ASCHERMITTWOCH – white-lilac shaded climbing rose – Kordes
Step out after rain and let ASCHERMITTWOCH create a balanced green frame for your home: a tall, softly scented climber with an unusually smoky silver-lilac bloom that feels calm rather than showy. Its reliable repeat flowering brings waves of blossom through the season, while own-root longevity supports a long-lived vertical feature with steady ornamental value year after year. Ideal beside London terraces or small front gardens, it copes well with typical British showers and breezy spells, handling wet spells and blustery weather along exposed streets and coasts. Given enough sun and simple seasonal tidying, it offers a quietly romantic backdrop on fences, arches or balcony railings. In a large 40–50 litre container or open ground it responds gradually: first establishing roots, then building shoots, and by the third year reaching full presence as a softly tinted, medium-care climber for relaxed, sustainable city gardens.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden climber for London terraces |
Trains neatly on railings or trellis without overwhelming a narrow frontage, and the subtle grey-lilac flowers sit well with brick and painted façades while still providing a long, relaxed flowering season for the busy urban homeowner |
| Pergola or archway feature |
Strong climbing growth and dense foliage create a soft tunnel of shade, while clusters of semi-double blooms and medium fragrance add atmosphere to the garden path, suiting hobby gardeners seeking a gently romantic structural centrepiece |
| Rain-aware, wind-exposed coastal garden |
Robust canes and moderate disease resistance support performance where wind and heavy showers are frequent, helping create a resilient screen that still flowers reliably for environmentally minded, low-fuss coastal gardeners |
| Own-root long-term boundary planting |
On its own roots it builds a stable, enduring framework that can regenerate from the base if pruned hard or weather-damaged, offering dependable structure over many years to sustainability-focused, long-horizon planners |
| Cut flowers for informal indoor arrangements |
Large, cup-shaped blooms on long stems combine a soft smoky palette with a clear, medium-strength scent, ideal for relaxed, natural-style vases that appeal to those who enjoy bringing seasonal stems indoors without perfectionist floristry |
| Partly pollinator-friendly vertical element |
Semi-double flowers offer moderate access to pollen and nectar, adding some support to visiting insects along walls and fences while keeping a refined look, well suited to urban gardeners aiming for wildlife interest alongside visual harmony |
| Container-trained rose (large pots and planters) |
Performs well in 40–50 litre or larger containers with good drainage, allowing renters and balcony owners to enjoy a structural climber, provided they water steadily and give basic seasonal care as time-pressed city beginners |
| Year-by-year developing family garden backdrop |
In the first year it quietly sets roots, in the second it extends climbing shoots, and by the third it gives a convincing curtain of blossom, which suits families and new gardeners who appreciate visible progress over several seasons |
Styling ideas
- Terrace Calm – Train ASCHERMITTWOCH on a slim trellis with soft-blue pots beneath, underplanting with Erigeron karvinskianus to echo the pastel tones – ideal for design-conscious terrace owners.
- Rain-Soft Screen – Let it cloak a front-garden fence, weaving in low Ajuga reptans and permeable gravel to keep rainfall soaking in on site – perfect for urban householders managing run-off.
- Silver Arch – Shape it over a metal arch, paired with airy Gypsophila repens ‘Knuddel’ at the base for a light, misty skirt – suited to hobby gardeners seeking a romantic entrance.
- Balcony Vertical – Grow in a 50-litre container with a slim obelisk, adding drought-tolerant herbs like sage around the rim – a good option for busy balcony gardeners wanting structure with modest effort.
- Evening Path – Use it to frame a pergola along a garden path, combining with lavender and nepeta for scent and bees, and simple gravel underfoot – attractive for families enjoying post-rain strolls.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
ASCHERMITTWOCH is a large-flowered climbing rose marketed by Kordes; an unregistered cultivar grown here as an own-root eleanorROSE ORIGINAL 2-litre plant for reliable garden performance. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Reimer Kordes, W. Kordes’ Söhne, Germany, from Rosa rubiginosa-hybrids crossed with ‘Ballet’ and ‘Fashion’; introduced in 1955 for vertical garden use and climbing displays. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Vigorous climbing habit reaching about 3.6–5.4 m high with 1.8–3 m spread, densely thorned canes, and matt green foliage forming a substantial vertical screen on walls, fences or pergolas. |
| Flower morphology |
Semi-double, cup-shaped blooms with 13–25 petals, produced in clusters on long shoots; large flowers about 7–10 cm across, remontant with a lighter second flush after the main summer display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Distinctive greyish-white to silver-lilac tones with smoky overtones; buds silvery grey-lilac, opening ash-grey with mocha hints, brightening before fading a little faster in strong sun or heat. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength scent with a soft, delicate character noticeable in still air; works well along paths, arches or near seating where the fragrance can be appreciated in passing or at close range. |
| Hip characteristics |
Occasional spherical orange hips, about 14–22 mm, may form after flowering; not heavily borne but can extend late-season interest and lightly support wildlife if spent blooms are left in place. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to about −21 to −18 °C (RHS H7, USDA 6b, Swedish Zone 3); black spot resistance good, powdery mildew and rust moderate, needing basic monitoring and care in humid or stressed seasons. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions with fertile, well-drained soil; tie in new canes horizontally, deadhead weakly self-cleaning blooms, and water during prolonged heat to support repeat flowering and vigour. |
ASCHERMITTWOCH offers tall vertical structure, long repeat flowering and a distinctive smoky silver-lilac colour on a durable own-root framework that suits gardeners seeking a quietly characterful, low-fuss climbing rose.
