SPEELWARK® – apricot-yellow hybrid tea rose – Kordes
Bring a touch of storybook romance to your garden with SPEELWARK®, an apricot-yellow hybrid tea rose bred by Kordes that blends classic elegance with practical, long-term reliability. Large, perfectly shaped blooms unfold in waves all summer, ideal for cutting so you can enjoy their rich, peachy-citrus fragrance indoors as well as out. The bushy, upright habit and dark, glossy foliage create a neat, structured look that fits beautifully into a traditional cottage border or beside a kitchen-garden path, while its own-root vigour supports a long-lived, regenerating framework that copes well with typical family-garden conditions. Easy to plant in well-prepared beds or generous 40–50 litre containers, it establishes steadily and then rewards you with dependable, repeat flowering, even where breezy weather and heavier soil call for good drainage and firm anchoring. Over the first seasons you will see roots settle, shoots strengthen, and then full garden presence develop into a mature, enduring feature for relaxed afternoon-tea moments.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Feature rose by a seating area or terrace |
SPEELWARK® produces XL, exhibition-grade hybrid tea blooms with a strong peachy, citrus-tinted scent, making it ideal beside a bench or patio where flowers and fragrance can be appreciated up close on quiet afternoons – a delightful choice for the cottage-garden romantic. |
| Cutting bed for home flower arrangements |
The long, straight stems, solitary exhibition-type flowers and reliable repeat flushes provide a steady supply of high-quality blooms for vases and table centres, bringing the feel of afternoon tea under an arbour into the house – perfect for the home-decor–minded arranger. |
| Structured focal point in a mixed cottage border |
Its bushy, upright growth and dense, glossy dark-green foliage give a clear vertical accent among perennials and herbs, adding order to an informal planting scheme while keeping a traditional look – well suited to the busy yet style-conscious garden planner. |
| Own-root planting for long-lived family gardens |
As an own-root rose it rebuilds naturally if weather or pruning are less than perfect, supporting a long lifespan and stable ornamental value that fits real-life family gardens where time and conditions vary – reassuring for the long-term–thinking garden owner. |
| Seasonal development in new or refreshed borders |
Planted as a 2-litre own-root rose, it settles in steadily: first concentrating on root establishment, then building stronger shoots, before delivering its full ornamental effect in the third season, ideal for those happy to watch a garden mature – rewarding for the patient garden starter. |
| Containers and large pots near the back door |
Given a 40–50 litre pot with quality compost and regular watering, SPEELWARK® forms a compact, upright shrub that flowers generously, bringing scent and colour close to the house with straightforward care routines – convenient for the small-space balcony or patio gardener. |
| Traditional cottage and kitchen-garden borders |
The warm peach-yellow to powder-pink shading partners beautifully with herbs, daylilies and fine grasses, echoing classic English country-garden palettes and creating a gentle, “girly” atmosphere without fussy maintenance – appealing to lovers of romantic cottage-style borders. |
| Exposed but well-prepared family plots |
With hardy top growth, moderate disease tolerance and a bushy habit that responds well to good soil preparation and drainage, it establishes as a dependable shrub even in more open, breezy gardens where firm planting gives secure anchoring – practical for time-pressed family-garden beginners. |
Styling ideas
- Parlour-rose border – Line SPEELWARK® along a path with lavender and catmint to echo its scented, exhibition-quality blooms – ideal for fragrance lovers who like a neat, traditional edge.
- Kitchen-garden arc – Plant in a loose arc with herbs and soft fruit, using its upright structure and own-root longevity as a gentle backdrop – suited to home growers who want beauty with their produce.
- Teacup terrace – In a 50 litre terracotta pot with Stipa tenuissima, let XL flowers and strong scent frame your seating area – perfect for flat dwellers and patio users seeking romance in small spaces.
- Soft-sunset drift – Mass-plant at hedge spacing, interwoven with daylilies, to create an apricot-to-pink ribbon that repeats flower through summer – appealing to families who enjoy relaxed, colourful cottage borders.
- Storybook focal pair – Flank a bench or archway with two shrubs and underplant with low grasses for a calm, structured feature – ideal for homeowners wanting an easy-care, long-lived garden accent.
Technical cultivar profile
| Characteristic |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Speelwark® hybrid tea rose, registered as KORwarpeel; ARS exhibition name Speelwark, commercial hybrid tea rose type within the Hybrid Tea rose group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by W. Kordes & Sons in Germany from ‘Portrait’ × ‘Funkuhr’; introduced by W. Kordes’ Söhne in 1999, with registration completed in 1998. |
| Awards and recognition |
Silver Medal at Potsdam International Rose Competition 2001, Certificates of Merit at Belfast Rose Trials 2001 and Adelaide National Rose Trial Garden 2008. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Compact, bushy, upright shrub reaching about 70–95 cm high and 35–50 cm wide, moderately thorny, with dense, dark green, glossy foliage giving a tidy, formal appearance. |
| Flower morphology |
Fully double, cup-shaped, XL blooms with approximately 26–39 petals, borne mainly solitary on stems; remontant habit with generous repeat flowering in a distinct second flush. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Peach-yellow base with pale yellow and pink tones; warm apricot buds open to apricot–pink, then fade to peach-cream and powder pink with a salmon flush on outer petals over time. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strongly scented hybrid tea rose with a clearly perceptible peach-like fragrance overlaid with a fresh, citrusy background character, noticeable both outdoors and in cut arrangements. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces moderate numbers of small, spherical hips, 8–12 mm in diameter, developing an attractive orange-red colour in late season, adding subtle ornamental interest after flowering. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Winter-hardy to about −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b), with moderate tolerance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; copes with summer heat if watered regularly. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in a sunny position with well-drained soil; recommended spacing 40 cm for mass planting, 30 cm for low hedges, 65 cm as specimens; suitable for borders, pots and cutting. |
SPEELWARK® hybrid tea rose offers large, fragrant blooms, a compact, structured habit and durable own-root growth for long-term enjoyment in family gardens and containers, making it a thoughtful choice for relaxed, romantic outdoor living.
