About the name
Name. 'Crimson Glory' – English, meaning ‘crimson glory’: a poetic name that describes the saturated crimson-raspberry colour as the ‘glory’ of the dark-red range. A tradition of English poetic names for the international market, typical of Kordes in the 1930s. Bred by Wilhelm J.H. Kordes II (1891–1976) at W. Kordes' Söhne (Sparrieshoop, Germany). Introduced 1935. Parentage: seedling 'Cathrine Kordes' × 'W.E. Chaplin' (both dark-red HTs). Wilhelm Kordes II – a legendary German breeder, father of Reimer Kordes, founder of the Hybrid Kordesii series (cold-hardy climbers in the style of Sympathie).
Significance. ARS JAMES ALEXANDER GAMBLE FRAGRANCE MEDAL 1961 – THE FIRST ROSE IN HISTORY TO RECEIVE THIS MEDAL! Checked against the official ARS list – Crimson Glory opens the list of Gamble Medal winners. 'FATHER OF DARK-RED HT XX CENTURY' – used in the parentage of a huge number of dark-red varieties of the twentieth century, including, via 'Charles Mallerin', an indirect ancestor of Mister Lincoln (Swim 1964). NRS Gold Medal 1936 (Great Britain) – National Rose Society. CONSIDERED THE BENCHMARK OF RED-ROSE FRAGRANCE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. It overturned the standard for red roses: previously dark-red roses lost their fragrance, while Crimson Glory was the first to combine a deep colour with a strong scent. 91 years in cultivation without a break (1935–2026). Legacy of Wilhelm Kordes II: together with Crimson Glory, Kordes set the standard of German HT breeding in the twentieth century. James Mason Memorial Medal 1976 – a MYTH in secondary sources: the medal did not exist in 1976 (it was established after James Mason's death in 1984). NOT in the WFRS Hall of Fame – despite its revolutionary significance for red HT breeding.