Cornelia was raised by the Reverend Joseph Hardwick Pemberton in 1925, part of a remarkable series of hybrid musks that remain some of the most useful shrub roses for the modern garden. Vigorous and arching, it grows 5 to 10 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide, large enough to train against a wall or fence but equally at home as a free-standing specimen in a mixed border. The rosette-shaped double flowers are peachy-pink in cooler temperatures and fade to light pink as they age, each bloom carrying 41 to 55 petals and a gentle musk fragrance. Flowering comes in repeated flushes through the season, with the autumn flush typically the strongest and most colorful of all.

The small coppery-green leaves have a distinctive tone that sets Cornelia apart from the plain dark-green foliage of most modern roses. It holds the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society and performs reliably in zones 5 to 10. Plant in full sun to partial shade in amended, moist, well-drained soil and prune in late winter for a clean framework. Disease resistance is generally good, though it pays to watch for black spot, rust, and powdery mildew, particularly in humid climates where the foliage stays wet.