STELLERIT – orange hybrid tea rose – HARrowbond
Step onto your small London front path after rain and be met by balance – an upright, medium-sized hybrid tea whose strong, citrusy fragrance lingers in the cool, moist air, even where wind and showers roll in from the coast. The warm orange blooms, flushed with peach, repeat generously through the season, offering armfuls of cut-flowers for the house while the glossy, dark green foliage keeps the planting looking composed and orderly. As an own-root rose, STELLERIT settles in steadily, forming a durable framework that can regenerate from its base and support a long garden life with modest maintenance. In a rainwater-conscious, pollinator-aware front garden or large 40–50 litre container, it builds from establishing roots to confident shoots and, by the third year, its full character becomes a reliable highlight in your everyday green space, bringing a feeling of continuity.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Small London front garden feature rose |
Upright, medium height growth makes STELLERIT ideal for narrow front gardens where you need impact without overwhelming the space; its balanced habit and glossy foliage provide a neat, long-term focal point for the busy city homeowner beginner-gardener |
| Fragrant path or doorstep planting |
The strong, long-lasting citrusy scent is released especially well in moist air, so planting near a front step or along a short path means every wet morning or evening walk is accompanied by a clear, uplifting perfume scent-lovers |
| Cut-flower row in a family garden |
Large, double, exhibition-style blooms on upright stems make this hybrid tea excellent for home cutting, allowing you to harvest high-quality flowers over a long season while still leaving enough colour in the border home-florists |
| Rainwater-conscious urban planting strip |
Well-suited to sites where rain falls heavily then drains through improved soil, STELLERIT copes with blustery, damp conditions while adding structure and colour to permeable, front-of-house planting that helps manage runoff sustainable-city-gardeners |
| Own-root long-term “heirloom” rose |
Supplied on its own roots, this rose builds a permanent framework that can reshoot if damaged, remaining stable and ornamental over many years when given basic care, so it can grow alongside your family with minimal intervention |
| Peat-free container rose for patios and balconies |
Performs reliably in a generous 40–50 litre pot filled with quality peat-free compost, providing vertical interest and scented flowers where ground planting is limited, especially useful for paved front yards and upper-storey balconies container-gardeners |
| Mixed rose and perennial bed in partial shade |
Tolerant of some partial shade, STELLERIT fits into mixed borders where nearby buildings cast light shade, still flowering well among perennials while its dark, glossy leaves give contrast and depth throughout the season townhouse-owners |
| Pollinator-aware, ornamental rose border |
The bloom form leaves some stamens accessible, offering moderate interest to visiting insects while providing classic, full-petalled flowers for people, so you can balance visual impact with a more nature-conscious planting choice wildlife-friendly-gardeners |
Styling ideas
- Terraced-Elegance – Line a short front path with STELLERIT underplanted with low lavender and nepeta to soften the edges and release fragrance at ankle height – ideal for small city front gardens.
- Sunset-Border – Combine STELLERIT with Russian sage and soft grasses so the orange blooms float above silvery blue and buff tones, giving a calm, evening-friendly palette – perfect for relaxed family borders.
- Peat-Free-Patio – Grow a single plant in a 40–50 litre clay pot with trailing thyme around the rim to create a sustainable, scented feature near seating – suited to balcony and courtyard homeowners.
- Cutting-Corner – Plant a short row of STELLERIT with delphiniums behind and low sage at the front to supply stems for vases without leaving gaps in the display – attractive to home floristry enthusiasts.
- Soft-Hedge – Space plants at 55–65 cm to form a loose, floral screen along a front boundary, interplanted with magenta Lychnis for contrast and seasonal hip colour – useful for those seeking gentle privacy.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as HARrowbond, marketed as STELLERIT – orange tea-hybrid rose – Harkness; ARS exhibition name ‘Rosemary Harkness’, belonging to the Hybrid Tea rose group. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Jack Harkness, R. Harkness & Co. Ltd., Hitchin, United Kingdom; introduced and registered in 1985; parentage: ‘Compassion’ × (‘Basildon Bond’ × ‘Grandpa Dickson’). |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated exhibition rose: Belfast Gold Medal for Best large-flowered hybrid tea and Most fragrant rose (1987), Glasgow Tollcross Fragrance Award (1991), Hamilton NZ Rose Trials Best Floribunda (1995). |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright hybrid tea, typically 95–125 cm tall and 75–105 cm spread; moderately dense, glossy dark green foliage; moderately thorny stems; weak self-cleaning so spent blooms benefit from regular deadheading. |
| Flower morphology |
Double, cup-shaped blooms with 26–39 petals, usually solitary on stems; medium flower size around 1.5–2.75 inches; reliably remontant with an abundant second flush providing a prolonged flowering window. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Warm orange with peach sheen; buds intense orange-pink, opening to vivid orange centres and softer outer petals; may show pink tinges and fades paler in strong sun, holding richer tones in cooler conditions. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Noted for strong, long-lasting scent; fresh, citrusy fragrance character that is particularly evident in humid or cooler periods, making it prized both in the garden and when used as a cut flower indoors. |
| Hip characteristics |
Produces moderate numbers of ovoid, red hips about 10–14 mm in diameter, adding seasonal interest in late summer and autumn if some spent flowers are left uncut after the main flowering flush. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Hardy to approximately −26 to −23 °C (RHS H7, USDA 5b, Swedish Zone 4); disease profile: resistant to black spot, moderate tolerance to powdery mildew and rust; prefers consistent watering, not prolonged drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in fertile, well-drained soil with regular watering; spacing 55–100 cm depending on use; suitable for beds, hedging, large containers and cutting; medium maintenance with occasional plant protection and deadheading. |
STELLERIT offers strong citrus fragrance, reliable repeat flowering and a compact, upright habit on a durable own-root framework, making it a thoughtful long-term choice for fragrance-led family gardens and small urban spaces.
