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

January – Peace

This month we feature one of the world’s most popular rose variety which in 2015, celebrates 70 years since its first introduction to the world. ‘Peace’ is one of the great roses, not only for the story behind it but also for its contribution to the world of roses. In 1935, the late Francis Meilland made the cross between an un-named seedling and the Hybrid Tea ‘Margaret McGredy’ at Antibes, France. Known as 3-35-40, propagation material was … [Read more...]

December – Ferdinand Pitchard

The striped roses are either liked or loathed. On the one hand, they are a novelty in the rose world but on the other, the combination of colours may not appeal. This month we feature one of the best ‘stripes’ and one that has led to the development of many of the modern striped roses. ‘Ferdinand Pitchard’ is a repeat flowering Hybrid Perpetual with cupped blooms of pink striped with crimson. Yellow stamens are a feature of this rose as well … [Read more...]

November – Waikato

It’s that time again when the roses start blooming in November for another season and various events are held up and down the country featuring roses. Two of the main events are the National Spring Rose Show and Convention which is this year being hosted in Hamilton and the Pacific Rose Bowl Festival which is held annually at the award winning Hamilton Gardens. So what better rose to feature this month than ‘Waikato’ the rose! Large blooms of … [Read more...]

October – Class Act

Single type roses are not always popular with rose lovers as their simple charms are often overlooked by rose lovers. This month we are featuring one of the best of the modern ‘singles’ that is instantly recognised wherever it is grown. ‘Class Act’ is well named as a good all round performer in the garden. Large semi-double blooms of creamy lemon cover the plant. At times when in full bloom, there is almost no foliage to be seen under the … [Read more...]

September – Flower Carpet Pink

This month we feature one of the most successful new rose introductions into New Zealand in the last 20 years and has become an integral part of the rose landscape in our country. It was also the first in what has become the biggest selling range of roses in New Zealand with two million plants sold in that time ‘Flower Carpet ® Pink’ was the first of the popular Flower Carpet series to be released by Anthony Tesselaar Plants of Australia and … [Read more...]

August – Big Purple

In roses, the colour purple is one of those colours that people either like or loathe having in their gardens. While there have been many heritage type and floribunda roses in the purple shades, there are very few large flowering Hybrid Teas. This month we feature ‘Big Purple’, one of the few real purple Hybrid Tea roses and also one of the best to grow. The large blooms are a beautiful purple – magenta in colour complimented of course by a … [Read more...]

July – Tintinara

This month in the depths of the New Zealand winter, we feature a rose that lights up any garden when in flower and one of the best in its colour range available on the market. 'Tintinara' is a stunning orange salmon rose, vibrant in colour and fades little as the bloom ages. Classified as a Hybrid Tea, but the large, loose petalled blooms often come in clusters making for a great display. They are lightly fragrant but the colour is the main … [Read more...]

May – Sexy Rexy

30 years ago, a rose was released that caused a bit of a stir in the world of roses because of its name. This month we feature it as one of the best floribunda roses of all time and one that even those with a passing knowledge of roses even know about! “How could they name a rose like that” was commonly heard at the time. We can only be talking about ‘Sexy Rexy’, one of the most popular floribunda roses and still widely grown around the world … [Read more...]