Dortmund

Where to plant. Arches, pergolas, trellises, even on a north or east wall (a rare advantage for climbers); decorative hips look good in autumn and winter.

Climate. Down to −34 °C; one of the hardiest climbing roses in the world, ideal for all of Ukraine, including the Carpathians and the Sumy region, without protection.

Care. Minimal, thanks to 5/5 resistance; for abundant repeat flowering, remove spent flowers. If you want decorative hips, leave the last wave unpruned.

Name. After the German city of Dortmund (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany), which has a large rose garden of its own and is part of the European Rose Route. The name is a tribute by Kordes to German rose culture.

Breeding. Raised by Wilhelm J.H. Kordes II (1891-1976) at W. Kordes' Söhne (Sparrieshoop, Germany); introduced in 1955. It has no modern code name (it predates the KOR-code system). Parentage: an unnamed seedling × Rosa kordesii H. Wulff.

Significance. The first big success of the Hybrid Kordesii line, which Wilhelm Kordes II created in 1941 by crossing R. wichuriana with R. rugosa and obtaining the tetraploid species Rosa kordesii. Dortmund proved that the iron hardiness of species roses can be combined with repeat flowering and the beauty of modern varieties, a turning point in the history of climber breeding in the twentieth century. It won the ADR-award as early as 1954. It passed Longwood's 10-year trials (a rare achievement).