Sharon Harris, Springfield, MI

You probably have already heard that for the last 20 years a lot of the roses grown in the United States under the name of ‘Nicole’ are really its sister rose ‘Hannah Gordon’ (aka:  KORweiso, Raspberry Ice, and Tabris).  I have grown this rose since 2003 under the name ‘Hannah Gordon’ and it is a wonderful rose.  Since it is now getting its due recognition (those Rose Shows where ‘Nicole’ got accolades??? … most of that praise belongs to ‘Hannah Gordon’).  I thought it would be a good rose to highlight for Rose of the Month.

‘Hannah Gordon’ is classed as a Floribunda and it has beautiful bi-color blooms of white with a light red to dark pink edge with a soft fragrance  (‘Nicole’ has a lighter pink edge and many more petals).  The blooms have 20 – 25 petals and they come one to a stem and in nice clusters of up to nine large blooms in flushes all season long.  The center of the bloom starts out high, somewhat like a Hybrid Tea.  It opens slowly, either hiding shyly behind its petals or showing its yellow stamens.  The flowers last a long time and will slowly fade to a soft pink and white. 

The foliage is dark green and glossy, which is a nice contrast to the bright blooms.  Although I do spray with fungicides I’m not very timely in my applications but I have seen no disease on ‘Hannah Gordon’ as I have on some other roses in my garden.

Bred in Germany by W. Kordes and Son in 1984 ‘Hannah Gordon’ is a cross of  an unnamed seedling x ‘Bordure Rose’ (Floribunda, Delbard, 1974) and named after the Scottish actress, Hannah Gordon, (born 1941).  It is a tall, slender shrub, growing upright and just right for the back of the border.  Height and width is said to be 5 – 7’ X 26” (‘Nicole’ is only 2 – 3’ tall). 

Here in my Michigan garden it does die back to the snowline or ground most winters, which is not unusual for Hybrid Teas and Floribundas here, but it comes back vigorously and reaches 4 – 5’ by the time our short season ends.  Vigorous growth and blooming a lot are musts for my garden.

So we have gorgeous blooms on a healthy shrub that are great for garden, vase or for show.  What’s not to love??!!   

Hannah Gordon in my garden	Nicole - courtesy of Kordes Rosen

Photos of Hannah Gordon courtesy Sharon Harris