SHISEIDO – cream-coloured climbing rose – pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root
Set the scene for afternoon tea beneath a romantic arbour with SHISEIDO, a cream-toned climbing rose whose softly cupped blooms and fruity perfume bring instant storybook charm to modest family gardens. This large-flowered climber is bred for endurance, with reliable health and a calm, bushy habit that copes well with exposed sites where strong breezes and wet spells test less robust roses, making it especially reassuring for coastal and open-situation gardeners. The dense, slightly glossy foliage frames clusters of double flowers that repeat generously through summer and into autumn, giving reassuring continuity along fences, pergolas and walls. Delivered as an own-root plant in a practical 2-litre pot, it is straightforward to handle, quick to plant and settles in without fuss, offering quiet security in long-term performance. Over time, its clump-forming, easily trained canes create an inviting vertical presence that encourages relaxed intimacy in cottage-style spaces. With low maintenance needs and dependable hardiness, SHISEIDO is a thoughtful choice for busy households seeking romantic atmosphere and a welcoming garden retreat rather than demanding horticultural projects.
Usage options
| Target area |
Reasoning |
| Pergola over a seating or tea area |
SHISEIDO’s long, bushy climbing canes and repeat-flowering clusters are ideal for clothing a pergola above a bench or small table, giving dappled shade, soft cream blooms and a tea-fruity scent through the main season for romantic gardeners |
| Family garden arch or entrance arbour |
Its moderate height and dense foliage make an inviting, tunnel-like entrance when trained over a garden arch; the gentle colour works with most front-garden palettes and remains elegant in all light levels for homeowners |
| Boundary fence in a cottage-style border |
Planted at 140–150 cm intervals along a fence, SHISEIDO creates a soft, flowering backdrop that screens views without feeling heavy; regular dead-heading keeps the hedge-like effect blooming all summer for busy families |
| Feature rose on a sunny house wall |
The climber’s bushy yet trainable habit suits narrow beds by walls or garages; guided on wires, it forms a vertical column of cream flowers that lightens brick or render while needing only basic tying-in for beginners |
| Solitary specimen on a strong obelisk |
Used singly at about 240 cm spacing, SHISEIDO can be grown on a sturdy obelisk to create a focal point in a lawn or vegetable-plot corner, giving height and romance without taking up too much ground space for cottage-garden lovers |
| Large container on terrace or patio |
In a 40–50 litre container with good drainage and regular watering, this own-root climber offers an easy way to bring fragrance and vertical interest to paved spaces, especially where in-ground planting is limited for urban gardeners |
| Wind-exposed or coastal gardens |
SHISEIDO’s robust structure, dense foliage and strong disease resistance help it cope with blustery, rain-lashed sites, providing reliable cover and bloom where conditions can be challenging and changeable for coastal households |
| Cut flowers from a kitchen or utility border |
The large, double, cup-shaped blooms on long stems make attractive, delicately scented cut flowers for the home; regular picking doubles as dead-heading, supporting steady repeat flowering through the season for home florists |
Styling ideas
- Country-Arbour Romance – Train SHISEIDO over a wooden arch with underplanting of lavender and catmint to frame a cottage-style path – ideal for lovers of traditional English garden charm
- Cream-and-Green Calm – Pair this climber along a fence with globe-shaped Ilex crenata and simple lawn for a restrained, elegant family backdrop – suited to homeowners wanting low-contrast serenity
- Kitchen-Garden Screen – Use SHISEIDO on trellis to separate a vegetable patch from a play lawn, softening the divide with flowering height – perfect for practical gardeners seeking beauty and structure
- Patio Pergola Retreat – Grow it at the posts of a small seating pergola in large containers, combining with Agapanthus in tubs for seasonal colour – appealing to urban gardeners creating a cosy outdoor room
- Soft Sunset Border – Let SHISEIDO rise at the back of a border with Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ and airy grasses for a romantic yet lively evening scene – for those who enjoy naturalistic, atmospheric planting
Technical cultivar profile
| Feature |
Data |
| Name and registration |
SHISEIDO – cream-coloured climbing rose, large-flowered climber type; commercial name Shiseido Climbing rose pharmaROSA®, part of the Climbing rose collection; registered cultivar name not recorded. |
| Origin and breeding |
Parentage and breeding institution are unknown; discovered by pharmaROSA® and first distributed by PharmaRosa® Ltd. (Hungary), introduced to gardens as a premium-quality climbing rose. |
| Awards and recognition |
Highly decorated fragrant climber: First Prize and Coupe du Parfum at Bagatelle (Paris) 2006, Merit Certificate Geneva 2006, Saverne Fragrance Award 2007, and Most Fragrant Rose at Nagaoka trials. |
| Growth and structural characteristics |
Bushy, clump-forming climbing habit reaching about 180–280 cm high with 80–160 cm spread; moderately thorny canes and dense, medium-green, slightly glossy foliage providing good coverage on supports. |
| Flower morphology |
Large double, cup-shaped blooms, generally 26–39 petals, produced in clusters on the canes; remontant with an especially abundant second flush when spent flowers are removed to encourage repeat display. |
| Colour data and phenology |
Cream to pale vanilla yellow tones (RHS 57C outer, 57B inner) opening to a light cream-ivory effect, eventually fading to near white; colour softens further in strong sun and rain yet remains visually refined. |
| Fragrance and aroma |
Medium-strength, well-scented tea-fruity fragrance characteristic of quality climbers; blooms offer a pleasant, noticeable perfume in still air without becoming overpowering around seating areas or doors. |
| Hip characteristics |
Rose-hip set is usually sparse due to double flowers; occasional ellipsoidal hips 11–18 mm in diameter may develop, maturing to a decorative red shade (RHS 40A) late in the season when present. |
| Resistance and winter hardiness |
Good garden resilience with resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; hardy to around –21 to –18 °C (RHS H7, Swedish zone 3, USDA 6b), suitable for most UK regions with typical winter conditions. |
| Horticultural recommendations |
Best in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil; plant 140–150 cm apart in rows or 240 cm as a specimen, train on arches, pergolas, fences or walls, and dead-head to support continuous remontant flowering. |
SHISEIDO – cream-coloured climbing rose – offers romantic cream blooms, award-winning fragrance and reliable repeat flowering on an easy-care, long-lived own-root framework, making it a thoughtful choice for your next garden planting.
