VALENCIA ® – apricot hybrid tea rose – Kordes
If You would like a reliably flowering, premium hybrid tea that still feels easy to live with in an Irish family garden, VALENCIA ® is a warm peach‑orange classic that brings cut‑rose elegance straight to your own borders. The large, high‑centred blooms open from deep golden buds into richly coloured, fully double flowers that are perfect for cutting and enjoying indoors. A strong, fruity, deeply rose fragrance means every flush is a pleasure when You pass the front path or sit out on the patio. The upright, bushy habit stays compact, fitting neatly into smaller beds, edging and mixed borders without overwhelming other plants. Dense, glossy dark green foliage underlines its ornamental value and shows off the warm flower tones beautifully. Own‑root planting supports a naturally long‑lived bush that can regenerate from its own base and settle steadily into Your soil and care routine. Once established in well‑drained ground, it copes well with typical Irish summers, even when dealing with our humid weather and changeable showers. Thanks to its remontant nature, You enjoy a generous first flush followed by an abundant second flowering, offering reliable colour across the season. Over the first three years it focuses on roots, then shoots, then full display, giving You a steadily improving show without demanding expert skills.
Use cases
| Target area |
Reason |
| Front garden focal point near the entrance |
The upright, compact habit and large, exhibition‑style blooms make a single shrub an eye‑catching welcome beside a door, path or gate, giving a tidy, elegant look without needing complicated pruning – ideal for the busy homeowner |
| Classic cutting bed for home bouquets |
High‑centred, fully double flowers on strong stems provide superb cut roses with a rich, fruity fragrance, so You can harvest armfuls of peach‑orange blooms through the season for vases and gifts – ideal for the home flower lover |
| Small group planting in ornamental borders |
Planting 3–5 bushes at recommended spacing creates a coherent block of colour, with repeat flowering and glossy foliage giving a structured yet romantic effect in modest‑sized family gardens – ideal for the neat border gardener |
| Mixed cottage‑style bed with perennials and grasses |
The warm, copper‑peach flowers blend beautifully with airy companions such as pincushion flower and switchgrass, adding structure and scent while still keeping a relaxed, rural cottage feel – ideal for the country‑style enthusiast |
| Sunny terrace or patio in a large container |
In a 40–50 litre pot with good drainage, the compact, upright rose becomes a fragrant, high‑impact feature that is easy to tend from close by and simple to water, feed and deadhead – ideal for the urban balcony owner |
| Family garden seating area or path edge |
The strong, sweet fragrance and repeat flushes mean every stroll or evening sit‑down is accompanied by scent and colour, while the structured shrub form fits neatly along paths and patios – ideal for the relaxed evening gardener |
| Long‑term planting in established rose beds |
As an own‑root hybrid tea with good winter hardiness, it forms a durable, regenerating framework, supporting stable ornamental value over many years without needing frequent replacement – ideal for the future‑minded planner |
| Ornamental bed exposed to changeable Irish weather |
The dense foliage, good drought tolerance once established and reliable remontant flowering help it cope with our cool summers and frequent rain, even when facing persistent moisture and fungal pressure in the air – ideal for the Irish climate gardener |
Decorating ideas
- Peach Front‑Door Welcome – Plant one VALENCIA ® with low silvery Artemisia and soft mulch near your entrance for a refined, fragrant focal point – perfect for homeowners wanting an elegant but easy‑care first impression
- Romantic Cutting Patch – Arrange a short row of VALENCIA ® in a sunny side bed, leaving access from behind so You can cut stems for the house – ideal for beginners who dream of home‑grown bouquets
- Cottage Glow Border – Mix VALENCIA ® with pincushion flowers and other soft pastels to create a gently billowing cottage border that still has structure – great for fans of relaxed, country‑style gardens
- Patio Feature Pot – Grow a single plant in a 40–50 litre terracotta container with good drainage on a terrace, underplanting with trailing herbs – suited to small‑space gardeners who want scent close to their seating
- Warm‑Toned Grass Mix – Combine VALENCIA ® in a rear border with switchgrass and other upright grasses for a modern, textural look softened by peach‑orange blooms – ideal for design‑conscious gardeners seeking low‑fuss drama
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, exhibition tea hybrid; registered as KOReklia, marketed as Valencia ® Hybrid tea rose KOReklia, ARS exhibition name Valencia; name honours the Spanish city of Valencia. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Wilhelm Kordes III (W. Kordes & Sons, Germany) from ‘Jana’ × ‘Whisky Mac’, introduced and registered in 1989, combining warm colouring with classic hybrid tea form and garden reliability. |
| Awards and recognitions |
Durbanville Gold Medal 1988; RNRS Edland Fragrance Medal 1989; RNRS Certificate of Merit 1989; RHS Award of Garden Merit 2001, reflecting strong fragrance and dependable garden performance. |
| Growth and structure |
Upright, bushy shrub 70–100 cm high and 50–70 cm wide, with dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickles; forms a compact, well‑filled bush suited to borders, specimens and small group plantings. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, fully double blooms with 26–39 petals, high‑centred and pointed in classic cut‑rose style; mainly solitary flowers, remontant with a generous main flush followed by an abundant second flowering period. |
| Colour and phenology |
Rich peach‑orange with golden yellow tones; buds deep golden yellow, opening copper‑peach then maturing to pastel cream‑peach, especially in strong sun; colour retention moderate, providing a warm, luminous garden effect. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, characterful perfume described as sweet, fruity and deeply rose‑scented; noticeable on warm, still days and ideal where fragrance is a priority, such as near seating, paths or doors used daily. |
| Rose hip characteristics |
Produces moderate quantities of small, ovoid orange‑red hips 10–14 mm across, adding a discreet late‑season decorative touch and some wildlife interest without overwhelming the plant’s overall appearance. |
| Resistance and hardiness |
Hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (H7, USDA 5b, Swedish zone 4); black spot and rust resistant, powdery mildew moderate; good heat tolerance but appreciates watering in extended dry spells for best flowering. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well‑drained soil; space 50 cm in mass plantings, 40 cm in hedges, 80 cm as a specimen; about 4–4.6 plants/m²; medium maintenance with occasional plant protection and regular deadheading advised. |
VALENCIA ® offers richly scented, exhibition‑quality blooms on a compact, long‑lived own‑root bush that settles steadily into your garden with dependable repeat flowering; consider it if You want a beautiful yet manageable hybrid tea.
