HYBRID TEA
The most popular roses for much of history, hybrid teas are the classic roses with perfectly formed single flowers on top of long, strong stems. Most have intoxicating fragrances, come in a multitude of colors, and repeat bloom (how many shrubs can say that?). They have been thought to be the fussiest roses to grow, and some home gardeners have given up on them. However, several years ago, many esteemed hybridizers began to breed new easy-care varieties. In fact, the following varieties are almost foolproof if grown under proper conditions. In any given year, there can be various fungal spores and unusual weather patterns, so it is possible for even the most disease-resistant rose to succumb; however, the roses below are the most likely to bounce back quickly after the spring rains when drier weather returns.
‘Beverly’ Eleganza (KORpauvio)
‘Dark Desire’ Parfuma (KORdiagraf)
‘First Crush’ Parfuma (KORmaccap)
‘Grande Amore’ Eleganza (KORcoluma)
‘Pink Enchantment’ Eleganza (KORsouba)
‘Savannah’ Sunbelt (KORvioros)
‘Sunny Sky’ Eleganza (KORaruli)
A pink hybrid tea rose with intense yet fresh fragrances of pear, plum, and peony. The colors of the perfectly formed blooms are the palest of pinks on the outer petals and rich, darker pinks in the center, making for a lovely blend. Introduced in 2007, this Kordes-bred rose is very disease resistant and has won numerous awards.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Pink
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 4½’ h. × 3’ w.
PETAL COUNT: 50
AWARDS: Most Fragrant and Best Hybrid Tea at the 2013 Biltmore International Rose Trials in Asheville, North Carolina; Golden Rose of The Hague and the Gold Certificate in Hybrid Tea at the 2013 Rose Trials in The Hague, Netherlands
This rose was introduced in 2014 by Kordes as part of their Parfuma collection. The almost-black buds open to blooms with a unique violet-red color and an exceptionally sophisticated and sensual fragrance. The glossy bright-green foliage is very disease resistant.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Dark red
GROWTH HABIT: Bush
SIZE: 4’ h. × 3½’ w.
PETAL COUNT: Double
AWARDS: 2014 ADR winner
This rose has dense, glossy foliage with mildly fragrant light-yellow blossoms that are up to 6 inches in diameter! The flowers appear late, but then almost continuously for the rest of the season. ‘Elina’ was introduced in 1983 by Dickson Nurseries of Ireland, the oldest family-owned rose-breeding company in the world.
ZONE 6B
COLOR: Light yellow
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 4′ h. × 31″ w.
PETAL COUNT: 25–30
DICKSON NURSERIES
Dickson Nurseries was founded in 1836 in Newtownards, Ireland, by Alexander Dickson I, who came from Scotland. He and his family became fascinated with roses and started breeding the plants around 1879, making them the oldest rose-breeding family in the world. Sixth-generation family member Colin Dickson still carries on the tradition of breeding beautiful, healthy roses. His wife personally answered my e-mail request for a photo of their award-winning disease-resistant rose ‘Elina’—amazing! Several years ago, I bought their vigorous, beautiful rose ‘Whisper’, which they bred for Jackson and Perkins roses before this cultivar unfortunately went out of production in the United States.
This lightly fragrant, extremely floriferous, bright cherry-pink rose has frilly outer petals that give it a tropical flare. As with all Kordes roses listed in this book, it is extremely healthy with glossy dark-green foliage. It was introduced in 2012.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Cherry pink
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 4′ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: 21
AWARDS: Armand Zinsch Prize at the 2012 Rose Trials in Lyon, France; Silver Medal at the 2012 Kortrijk Trials, Belgium; Silver Certificate in Hybrid Tea at the 2015 Rose Trials in The Hague, Netherlands
The velvety dusky-red flowers of ‘Firefighter’ are pointed and ovoid. This big, super-fragrant, long-stemmed hybrid tea is the epitome of the classic rose in many people’s minds. It was introduced in 2005, and is the first sponsorship rose for the Remember Me Rose Garden fund honoring the victims of 9/11. The stems are almost thornless and have small, semiglossy, disease-resistant foliage. For more information about the gardens, visit www.remember-me-rose.org.
ZONE 6B
COLOR: Rich red
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 5’–6’ h. × 3’–4’ w.
PETAL COUNT: 40–45
Kordes introduced ‘First Crush’ in 2012 as part of their Parfuma collection. When you see the name “Parfuma,” you know that the blooms are lushly fragrant. The contrast of buds and open blooms on the same stem create a beautiful combination, because as the buds begin to open, they are an almost-plum color, and as they mature, they unfurl to a delicate creamy pink. The foliage is disease resistant. Some mail-order companies classify ‘First Crush’ as a floribunda.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Pale pink
GROWTH HABIT: Bushy
SIZE: 3½’ h. × 2½’ w.
PETAL COUNT: 26–40
AWARDS: Gold Medal at the Kortrijk Trials, Belgium
This stunning cultivar introduced in 2006 by the House of Meilland in France was the only rose designated an All-America Rose Selection by the American Rose Society in 2013 and the first hybrid tea to be chosen under the new no-spray rules. This rose bears the name of the father of Alain Meilland, who now runs Meilland International. The large pointed buds are white delicately suffused with pearl pink. Each powerfully fragrant, large bloom is shell pink upon opening and turns creamy white as the flower ages. Excellent disease resistance makes this rose a must for every garden in zones 7A and above.
ZONE 7A
COLOR: Blush pink turning to creamy white
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 6′ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: 40–60
AWARDS: 2013 All-America Rose Selection; 2012 ADR winner
MEILLAND INTERNATIONAL
In 1935, when the German invasion of France was imminent during World War II, French rose breeder Francis Meilland, the third generation in a family of rose growers near Lyon, France, sent a promising rose seedling (later named ‘Peace’) to friends in Italy, Turkey, Germany, and the United States to protect the new rose. The rose did so well that it was propagated by the thousands, and it launched the House of Meilland into worldwide fame.
The son of Francis, Alain Meilland, has directed the company to focus on disease resistance, fragrance, and beauty. Since then, in addition to many modern rose varieties, Meilland has introduced the tough, disease-resistant Drift ground-cover roses. They are the result of a cross between full-size ground-cover roses and miniatures.
Introduced in 2004 by Kordes, this is the classic red rose that everyone envisions receiving for Valentine’s Day. High-centered, lightly fragrant red flowers top vigorous and disease-resistant foliage.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Red
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 4′ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: 25–30
AWARDS: Den Hagg Gold Medal in 2004 and 2009; 2005 ADR winner; 2005 Golden Rose of Lyon; Gold Medal at the 2007 Rose Hills International Rose Trial; 2010 Gold Medal in Portland, Oregon; Best Hybrid Tea at the 2013 Portland’s Best Rose
Hybridized by Tom Carruth for Weeks Roses in 2011, this old-style rose has fragrant rose-pink blossoms with abundant disease-resistant deep-green leaves.
ZONE 6
COLOR: Rose pink
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 4½’ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: 35–40
Introduced in 2005 by Kordes Rosen, this hybrid tea has lightly fragrant, very large cream-colored blossoms and very disease-resistant foliage. With its perfectly formed flowers, it’s a favorite among cut-flower growers.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Cream
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 32″-39″ h. × 1½’ w.
PETAL COUNT: Very double
AWARDS: 2009 ADR winner
Kordes Rosen introduced this rose, also sold as ‘Souvenir de Baden-Baden’, in 2008. The fragrant blossoms are a very large, luscious blend of pink and cream with scalloped edges and are 4 inches in diameter. The dark-green foliage exhibits a high level of disease resistance, making this rose almost carefree.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Pink
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 39″ h. × 28″ w.
PETAL COUNT: 40–45
AWARDS: Fragrance Award at the 2012 Rose Trials in The Hague, Netherlands; 2008 ADR winner
Another very hardy and disease-resistant cultivar from Kordes. This rose is compact for a hybrid tea. The wonderfully fragrant flowers top abundant dark-green foliage. It has exceptional disease resistance, even in heat and humidity.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Salmon pink
GROWTH HABIT: Bushy
SIZE: 3′ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: Very double
AWARDS: Most Outstanding Rose, Best Hybrid Tea, and Most Fragrant at the 2015 Biltmore International Rose Trials in Asheville, North Carolina
This brilliant-white rose sparkles in the garden and smells of sweet citrus and rose fragrance. It has good rebloom and good disease resistance. The glossy dark-green leaves are an excellent contrast to the classically formed pure-white flowers that average 5 inches in diameter. It was introduced in 2012 by Christian Bédard for Weeks Roses.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Bright white
GROWTH HABIT: Upright, bushy
SIZE: 5’–6’ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: 35
This very hardy hybrid tea has healthy, thick green foliage. The classically formed 4-inch blossoms are lightly fragrant and repeat bloom throughout the season. It was introduced in Germany in 2009.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Honey, cream, pink blend
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 4’–4½’ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: 30
AWARDS: 2015 ADR winner; Gold Certificate in Hybrid Tea at the 2014 Rose Trials in The Hague, Netherlands; Best Hybrid Tea at the 2012 Rose Trials in La Tacita, Italy; City of Belfast Award for Best Hybrid Tea and Gold Medal at the 2012 Rose Trials in Belfast, Ireland
An ADR rose is a winner in the German rose trial Allgemeine Deutsche Rosenneuheitenprüfung (“All German Rose Trial” in English). It is a prestigious trial in which roses are evaluated for appearance, flowering, growth, winter hardiness, and disease resistance over a 3-year period in eleven test gardens. No chemical pesticides have been allowed since 1997, and breeders often describe the trial as one of the most challenging in the world.
Introduced by Kordes in 2012, ‘Wedding Bells’ has blossoms that are a two-tone pink color and are fragrant and long lasting, making them perfect for cutting. The 4-inch flowers bloom in flushes throughout the season and hold up well even in rainy climates. The abundant shiny-green foliage has very good disease resistance.
ZONE 5
COLOR: Pink blend
GROWTH HABIT: Upright
SIZE: 4′ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: 50–60
AWARDS: Gold Medal at the 2013 Rose Trials in The Hague, Netherlands
‘Winter Sun’ has large, mildly fragrant luminous-yellow flowers with a soft amber undertone, as well as healthy, disease-resistant foliage—even in heat and humidity.
ZONE 6B
COLOR: Yellow
GROWTH HABIT: Upright to bushy
SIZE: 4′ h. × 3′ w.
PETAL COUNT: Very double
