LIMONA ® – light yellow hybrid tea rose - Kordes
With its soft lemon tones and refined, upright habit, LIMONA brings a quietly romantic focus to family gardens, even where gardens face brisk coastal breezes and frequent rain. Its hybrid tea blooms open in generous clusters, the fresh, citrusy scent lending a gentle afternoon charm reminiscent of tea under an arbour. Bred for modern gardens, it offers robust health and proven resilience, so You can enjoy dependable flowering without complicated care. As an own‑root rose it settles in steadily, building long-term stability and reliable regrowth from the base. In typical British conditions it remains attractively compact, ideal for beds, narrow borders and generous containers, yet still gives the feeling of a full rose garden. The dark, glossy foliage frames the light-yellow blooms with elegant contrast, while moderate self-cleaning keeps the plant looking neat between light deadheading sessions. Over the seasons, its award-winning garden performance and repeat flowering make it a sound choice for beginners and busy owners alike, offering a feeling of storybook romance in everyday spaces. Planted once and cared for simply, LIMONA can reward You for many years with enduring longevity.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose in a small family flower bed |
The bushy, upright habit and compact 75–105 cm height make LIMONA easy to place in modest borders without overwhelming nearby plants, while its strong, citrus scent and repeat flowering give a clear focal point with minimal fuss for the busy home gardener. |
| Cottage-style mixed border with perennials |
Its reliable disease resistance and low maintenance needs allow You to weave it among cottage perennials without constant spraying or intensive pruning, giving a soft, romantic effect that fits naturally into informal English-country planting for the romantic traditionalist. |
| Decorative rose row along a path or drive |
The even, upright structure and dense, glossy foliage form a tidy line when planted at hedge spacing, while the lemon-yellow flowers lighten hard edges such as paving or gravel, creating a welcoming approach that is easy to keep in order for the practical homeowner. |
| Large container on terrace, patio or front step |
In a 40–50 litre or larger pot, LIMONA’s compact frame and remontant flowering create a long-season accent near seating or entrances; own-root growth helps it recover well from repotting and minor neglect, suiting the time-pressed balcony gardener. |
| Low-maintenance rose bed in urban or new-build garden |
Strong resistance to black spot, mildew and rust, together with moderate self-cleaning, keeps the bed looking cared-for with only light deadheading and seasonal feeding, ideal where time, storage and equipment are limited for the low-input garden owner. |
| Long-term planting for family gardens |
As an own-root rose it can regenerate from the base rather than relying on a graft, supporting a longer lifespan, stable form and consistent flowering, making it a reassuring choice where plants are expected to mature gracefully for the long-view planner. |
| Romantic seating corner or “afternoon tea” nook |
The strong, fresh citrus fragrance and luminous lemon-to-cream blooms create a gentle, storybook atmosphere around benches or arbours; over the first three years it knits in, then builds up shoots and finally delivers its full ornamental presence for the garden dreamer. |
| Informal rose grouping in exposed or coastal gardens |
Its sturdy, bushy structure, dense foliage and proven health allow it to stand up well where gardens regularly face blustery, rain-laden weather, reducing plant losses and patchiness in demanding positions, which reassures the weather-wary gardener. |
Styling ideas
- Soft lemon ribbon – Plant LIMONA in a gentle curve along a path, underplant with low Vinca minor to echo the glossy foliage and create a seamless, easy-care edge – ideal for family gardens.
- Tea-time corner – Place one or two plants near a small seating area, surround with scented herbs and pale perennials for a relaxed “afternoon tea” feel – perfect for romantic cottage-style lovers.
- Sunny trio – Group three bushes in a triangle in a small lawn opening, combining with airy grasses for movement and low maintenance – suited to busy homeowners wanting impact.
- Container welcome – Grow LIMONA in a 50 litre pot by the front door, with trailing periwinkle or ivy for softness, relying on its compact form and remontant blooms – great for urban entrances.
- Cream-and-gold border – Mix LIMONA with white and cream flowers and dark green shrubs to highlight its lemon-to-cream colour shift, keeping pruning simple – appealing to beginners seeking harmony.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose from the Eleganza collection; registered as KORmonali, marketed as Limona ® Eleganza® KORmonali, a light-yellow garden and cut-flower type hybrid tea. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Wilhelm-Alexander Kordes in Germany from KORvanaber (‘Lions-Rose’) crossed with an unnamed seedling × KORassenet ‘Gebrüder Grimm’; bred 2005, introduced 2016 by W. Kordes’ Söhne. |
| Awards and recognition |
Decorated with multiple 2016 trial honours including gold medals at Lyon and Kortrijk, Casino Baden-Baden prize and silver at Baden-Baden, plus ADR rating in 2017 and Excellence Rose award in 2022. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, upright shrub reaching about 75–105 cm high and 40–60 cm wide, moderately prickly, dense dark green glossy foliage, ideal for structured beds, hedging runs and specimen planting in modest spaces. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cupped blooms with 26–39 petals carried mainly in clusters; remontant with abundant second flowering, giving showy hybrid tea style blooms suitable for both garden display and cutting. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Fresh lemon-yellow buds (RHS 11C, 4D) open vivid yellow, then soften through pastel to cream-white towards petal edges; colour retention moderate, creating a gentle, multi-toned effect over each flowering phase. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, fresh citrusy fragrance typical of well-scented hybrid teas, noticeable around seating areas and paths; dense petals reduce direct pollinator access, so it is chosen primarily for scent and visual interest. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional ovoid orange-red hips, about 10–14 mm diameter, adding discrete late-season interest without dominating, and usually removed where continuous flowering and a neat appearance are preferred. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
RHS H7, hardy to about −21 to −18 °C; rated resistant to black spot, powdery mildew and rust, tolerates summer heat with watering during prolonged dry spells, suiting typical UK garden and urban conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions with well-drained soil; spacing 35–70 cm depending on use; low pruning and feeding needs, square planting about 4.9 plants/m², hexagonal 5.7 plants/m² for fuller bedding schemes. |
LIMONA ® rewards You with compact, healthy growth, wonderfully fragrant lemon-yellow blooms and dependable repeat flowering, while its own-root form supports long-lived, stable performance in everyday family gardens, making it a thoughtful choice to plant now.
