Sheherazade® – pink floribunda bedding rose – Kimura
Fragrant and compact, Sheherazade® brings generous clusters of romantic pink blooms to smaller British gardens while coping well with breezier, wetter conditions often found in exposed or coastal settings. Its bushy shape and mid‑green foliage stay naturally orderly, ideal for neat front gardens and low borders. The flowers are large, full and elegant, opening from vibrant buds to soft lilac‑pink rosettes that repeat freely from early summer into autumn. On its own roots it builds a lasting shrub that thickens year by year with reliable flowering. In a 2‑litre pot it is easy to handle and straightforward to plant, giving you a reassuringly manageable start in the first season while it settles and prepares for stronger, more impressive displays in the following years, developing from root establishment to fuller shoots and then a mature ornamental presence by the third summer for a truly enduring addition to your garden.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Front garden feature shrub |
The compact, bushy habit keeps a tidy outline beside paths, bay windows or driveways, while the large, double blooms and strong scent give a “proper rose” feel without demanding complex care, reassuring the style‑conscious yet time‑pressed beginner |
| Small mixed border in a family garden |
Its moderate height and 50–80 cm spread slip easily into mixed cottage‑style borders, combining well with perennials without overpowering them, so you can enjoy a long season of colour and fragrance with only routine pruning and feeding, suiting the typical family‑garden homeowner |
| Near seating areas and patios |
The very strong, long‑lasting fragrance and generous clusters of medium‑large flowers make Sheherazade® ideal close to benches or terraces, where you can appreciate the scent at leisure with minimal upkeep beyond watering and light shaping, appealing to fragrance‑loving urbanites |
| Specimen rose in a large container |
As a compact shrub floribunda it performs reliably in a substantial 40–50 litre pot, providing a refined focal point on patios or balconies while the own‑root form builds a stable framework that responds well to simple yearly pruning, ideal for pot‑focused gardeners |
| Low, flowering hedge or boundary line |
Planted 45–55 cm apart, its bushy structure knits into a soft, low hedge that defines paths or front boundaries, with repeating flushes of pink blossom giving season‑long interest on a frame that is easy to rejuvenate over time by straightforward pruning, reassuring practical planners |
| Classic cottage‑style bed with perennials |
The romantic colour blend of soft pink and lilac tones echoes traditional cottage gardens, pairing beautifully with thyme, cypress spurge or airy calamint while its measured growth keeps the planting legible rather than unruly, supporting aesthetically minded but busy owners |
| Borders in breezier or wetter locations |
Once established on its own roots it anchors well and maintains a compact, balanced shape, coping reliably with typical British rain and wind so beds stay composed rather than flattened, easing worries for those gardening in more exposed sites such as coastal‑influenced households |
| Long‑term structural rose planting |
Own‑root growth helps the plant regenerate from the base and age gracefully; combined with remontant flowering and H7 hardiness, it forms a durable framework that you can refresh over the years, making it a sound investment for long‑lived rose areas sought by committed enthusiasts |
Styling ideas
- Doorway welcome – Plant a pair in large 40–50 litre containers flanking the front door, underplanted with creeping thyme for scented edging – ideal for homeowners wanting classic formality without intricate maintenance
- Cottage ribbon – Run a low line along a front path, threading between clumps of lesser calamint and cypress spurge to create a soft, storybook border – suited to lovers of romantic cottage ambience
- Patio perfume – Place a single specimen beside seating, with neutral pots and simple paving, to turn a small terrace into a scented evening corner – perfect for fragrance‑focused urban gardeners
- Family border – Mix with long‑flowering perennials in a narrow bed by the lawn, keeping colours to pinks and soft purples for a calm, cohesive look – good for busy families wanting order and easy care
- Refined hedge – Create a short run of evenly spaced shrubs along a low fence, mulched neatly and clipped once a year, for a gentle but structured boundary – best for neat‑garden fans seeking low‑effort structure
Technical cultivar profile
| Property |
Data |
| Name and registration |
Floribunda, modern shrub; registered as KIMteller, traded as Sheherazade® Bedding rose KIMteller; ARS exhibition name Sheherazad; bed rose, flowerbed floribunda class. |
| Origin and breeding |
Bred by Takunori Kimura in Japan, 2013, from ‘Urara’ × ‘Jubilee Celebration’; introduced after 2015, initially distributed by André Eve Roses Anciennes in France; registration year 2015. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly rated for fragrance: Silver Medal, Nagaoka International Fragrant Rose Trials (2014); “Most Fragrant Rose” and Bronze Medal, Gifu (2016); Perfume Cup, Monaco (2018). |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Compact, bushy shrub rose around 70–100 cm tall and 50–80 cm wide; foliage moderately dense, mid‑green and matt; sparsely thorned shoots support use near paths and in family gardens. |
| Flower morphology |
Large, double, cup‑shaped blooms with 26–39 petals, usually borne in clusters; remontant with a second flush that is also abundant, giving a long flowering season in suitable conditions. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Medium pink with violet‑lilac flush, deeper toward the centre; buds vibrant pink; fades to paler pink with grey‑purple tinge, especially in strong sun; colour holds better and deeper in cooler weather. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Very strong, long‑lasting scent, repeatedly recognised in international fragrance trials; double blooms limit nectar access, so it is mainly ornamental and only partly attractive to pollinating insects. |
| Hip characteristics |
Moderate production of small, ellipsoidal hips, approximately 8–12 mm across, ripening to a bright orange‑red, adding a light decorative effect in late season without dominating the plant. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Rated H7, hardy approximately to –21 to –18 °C (USDA 6b, Sweden zone 3); disease resistance medium to black spot, powdery mildew and rust; heat tolerance moderate, drought data limited. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in sunny positions with well‑drained soil; medium maintenance, benefits from regular feeding and pruning; suitable for borders, containers and specimens at 45–85 cm spacing depending on use. |
Sheherazade® offers compact structure, abundant repeat flowering and award‑winning fragrance on a resilient own‑root shrub that settles in reliably, making it a thoughtful choice if you seek lasting beauty with manageable care.
