BONANZA ® – yellow-red park rose - Kordes
Imagine settling with tea on a sheltered coastal veranda as Bonanza glows in the wind, its yellow and red blooms creating instant impact while the upright, bushy structure forms a gentle screen that copes well with blustery, salt-laced breezes and heavy weather. This own-root shrub rose is bred for endurance, building a deep, fibrous root system that anchors reliably in well-prepared clay or shingle beds and supports steady flowering from early summer into autumn. Over time, it rewards light-touch care with robust health, keeping its dense, glossy foliage and self-cleaning flowers neat with minimal deadheading. In a typical family garden, you can plant it once and enjoy long-lived colour, knowing that, as the roots strengthen in year one, the framework fills out in year two and by year three you see its full ornamental potential in borders, low hedges or large containers from 40–50 litres, ideal for busy but style-conscious gardeners.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Coastal veranda in containers (40–50 litres) |
Well-suited to life in large pots on Cornish or Devon verandas, where its upright, compact habit and good tolerance of breezy, salty conditions create a colourful, gently wind-filtering presence with little fuss for busy beginners. |
| Family flowerbed near seating |
Clusters of yellow-red blooms provide a vivid yet tidy focal point beside patios or benches, with self-cleaning flowers that fall away cleanly so you spend more time enjoying and less time deadheading, ideal for time-poor homeowners. |
| Low, informal boundary hedge |
Planted as a loose hedge, its dense, glossy foliage and upright frame offer a soft visual barrier and sense of privacy without feeling heavy, while repeat flowering keeps the line cheerful through summer, perfect for relaxed families. |
| Small urban front garden |
The vertical growth and modest spread make it easy to fit into narrow beds along paths or drives, giving strong colour from the street with only moderate maintenance, a practical choice for compact-space gardeners. |
| Mixed border with perennials |
Its warm amber and crimson tones blend beautifully with perennials such as sea kale, Festuca, Lavandula or lady’s mantle, creating long-season structure and contrast that anchors looser plantings for design-conscious owners. |
| Feature shrub in lawn or gravel |
As a solitary specimen at wider spacing, Bonanza develops a well-branched, upright shrub that reads clearly from a distance, carrying waves of clustered blooms that punctuate grass or gravel with drama for statement-seeking buyers. |
| Seasonal cutting for indoor vases |
The large, double, cup-shaped flowers on sturdy stems lend themselves to occasional cutting, bringing their warm, sunset tones indoors without stripping the shrub because repeat flushes soon replenish the display for style-conscious hosts. |
| Long-term structural planting |
As an own-root shrub with ADR credentials, it builds strength year by year for a stable, long-lived display that copes well with exposed, changeable weather, suiting those who want dependable structure from a single planting decision customers. |
Styling ideas
- Coastal-Cup-Of-Tea – Group Bonanza in 40–50 litre tubs with sea kale and blue Festuca for a breezy, seaside feel on a sunny veranda – for coastal-style lovers seeking easy structure.
- Golden-Hedge – Plant a loose hedge along a drive, spacing to allow upright shrubs to touch, and underplant with lady’s mantle to soften the base – for families wanting colour and light screening.
- Sunset-Border – Mix Bonanza with lavender, honesty and soft grasses in a sunny border so its yellow-red clusters pop among cooler blues and silvers – for hobby gardeners refining a mixed planting.
- Feature-Island – Place a single shrub in a small island bed in lawn or gravel, circling it with low perennials for a clear focal point that needs minimal shaping – for beginners wanting a simple statement.
- Balcony-Retreat – Use one or two plants in generous containers with good drainage, adding a chair and side table to enjoy the long flowering season – for busy urban owners craving a low-effort escape.
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Shrub rose registered as KORmarie, marketed as Bonanza ® – yellow-red park rose. Belongs to the Park – shrub rose collection and exhibited as a shrub rose. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Reimer Kordes for Wilhelm Kordes’ Söhne in Germany from Seedling × ‘Arthur Bell’, introduced and registered in 1983 for garden and park use. |
| Awards and recognition |
Holds the ADR award from 1984, indicating robust garden performance, reliable flowering and proven value under trial conditions in a range of central European climates. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright shrub with dense, glossy dark green foliage, moderately thorny stems, around 110–180 cm high and 60–100 cm wide, forming a substantial, well-filled garden presence. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cup-shaped flowers with 26–39 petals, produced in clusters. Remontant habit with a generous second flush maintains decorative value through the main season. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Vivid amber-yellow base with crimson-red edging; ARS yb, RHS 14A outer and 46B inner. Colour contrast softens as blooms age from bright golden tones to paler, brick-orange edges. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Fragrance is very weak and barely noticeable, so the variety is chosen chiefly for its colour effect and structural presence rather than for scented garden schemes or fragrance-led plantings. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose hips form sparsely due to the full, double flowers; where present, expect small spherical, bright red hips about 10–16 mm in diameter late in the season. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated ADR with H7 hardiness, tolerating approximately −21 to −18 °C. Heat tolerance is good with moderate drought resilience; disease resistance medium, with some black spot susceptibility. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with well-drained soil; space 50–90 cm depending on use. Suitable for flowerbeds, hedging, specimen shrubs and occasional cutting; moderate maintenance, including some plant protection. |
BONANZA ® – yellow-red park rose - Kordes offers vivid long-season colour, upright structural impact and durable own-root longevity; consider it where you want an easy yet enduring focal shrub.