QUICKSILVER – purple climbing rose - Kordes
Imagine a sheltered coastal veranda where a lavender haze of blooms softens the wind and frames your afternoon tea. The QUICKSILVER climbing rose offers pastel petals that open from silvery-lilac buds into full, cupped flowers with a gentle, medium fragrance, perfect for relaxing after a walk on the shore. Its sparsely thorned canes make tying in along balustrades, arches or trellis more straightforward, while dense dark green foliage gives a lush backdrop even between flushes. As an own-root plant it is bred for long lifespan, with reliable regrowth from the base for a stable display over the years. Planted in a free-draining bed that copes well with coastal winds and careful watering, it settles steadily: first strengthening roots, then extending its framework, and by the third year delivering its full ornamental value in your family garden.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Coastal veranda windbreak |
Trained along a veranda balustrade, QUICKSILVER forms a leafy, medium-height climbing screen that softens coastal breezes without overwhelming a small terrace, pairing well with shingle and potted sea kale for beginners. |
| Rose arch over a narrow path |
Its 1.8–3 m climbing habit and relatively sparse thorns make it easier to guide over a family-garden arch, with cupped lavender blooms creating a welcoming entrance that stays manageable for homeowners. |
| Pergola seating area |
Along the posts and rafters of a compact pergola, this variety builds a dense green canopy with a soft, lavender-rose scent, ideal for a “tea after the beach” nook that remains practical for busy-gardeners. |
| Clothed fence in a small garden |
On a 1.8–2 m fence it offers an elegant vertical veil of foliage and blooms, providing privacy and colour without taking up valuable play space, suiting modern plots owned by families. |
| Feature wall with trellis |
Against a house or garage wall fitted with trellis, its dark green leaves and pastel flowers create a long-lived focal point that matures steadily over several seasons, rewarding patient gardeners. |
| Large container on sheltered balcony |
Given a minimum 40–50 litre container with good drainage and consistent watering, QUICKSILVER can be grown on a balcony or roof terrace, its controlled height fitting compact spaces enjoyed by urban-owners. |
| Part-shaded side passage |
Suited to partial shade, it can brighten an east- or west-facing alley beside the house, where its soft purple tones remain fresh and its fragrance noticeable for passing visitors. |
| Shingle border with coastal-style perennials |
Planted into improved soil behind a shingle strip, it combines well with Festuca and lavender, creating a relaxed seaside feel while still coping with breezier conditions for design-conscious coastal-lovers. |
Styling ideas
- Seaside-Arch – train QUICKSILVER over a simple metal arch, underplant with sea kale and Festuca for a Cornish-coastal feel – ideal for coastal-lovers seeking a romantic entrance.
- Veranda-Curtain – run canes along tensioned wires on a balcony edge, pairing with lavender in tubs to enjoy scent at seating height – suitable for urban-owners wanting privacy and perfume.
- Pastel-Pergola – clothe a small pergola post with this climber and add white Verbena and soft grasses in shingle beneath – perfect for families creating a calm tea corner.
- Feature-Fence – use as a repeating accent along a shared boundary, interplanted with compact Euonymus for evergreen structure – good for homeowners needing a tidy, long-term screen.
- Shaded-Run – brighten a part-shaded side path by tying stems to narrow trellis, complemented with pale containers for a light, airy look – useful for beginners transforming forgotten spaces.
Technical cultivar profile
| Trait |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Registered as KORpucoblu, marketed as Quicksilver Climbing rose KORpucoblu, a large-flowered climbing rose belonging to the Climber group, also exhibited as Quick Silver in show contexts. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Tim-Hermann Kordes (Germany) from unnamed seedlings, bred 2004, registered 2015, introduced 2016 by W. Kordes’ Söhne Rosenschulen GmbH & Co. KG as an ornamental climbing cultivar. |
| Awards and recognition |
Recognised with a Certificate of Merit at the Australian National Rose Trials in 2022, reflecting strong ornamental performance and market appeal under independent trial garden conditions. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Climbing habit reaching about 1.8–3 m high and 0.9–1.6 m wide, with relatively sparse prickles and dense, slightly glossy dark green foliage forming a substantial, trainable framework for supports. |
| Flower morphology |
Very double, cupped flowers with more than 40 petals, produced in clusters; large blooms around 7–10 cm across, with remontant behaviour giving a good second flush after the main early-summer display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Delicate pastel lavender to silvery lilac, coded RHS 76C outer and 76A inner; colour remains clearer and more vivid in cooler conditions, softening and fading somewhat during hotter periods of summer. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength, noticeable scent with a pleasantly soft lavender-rose character; primarily grown for visual effect but offers appreciable fragrance around seating areas in still or lightly breezy weather. |
| Hip characteristics |
Due to its very double blooms, hip set is generally low; occasionally produces small ellipsoid orange-red hips about 9–15 mm across, adding modest late-season interest without heavy fruiting. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Classed as very susceptible to powdery mildew, black spot and rust, so needs regular monitoring and treatment; winter hardy to about −26 to −23 °C, corresponding roughly to RHS H7 and USDA zone 5b. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best on pergolas, arches, fences or walls at 1.4–2.4 m spacing; suitable for partial shade, needs attentive disease management, regular watering in dry spells and supports that allow secure tying and training. |
QUICKSILVER – purple climbing rose - Kordes rewards you with fragrant lavender blooms, a manageable climbing framework and steady, own-root longevity; consider it where you want romantic height with time on your side.
