The New Zealand Rose Society

Join the New Zealand Rose Society to attend local rose meetings, rose shows, pruning demonstrations, rose trials, publications, rose of the month and more...

Rose of the Month

Eye Spy

The Persica or Hulthemia roses have come into their own in recent years as several new hybrids have been released featuring better freedom of flowering, improved health and a range of flower colours. This month we are featuring a new climbing variety that will be released this winter. ‘Eye Spy’ is a vigorous climber with blooms of peach aging to honey with a dark red ‘eye’. Larger in size and with more petals than other Persica varieties, it … [Read more...]

My Best Mate

This month we feature a new release for winter 2020 that would make a great gift for your best mate. ‘My Best Mate’ has clusters of rich red blooms set against glossy green foliage. An easy to grow rose that will reward even the most novice gardener with lots of blooms and great disease tolerance. No scent. Bred by Bob Matthews of Matthews Nurseries Ltd, Wanganui, this is the latest addition to the My Rose Collection. Available from … [Read more...]

Amore® Expresso

This month we feature a welcome addition to the range of brown toned roses available in New Zealand. ‘Amore® Expresso’ is a good garden rose with clusters of brown flowers, opening to reveal golden yellow stamens. A spicy clove scent of moderate strength is another addition to this medium growing variety. Perhaps the best feature of this rose is its fantastic health with the dark glossy foliage looking great well into the autumn … [Read more...]

The Poets Wife

This month we feature a newer English rose that will brighten up any garden and looks to be a welcome addition to the range of yellow roses in this category. ‘The Poets Wife’ has rich yellow cupped blooms which pale over time. Richly scented, the sweet scent has a hint of lemon.  Very healthy with glossy green foliage, it grows as a nicely rounded shrub of a medium height.  One to look out for, especially for those that are enthusiasts of … [Read more...]

January – Lucky Charm

As we start the New Year and also the new decade, we feature one of the best smaller roses to be introduced in recent times. ‘Lucky Charm’ comes to us from English rose breeder Gareth Fryer who has created many fine smaller roses including the top-selling ‘Sweet Dream’, ‘Top Marks’ and ‘Flower Power’. ‘Lucky Charm' is in a similar style to these with a compact growth habit and masses of blooms, this time in an appealing lemon cream colour. … [Read more...]

December – Everlasting Hope

This month we feature the winner of the New Zealand Rose of the Year competition where the public gets to vote for the best rose on show at Rogers Rose Garden in Hamilton. It also won the award for best New Zealand raised rose and the best shrub rose. ‘Everlasting Hope’ has been named for Postnatal Depression Canterbury for the amazing work they do by breeder Rob Somerfield.  The blooms are soft to medium pink with a gorgeous perfume which … [Read more...]

November – Sweet Romanza

November is when roses are at their peak flowering in New Zealand and it is always good to see what newer roses look like when they begin blooming. This month we feature a newer variety with lots of promise. ‘Sweet Romanza’ is from Dutch breeders Spek and has blooms of white with the faintest tinge of pink to the blooms, moderately scented with a tea rose scent. It is super healthy with dark green glossy foliage.  Grows to 1.2 metres and is an … [Read more...]

October – Hamilton Gardens

This month we feature the very last rose to be released by the late Sam McGredy who passed away on August 25th in Auckland. Discovered as a naturally occurring sport or mutation of the popular McGredy rose ‘Paddy Stephens’, it shares many of its attributes including fantastic disease tolerance, long stems ideal for picking and well formed blooms. The only difference is the colour which is an appealing blend of apricot, pink and cream. Should … [Read more...]

September – Christophe

After the dullness of winter, we’re featuring a rose that brightens things up as we head into spring. ‘Christophe’ is a floribunda rose with clusters of bright tangerine orange blooms - a real stand out colour in the garden. There is only a light scent to enjoy but the real stand out is the colour. A taller grower with mid-green foliage, this is one for the back of the border. Bred by Colin Dickson of Northern Ireland, it received a … [Read more...]

Wollerton Old Hall

This month we feature a recent English rose to be released in New Zealand and is proving to be a worthy addition to the range of English roses available here ‘Wollerton Old Hall’ is a large shrub that is perhaps best grown as a climber under New Zealand conditions. Quick to repeat, the blooms are produced in clusters and open apricot, turning cream as they age.  Strongly scented, it is a welcome addition to the range of English roses in this … [Read more...]