LETITIA™ – salmon‑orange nostalgia rose - Olesen & Olesen
LETITIA™ brings a touch of cottage‑garden romance to your beds and borders while staying reassuringly easy to live with in typical Irish conditions, even where heavy soil needs careful drainage. Its warm salmon‑orange, cup‑shaped blooms appear in generous clusters from early summer and repeat well, so your garden keeps its soft, nostalgic colour for months without demanding complex care. The strong, fruity‑tea fragrance drifts around paths and patios, carried by a bushy, mid‑green shrub that holds its shape neatly in smaller family gardens. As an own‑root rose it builds a long‑lived, balanced structure, quietly regenerating from the base over the years with less fuss. Give it time to settle – roots in year one, fuller shoots in year two, then near‑complete ornamental impact by year three – and LETITIA™ rewards you with reliable beauty you can simply plant and enjoy.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Front garden focal shrub |
LETITIA™ forms a bushy, upright shrub around 100–160 cm high, ideal as a welcoming feature near your front door or along a drive. The warm salmon‑orange blooms read clearly from the street, giving character without overpowering a small garden, perfect for the busy homeowner |
| Romantic cottage‑style border |
The nostalgia rose form, cupped flowers and soft salmon‑orange to powder‑pink shading suit informal, cottage borders with perennials and grasses. Group 3–5 plants at 70 cm spacing for a loose hedge that echoes traditional Irish country gardens, ideal for the cottage‑garden enthusiast |
| Easy, repeat‑flowering bed near the patio |
This remontant variety offers abundant second flushes, so areas you see daily stay colourful through the season with only light dead‑heading. Flowers come in clusters, giving good impact from each stem without needing intricate pruning, suiting the time‑pressed gardener |
| Small rose group in mixed flowerbed |
Dense, mid‑green, slightly glossy foliage provides a tidy backdrop for the pastel blooms, helping the plant sit well among perennials. The medium self‑cleaning means you can keep it looking smart with only occasional tidy‑ups, attractive for the low‑maintenance seeker |
| Container planting on sunny terrace |
LETITIA™ adapts well to large containers of at least 40–50 litres, where its bushy habit and moderate spread fill the space without becoming unruly. Regular watering and feeding keep flowering steady, making it suitable for the balcony and patio owner |
| Family garden seating‑area planting |
The strong, sweet, fruity‑tea fragrance is most appreciated close‑up, making it ideal beside benches, pergolas or paths. With limited pollinator appeal, it stays mainly ornamental and people‑centred, a lovely choice for the scent‑loving family |
| Long‑term, low‑fuss shrub in heavy Irish soils |
As an own‑root shrub it builds a resilient framework that copes well over many years, especially when planted with care where heavy clay is improved for better drainage against lingering wet. This dependable habit reassures the cautious beginner |
| All‑round garden rose for average‑sized plots |
Moderate maintenance needs and balanced disease resistance mean routine checks and simple treatments are usually enough, without specialist knowledge. It settles into typical Irish family gardens as a reliable, good‑looking backbone rose, ideal for the practical hobby‑gardener |
Decorating ideas
- Cottage Welcome – Plant LETITIA™ by your front path with catmint and Oriental poppies to echo traditional Irish cottage gardens – ideal for those who love soft, storybook entrances
- Sunset Border – Combine its salmon‑orange blooms with feather‑reed grass and warm‑toned daylilies for a glowing evening border – perfect for busy owners who relax outdoors after work
- Patio Perfume – Grow one plant in a 40–50 litre terracotta pot beside seating, pairing with trailing thyme and lavender – suited to scent lovers with a small terrace or balcony
- Calm Family Corner – Use LETITIA™ with mid‑blue campanulas and low box edging around a lawn seat for a peaceful, tidy nook – good for families wanting gentle colour without fussy upkeep
- Romantic Repeat Bed – Group 3 roses in a narrow bed, underplant with hardy geraniums for ground cover that softens the shrubs – ideal for beginners aiming for reliable colour from spring to autumn
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Romantic shrub rose from the Renaissance collection. Registered as POUlren045, marketed as Letitia™ Renaissance® POUlren045. A nostalgia‑style garden shrub rose for ornamental use in private gardens. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen for Poulsen Roser A/S in Denmark, breeding year 2021. Introduced commercially in 2022 as part of the Renaissance series for decorative garden planting. |
| Growth and structure |
Bushy, well‑filled shrub with dense, mid‑green, slightly glossy foliage. Height approximately 100–160 cm, spread 80–130 cm. Moderately thorny shoots form a rounded, balanced framework suitable for beds or specimen use. |
| Flower morphology |
Double, cup‑shaped flowers with 26–39 petals, large size around 7–10 cm. Blooms carried in clusters of 3–5 per stem. Remontant habit with abundant repeat flowering when well watered and fed through the season. |
| Colour and phenology |
Warm salmon‑orange overall with soft pink sheen. Buds deep peach‑orange, freshly opened blooms show vivid orange centres fading to cream‑pink. Colour lightens in strong heat but holds well in moderate conditions. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Pronounced, classic rose scent with sweet, fruity tea character. Strong enough to notice at close to medium distance, especially around seating areas and paths. Primarily ornamental, not selected for culinary or cosmetic use. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Limited hip set expected due to double flowers. Where formed, hips are small, spherical, red, about 8–13 mm in diameter, adding discreet late‑season interest without dominating the shrub. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Hardy to about −23 to −26 °C (H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4). Moderate resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; benefits from good air movement and standard preventative care in humid, disease‑prone seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well‑drained soil; improve heavy clay before planting. Medium maintenance; occasional plant protection may be needed. Suitable for beds, edging, hedging and large containers of at least 40–50 litres. |
LETITIA™ offers romantic salmon‑orange flowers, strong fragrance and a bushy, long‑lived own‑root shrub that settles reliably into Irish family gardens; consider it if You want a beautiful rose without complicated care
