Florentina

Where to plant. Low 2 m arches, obelisks, containers by a wall, garden 'gateways'; good for small plots where Flammentanz (3.5 m) would be too large; paired with a white climber it makes a dramatic red-and-white gateway.

Climate. To −29 °C — all of Ukraine with minimal cover or none; in the south no cover is needed; in the northern Carpathians light cover is recommended.

Care. Formative pruning of climbers is light; profuse flowering is encouraged by training the shoots horizontally; outstanding resistance means almost no fungicide is needed.

Name. 'Florentina' — from Italian Firenze (Florence), the historic capital of the Italian Renaissance. The name conveys the 'Italian spirit' — rich colour, a quartered form (reminiscent of Renaissance flowers in Botticelli's paintings) and the noble bearing of a climber.

Breeding. Bred by Tim-Hermann Kordes (great-grandson of Wilhelm Kordes I, and the fourth generation of the Kordes family!), Sparrieshoop, Germany. Exact dates: bred 2002, selected 2003, commercial introduction 2011. Code KORtrameilo, US patent PP 24,196 (2014). Parentage not disclosed (two unnamed Kordes seedling lines — standard practice for the house).

Significance. 'a healthy descendant of Flammentanz' — one of the few modern red climbers to receive ADR in 2016. Belongs to the Arborose® Kordes collection ('tree-like' in English) — a series of modern climbers with improved resistance. Positioned as a direct 'heir' to Flammentanz: it has the same rich red colour and legendary resistance, but with repeat flowering (Flammentanz flowers once a year) and a more compact habit (2 m vs 3.5 m). Ideal for modern small gardens where the 1955 classic would be too big.