KISS ME KATE® – pink climbing rose – Kordes
Let KISS ME KATE® bring a touch of musical romance to your garden with richly petalled, mid‑pink rosettes and a fragrance you will notice every time you step outside. This exhibition‑quality climber combines showy blooms with reliable health, bred by Kordes for strong disease resistance that copes well with Ireland’s damp air and heavy clay soils when drainage is sensibly managed. In a sunny spot it quickly clothes arches, pergolas and house walls, its dark green, glossy foliage giving a lush backdrop even between flushes. As an own‑root plant in the pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2‑litre pot, it is already well established when it arrives, so you simply plant, water and let it settle without complicated routines. Over time it forms its own balanced shape, growing from mainly root-building in the first year, to strong new shoots in the second, and full ornamental value by the third year. Low day‑to‑day maintenance needs mean You only tidy away the spent, very double blooms when they hang on, making it a practical choice if You enjoy colour and scent but prefer straightforward care rather than intensive rose culture.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Front‑garden arch or pergola by the entrance |
Ideal where You want visitors welcomed by dramatic, mid‑pink rosette blooms and a very strong, citrus‑apple scent at nose height. Its exhibition‑grade flowers and repeat blooming create a romantic focal point without fussy pruning, suiting the busy home gardener |
| Sunny wall or house façade in a small family garden |
Trains easily on wires or trellis to 2–3 m and quickly covers bare walls with dense, glossy foliage and repeating clusters of flowers. Own‑root vigour supports a long‑lived framework, giving dependable coverage for years with simple tying‑in, ideal for the long‑term planner |
| Low‑maintenance cottage‑style border |
Excellent in mixed borders where You want a romantic cottage look without constant care. Strong disease resistance keeps foliage clean in humid Irish weather, so it partners well with perennials while needing only basic feeding and watering, perfect for the relaxed gardener |
| Cut‑flower corner for scented indoor bouquets |
The large, very double rosette blooms on long stems make superb cut flowers, bringing their garden‑filling perfume indoors. Regular cutting encourages further flowering, turning one plant into a steady source of scented stems, appreciated by the rose enthusiast |
| Screening a fence between neighbouring gardens |
Its 90–160 cm spread and 2–3 m height allow You to clothe fences with an elegant, living screen of dark foliage and pink clusters. The repeat flowering and own‑root resilience create a stable, long‑term barrier with fewer gaps, appealing to the privacy‑seeking homeowner |
| Rural cottage‑garden path or seating area |
Planted near a bench or path, the strong perfume and nostalgic flower form give a period‑garden feel. The plant’s gradual establishment and framework‑forming habit mean it becomes more beautiful each year, rewarding the patient gardener |
| Coastal or windswept Irish front garden |
Its robust growth and good foliage help it cope in exposed, breezy sites where milder Atlantic winds and damp air are common, provided the soil is reasonably drained. This makes it a realistic choice for coastal homes wanting colour without fuss, suiting the seaside resident |
| Large container on a sunny patio with support |
In a 40–50 litre container with a tall obelisk or trellis, it becomes a vertical accent for patios or balconies, with abundant pink clusters and strong scent close to seating. Regular watering and feeding are straightforward tasks for the container gardener |
Decorating ideas
- Romantic Entrance Arch – Train KISS ME KATE® over a metal arch, underplant with lavender and catmint for scent and soft colour contrast – ideal for homeowners wanting a welcoming, storybook front‑garden entrance
- Cottage Wall Tapestry – Fan the climber along wires on a sunny wall, weaving between foxgloves and hardy geraniums for a layered cottage‑garden tapestry – perfect for those who like relaxed, rural Irish garden charm
- Perfumed Patio Screen – Grow in a 40–50 litre container with a wooden trellis, pairing with pots of rosemary and thyme to create a scented, semi‑private corner – suited to balcony and small‑patio dwellers
- Evening Seating Nook – Place it behind a garden bench, combining with pale hydrangeas and Hakonechloa grass so the pink blooms glow at dusk – great for people who unwind outdoors after work
- Family Photo Backdrop – Let it cover a fence section near the lawn, edging the base with low white roses or salvias for a soft frame – ideal for families wanting a beautiful background for gatherings and celebrations
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Climbing rose from the Klettermaxe collection. Registered as KORnagelio, marketed as Kiss Me Kate® / Klettermaxe®. ARS exhibition name: Kiss Me Kate. Premium gold cultivar authenticity verified for pharmarosa.ie. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Wilhelm‑Alexander Kordes, W. Kordes’ Söhne, Germany. Parentage: ‘DELeri’ (Nahéma) × (‘KORgosumu’ = Gelber Engel × ‘KORvanaber’ = Lions‑Rose). Introduced after 2019, US registration 2019 (PP 30 810). |
| Awards and recognitions |
Highly decorated for flower quality and scent: multiple fragrance awards and gold medals including Kortrijk (2016), La Tacita (2017), Lyon Jury Special Prize (2017) and Glasgow Gold Medal (2020), plus further international show honours. |
| Growth and structure |
Strong, upright climber reaching about 200–330 cm high and 90–160 cm wide. Moderately thorny, with dense, dark green, glossy foliage. Needs support and tying‑in; forms a structured framework over several seasons on its own roots. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, very double, rosette‑shaped blooms with 40+ petals in clusters. Flower size generally 2.75–3.95 inches. Remontant, with particularly abundant second flush. Heavily double flowers may require manual deadheading as they do not self‑clean well. |
| Colour and phenology |
Medium‑bright, uniform pink. Buds deep pink, opening to pure pink with a slightly darker outer band, then fading to paler pink with a delicate silvery sheen. Colour fades faster in strong sun, but remains richer in cooler conditions. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Notable for a very strong, garden‑filling perfume combining fresh citrus and apple notes. Scent is easily appreciated at a distance, especially around seating areas and entrances, and is a key reason for its international fragrance awards. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Due to its very double flower form, hip set is usually low. If rose hips form they are small, typically up to about 4 mm in diameter, and have limited ornamental effect in the garden. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Good overall disease resistance, rated resistant to powdery mildew, black spot and rust. Hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4). Moderate heat and drought tolerance; requires regular watering in prolonged dry spells. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in a sunny position with well‑drained soil. Recommended spacing: 150 cm for mass planting, 140 cm for hedging, 225 cm as a specimen. For supports such as pergolas, arches and fences; also suitable as a fragrant cut‑flower climber. |
KISS ME KATE® offers richly scented pink climber blooms, strong disease resistance and long-lived, own-root reliability for arches, walls or patios, making it a practical and romantic choice if You would like a dependable garden feature.
