DÉLICIEUSE GOURMANDISE – pale pink climbing rose - Schmitz
Imagine a late-summer afternoon, cups clinking under a rose-draped pergola, as Délicieuse Gourmandise washes your seating area in fragrance and soft, milky-translucent petals. This bushy climber covers arches and arbours with very double rosette blooms, bringing storybook romance to even modest family gardens. On typical British clay it benefits from raised beds or improved drainage, so it copes more reliably with wet, wind-brushed weather near the coast. Supplied in the pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root form, it is designed for a long garden life, quietly building roots in year one, structure in year two and full ornamental impact by year three, with steady regrowth, reliable flowering and an enduring cottage-garden presence.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Arbour or pergola for afternoon tea |
The strong, sweet, fruity scent and generous repeat flushes create a scented ceiling of pale-pink blooms above seating areas, ideal for relaxed family tea or evening chats without feeling enclosed. Suitable for scent-loving beginners. |
| Romantic cottage-style house wall |
Its bushy, free-branching growth makes it easy to fan out along wires on a sunny wall, softening brick or render with a gentle, storybook look while remaining compact enough for typical suburban plots. Well suited to cottage-garden enthusiasts. |
| Kitchen-garden edge or potager arch |
Trained over a simple arch, the climber forms a pale-pink gateway into beds of herbs and vegetables, giving a “girly” countryside feel without demanding specialist pruning skills from the home grower. Ideal for rustic-plot homeowners. |
| Feature rose in small family lawn corner |
Used as a free-standing specimen on a sturdy obelisk, it turns an unused corner of lawn into a focal point, with dense foliage and rosette flowers adding depth even when other plants are between seasons. Recommended for space-conscious families. |
| Large container on terrace or patio |
In a 40–50 litre container with a trellis, it brings vertical interest to paved spaces, combining fragrance and soft colour near doors or seating while staying manageable to tie in and tidy each season. Best for busy urban gardeners. |
| Informal flowering screen between neighbours |
Its 2.2–3.8 m height and dense, matt foliage allow it to be trained as a loose screen on posts and wires, gently blurring boundaries while remaining airy enough not to dominate smaller gardens. Suitable for privacy-seeking owners. |
| Cut-flower source for nostalgic bouquets |
The large, very double blooms with strong perfume make characterful stems for jugs and vases indoors; regular cutting encourages further flowering and fits easily into a simple yearly prune-and-tie routine. Ideal for home-arranging hobbyists. |
| Raised bed in heavier or wetter soils |
Planted into a well-prepared raised bed or improved border, it establishes a deep, resilient root system that supports long-term flowering even where soils are heavy and winters damp, supporting a calmer maintenance schedule for time-poor beginners. |
Styling ideas
- Cottage-Arch – Train Délicieuse Gourmandise over a simple metal arch, underplant with lavender and catmint for a pastel, English-countryside entrance – for romantic cottage-style dreamers.
- Tea-Corner – Grow it on an arbour behind a small bistro set, with potted herbs at the base to enjoy fragrance at nose level – for homeowners who prize cosy seating nooks.
- Kitchen-Gateway – Frame the path into a kitchen garden with two plants on posts and wires, edging the beds with chives and marigolds – for rural-style kitchen gardeners.
- Patio-Obelisk – Use a large container and tall obelisk to create a vertical rose column, softened with trailing thyme around the rim – for balcony and terrace gardeners.
- Soft-Screen – Form an informal boundary by spacing plants along a low fence with grasses and echinacea in front for movement and late colour – for families wanting gentle privacy.
Technical cultivar profile
| Characteristic |
Data |
| Name and registration |
DÉLICIEUSE GOURMANDISE – pale pink climbing rose - Schmitz, a large-flowered climber sold as a shrub rose type for garden use; current trade name verified for cultivar authenticity in April 2025. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Daniel Schmitz in Belgium, breeding year 2011, introduced by Roseraie Daniel Schmitz; parentage is unknown, but selection focuses on abundant flowering and distinctive perfume. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy climber reaching about 2.2–3.8 m high with a 1.1–1.9 m spread; moderately thorny, with dense, light green, matt foliage and flexible shoots suitable for training on supports. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, strongly double rosette blooms with more than 40 petals, usually borne singly on the stem; remontant habit with a generous second flush, suitable both for display and cutting. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Flowers open from pastel pink buds to soft candy-pink, then even pale pink, finally fading to light creamy pink; colour retention is moderate, with gentle, romantic transitions as blooms age. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Pronounced, sweet, fruity scent clearly noticeable from a distance, giving strong sensory impact around seating or paths; very double form reduces pollinator access, so it is mainly ornamental. |
| Hip characteristics |
Hip set is usually sparse due to the very double flowers; where formed, hips are small, ovoid, about 10–14 mm across, and red, adding only modest late-season decorative effect. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish zone 3); disease resistance is low, with high susceptibility to powdery mildew, black spot and rust, so protection is needed. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in a sunny position with fertile, well-drained soil; allow 1.4–2.5 m spacing depending on use, tie in shoots regularly, water in dry spells, and apply a regular disease-control programme. |
DÉLICIEUSE GOURMANDISE offers strongly fragrant, generously repeat-flowering pale-pink blooms and adaptable climbing habit on a long-lived own-root plant; a thoughtful choice for those planning a romantic, enduring garden feature.
