing, maintaining a clean, glossy look that still appears cared-for even when maintenance is occasional for practical household gardeners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Ribbon – Run a low line of NEON® along a path, edging it with Geranium sanguineum to soften the border and echo the pink tones – perfect for lovers of informal Irish cottage gardens.
- Front-Door-Focus – Plant a trio in a triangular group near the entrance, underplanted with sweet alyssum to create a fragrant, cloud-like base – ideal for homeowners wanting instant kerb appeal.
- Urban-Glow-Bed – Combine NEON® with Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’ for a modern contrast of deep pink and blue-green foliage – suited to busy urban gardeners seeking easy structure and colour.
- Family-Hedge – Create a child-friendly, low flowering hedge along a driveway, mixing NEON® with tough perennials for year-round interest – great for families who need robust plants with minimal fuss.
- Patio-Feature – Use a single NEON® as a focal clump beside a seating area, surrounded by soft grasses to highlight its vivid blooms – ideal for those who enjoy evening colour without intensive maintenance.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda bedding rose, collection RigoRosen®, registered as KORenon, traded as NEON ® RigoRosen®; American Rose Society exhibition name Neon, premium silver merit rating. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Wilhelm Kordes III at W. Kordes’ Söhne, Germany, from ‘Kiss’ × unknown seedling; introduced 2001 in Germany after registration in 1998, selected for garden and bedding performance. |
| Awards and recognition |
ADR rose (Germany, 1999); Gold Medals at Bagatelle Paris and Hradec Králové 2004, Silver Medal Kortrijk 2004, Certificate of Merit at The Hague Royal Rose Competition 2004. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Compact, bushy shrub 50–70 cm high and 40–60 cm wide, slightly thorny shoots, dense structure, with abundant, glossy dark green foliage giving a full, well-covered appearance in beds and borders. |
| Flower morphology |
Floribunda clusters of double, cupped blooms opening flatter with 26–39 petals, medium size 4–7 cm across; remontant with an abundant second flush, on clustered stems giving strong visual effect. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Vibrant deep pink with slight magenta tone, ARS DP, RHS 55A/57B; buds cyclamen-pink, flowers uniform deep pink then fading to warm pink with lighter edges before petal fall, maintaining good colour retention. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Primarily ornamental floribunda with very faint fragrance; any scent is light and unobtrusive, making it suitable near paths and windows where strong perfume might be overwhelming or unwanted. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional small spherical red hips, about 6–10 mm diameter; decorative value limited but can provide modest seasonal interest in late season if spent flowers are not removed. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
High resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy approximately to −21 to −18 °C (USDA 6b, RHS H7, Swedish Zone 3), tolerates heat reasonably but needs watering in prolonged drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny sites with well-drained soil; spacing 35 cm for beds, 30 cm for hedges, 55 cm for specimens; low-maintenance needs, occasional deadheading and annual pruning keeping it tidy and free-flowering. |
NEON ® brings vivid long-season colour, compact easy-care growth and resilient own-root longevity to family gardens; consider it if You want a dependable, glowing focal rose for everyday enjoyment.
