RECONCILIATION® – apricot-pink hybrid tea rose – Harkness
With its richly fragrant, classic hybrid tea blooms, RECONCILIATION® offers an easy route to a beautifully elegant front or back garden, combining reliable flowering with reassuringly simple care. This own-root plant is supplied well established in its 2-litre pot, so you can settle it into borders or larger containers with confidence, knowing it will form a naturally balanced shrub over time. In typical British conditions it copes well with breezy, wetter spells, anchoring securely and responding positively to sensible watering and feeding. Its upright habit suits narrow beds, paths and entrances, while medium-sized, very double flowers provide a continuous supply of cut stems for the house. Glossy dark foliage and good black spot resistance help keep the plant looking tidy with modest intervention, an advantage for busy gardeners who prefer light deadheading and a straightforward winter prune. As an own-root rose it is designed for long service in the garden, regenerating reliably after colder winters and settling into a stable, long-lived display that gains character year by year. In many gardens you will see the roots establish in the first season, stronger shoot growth in the second, and full ornamental value by the third, giving you steady, predictable progress.
Usage options
| Target area | Reasoning |
|---|
| Front garden focal point |
The strong, peach-pink scent carries beautifully towards paths and doorways, making entrances feel welcoming without needing large planting areas. Its very strong fragrance rewards even a single well-placed shrub – a pleasure for beginners. |
| Classic hybrid tea for cutting |
Medium, very double, solitary blooms on upright stems are ideal for vases and indoor arrangements, with colour that holds well as it opens. Regular cutting doubles as pruning, encouraging repeat flowering – ideal for fragrance-loving homeowners. |
| Compact specimen in mixed border |
The tidy, upright habit and 90–130 cm height slip neatly into cottage-style borders without overpowering surrounding perennials. A defined vertical shape helps structure looser plantings – helpful for design-conscious gardeners. |
| Colour-stable feature in small beds |
Its warm peach-pink shades fade gently yet retain good depth, so the bush looks harmonious over the whole flowering cycle. This stable colour performance simplifies planning mixed schemes – reassuring for cautious planners. |
| Own-root rose for long-term planting |
As an own-root plant it builds a robust framework that’s less reliant on grafts, regenerating well after pruning or winter damage. Over years it forms a consistent, reliable shrub with lasting ornamental value – attractive for long-view owners. |
| Easy-care family garden rose |
Moderate maintenance and fair disease resistance, including good black spot tolerance, mean fewer treatments and less time spent troubleshooting. Simple deadheading and an annual prune usually suffice – ideal for time-poor families. |
| Container feature on patio or terrace |
Its upright, moderately dense growth suits large containers of at least 40–50 litres, where roots have space and watering is manageable. A single pot by a seating area gives fragrance and colour – perfect for balcony and patio users. |
| Resilient shrub in exposed positions |
Once established, it anchors strongly and copes reliably with typical British rain and wind, provided drainage is reasonable and watering is steady in dry spells. This makes it a sound option for more open plots – supportive for nervous starters. |
Styling ideas
- COTTAGE TRIO – Combine RECONCILIATION® with garden iris and woolly wormwood for a soft, romantic trio that highlights its fragrance and tidy habit – suited to cottage-style enthusiasts.
- FRONT-DOOR ACCENT – Plant a single bush by the path, underplanted with low lavender, to turn its perfume and upright shape into a discreet focal point – ideal for busy homeowners.
- PEACH BORDER – Repeat-plant 3–5 bushes along a short border for a consistent peach-pink ribbon of colour that remains stable as flowers age – for symmetry-loving gardeners.
- SCENTED PATIO POT – Grow one plant in a 50-litre terracotta container with trailing thyme to enjoy fragrance at seating height and simple maintenance – perfect for small-space gardeners.
- FORMAL FEATURE – Use paired specimens flanking steps or a bench, letting their upright, balanced form frame the view with classic hybrid tea elegance – appealing to traditionalists.
Technical cultivar profile
| Parameter | Data |
|---|
| Name and registration |
Hybrid tea rose; registered as HARtillery, marketed as RECONCILIATION® – apricot-pink hybrid tea rose – Harkness; ARS exhibition name Reconciliation, hybrid tea shrub for garden and cutting. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by R. Harkness & Co. Ltd. in the United Kingdom; introduced and registered in 1995, parentage unknown, developed as a garden and exhibition hybrid tea variety. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Upright bush reaching around 90–130 cm in height and 60–90 cm spread, with moderately dense, glossy dark green foliage and moderate prickliness; forms a compact, structured garden shrub. |
| Flower morphology |
Medium-sized, very double, cup-shaped flowers with 40+ petals; mainly solitary on stems, remontant with abundant second flush, giving classic hybrid tea form suitable for cutting and display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Warm peach-pink blooms, deep peach-orange in bud, softening through cream-peach with pink edges; maintains colour well through opening, offering a harmonious, subtly shifting peach palette. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, garden-filling perfume with peachy, honeyed character; designed primarily as an ornamental scented rose rather than a pollinator plant due to its fully double flower structure. |
| Hip characteristics |
Limited hip set expected because of very double blooms; where formed, hips are spherical, red, approximately 12–18 mm across, adding light seasonal interest without dominating the plant. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Moderate overall disease resistance with good black spot tolerance; handles typical UK winters to about -18 to -21 °C (H7, USDA 6b), benefits from regular watering during extended heat or drought. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions with well-drained soil; plant 40–80 cm apart depending on use, water regularly in dry periods, deadhead spent blooms, and carry out a straightforward annual prune in late winter. |
RECONCILIATION® offers very strong fragrance, classic cutting blooms and a compact, upright habit on a long-lived own-root framework, making it a considered choice for those planning a dependable, scented garden feature.
