ALEXANDRA - P. DE LUXEMBOURG ® – salmon-pink hybrid tea rose - Kordes
Imagine settling down with afternoon tea on your coastal veranda, sheltered behind a drift of salmon-pink blooms: Alexandra – P. de Luxembourg® is a bushy, reliable hybrid tea designed to be both refreshing and easy to live with in an everyday family garden. Its strong, sweet-fruity scent and generous repeat flowering bring romantic colour from early summer well into autumn, while the compact height slips comfortably into small borders, shingle beds and large containers. As an own-root shrub it remains stable and long-lived, quietly rebuilding after any winter damage and keeping its ornamental value steady year after year. Plant once, then enjoy a largely carefree routine of light pruning and occasional deadheading, while the dense foliage anchors the plant securely even where breezes funnel between houses, offering a calm nook in a garden shaped by wind, salt spray and sunshine along exposed Cornish and Devon plots. In a 40–50 litre pot it makes a particularly versatile accent for verandas and patios, its cluster-flowered, rosette blooms creating a girly coastal mood that matures beautifully as the plant moves from first roots through building shoots to full ornamental presence over its first three seasons.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Coastal veranda container (40–50 litre) |
Compact, bushy growth and dense foliage suit a large pot on a windy veranda, where the strong fragrance can be enjoyed up close and salt spray is less of a problem than for many shrubs, ideal for the busy coastal homeowner |
| Small front garden focal point |
The vivid salmon-pink, rosette blooms read clearly from the pavement without the shrub overpowering an average-sized plot, giving an elegant, “dressed” look with just light pruning and regular deadheading, perfect for the style-conscious beginner |
| Mixed border with perennials and grasses |
Its medium height and repeat flowering slot neatly between low grasses and perennials, providing a steady column of colour through summer and autumn that repays even moderate care with reliable performance, attractive for the relaxed hobby gardener |
| Wind-buffering rose strip along a terrace |
The bushy habit and well-furnished framework form a soft screen that gently filters breezes, creating a more sheltered seating area in gardens regularly brushed by strong coastal winds and salty air, reassuring for the comfort-seeking family |
| “Girly” shingle or gravel bed |
Warm salmon-pink clusters stand out beautifully above pale shingle, and the tidy outline keeps paths and play areas usable; with sensible drainage, care stays simple and the rose offers long-term structure, appealing to the low-maintenance planner |
| Feature rose near doors or windows |
Planted where you pass daily, the strong, fruity fragrance and repeat cycles of bloom turn everyday comings and goings into small moments of pleasure, with a robust, own-root framework promising many such seasons for the experience-focused homeowner |
| Paired with shrubs and climbers for privacy |
Used in front of climbers or taller shrubs, Alexandra fills the mid-layer with colour without shading neighbours, while its moderate disease resistance reduces the need for frequent spraying, a practical choice for the time-poor gardener |
| Long-term specimen in a family back garden |
As an own-root rose it can regenerate from its base after hard winters or pruning, slowly building a durable, well-branched shrub that fits easily into family life and improves each year, rewarding the patient long-view garden owner |
Styling ideas
- Coastal Veranda Retreat – seat Alexandra in a 50 litre tub beside a bistro set, with sea kale and blue Festuca softening the base – suited to veranda owners who want easy seaside character.
- Shingle Romance – plant in a pale gravel bed with driftwood accents and low lavender edging to frame a feminine, beachy front path – for homeowners seeking a pretty, low-fuss welcome.
- Fragrant Border Curve – repeat Alexandra along a gentle curve near a terrace, backed by Cornus alba ‘Spaethii’, for scented privacy and soft structure – ideal for families who sit outside often.
- Compact Feature Pair – flank French doors with two large containers of Alexandra underplanted with silvery foliage for year-on-year doorway drama – perfect for beginners who like clear, simple layouts.
- Storybook Corner – combine Alexandra with Virginia creeper and soft ornamental grasses to create a sheltered reading nook, subtly screening play spaces – for those who want a calm garden escape.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose, registered as KORjuknei, marketed as Alexandra - P. de Luxembourg ® in the MärchenRosen® collection; ARS exhibition name Alexandra Princesse de Luxembourg, premium silver quality rating. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tim-Hermann Kordes in Germany around 2000, later registered in 2012 and introduced after 2012; exact parentage and initial distribution details are not documented in current trade data. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holder of a silver medal at the Kortrijk International Rose Competition and further international show accolades, indicating proven garden and exhibition performance under varied European growing conditions. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, medium-height shrub reaching about 80–105 cm tall and 50–70 cm wide, bearing dense mid-green, slightly glossy foliage and moderate prickles, forming a well-filled, balanced plant in borders or large containers. |
| Flower morphology |
Double, rosette-shaped blooms with roughly 26–39 petals, large hybrid tea size on clusters, remontant with a notably generous second flush; benefits from deadheading as many spent blooms remain on the plant naturally. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Clear, warm salmon-pink with a coral tinge; buds open paler, intensify at full bloom, then gently fade to pastel with creamy petal edges, giving multi-tonal displays through each cycle of flowering on the bush. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Strong, distinctly sweet-fruity rose scent, best appreciated near seating, paths or entrances; the full, double flowers are mainly ornamental and attract relatively few pollinators due to reduced stamen accessibility. |
| Hip characteristics |
Generally scant hip production because of the double flower form and self-cleaning tendency; occasional small ellipsoidal orange-red hips, about 8–12 mm, may appear late in the season on some stems. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated to approximately -29 to -26 °C, RHS H7, corresponding to USDA zone 5a and Swedish zone 4; black spot and rust show good resistance, with powdery mildew at moderate levels requiring monitoring in humid spells. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well-drained soil; plant 45–90 cm apart depending on use, at 3.3–3.8 plants/m² for massing; suitable for borders, hedging highlights and containers, with generally medium, manageable maintenance needs. |
ALEXANDRA - P. DE LUXEMBOURG ® offers compact, fragrant, repeat-flowering beauty that fits small spaces, builds into a long-lived own-root shrub and thrives with straightforward care, making it a thoughtful choice for your coastal or family garden.
