The New Zealand Rose Society

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Rose of the Month

July – Tropical Essence

We haven’t featured a climbing rose for a while now so this months featured rose is a welcome addition to the range of climbing roses grown in New Zealand. ‘Tropical Essence’ produces well-formed blooms of peach on long stems which makes it great for picking. Even better, the sweet tropical fragrance will be appreciated by those who love a scented rose. A compact growing climber so ideal for smaller spaces, it clothes itself in dark, glossy … [Read more...]

Floranza (R) George Best

This month, we feature a promising new miniature type rose that has been recently released in New Zealand. Floranza ® George Best has large clusters of small to medium sized dark red blooms and is a welcome addition to the stable of red flowering miniature type roses grown in this country.  Very eye – catching in full bloom, the short, bushy growing plant is very healthy with glossy green foliage. Bred by Colin Dickson of Northern Ireland … [Read more...]

May – Berry Nice

This month we feature one of the new releases in the ‘My Rose Collection’ series bred by well-known rose breeder Bob Matthews of Matthews Nurseries Ltd, Wanganui ‘Berry Nice’ produces blooms of berry-magenta shade that cover the bushy, compact growing plant. Very quick to repeat so will provide a great display of colour in the garden.  Super easy to grow, the glossy green foliage is super healthy and will thrive under a no-spray … [Read more...]

April – Olivia Rose Austin

This month we feature one of the new David Austin roses making their way onto the New Zealand market this winter and one named for a member of the Austin family. ‘Olivia Rose Austin’ is named for the granddaughter of David Austin Senior who passed away at the end of last year. It features cupped rosettes of mid pink that are produced throughout the growing season. There is a light to medium fruity scent to the blooms which are shown off … [Read more...]

March – Feeling Better

Over the coming months, we’ll be profiling some of the newer roses coming onto the market in winter 2019 and this month’s rose is one named for a good cause. ‘Feeling Better’ has been bred by Rob Somerfield and is a follow up to his successful ‘Looking Good’, both of which have been named for the Look Good, Feel Better Foundation to highlight their fantastic work done with post-cancer treatment. The blooms are soft cream with a thin … [Read more...]

February – AMORE® Perfumed Kiss

February is of course the month of Valentine’s Day (14th for those of you who need reminding) and this month’s rose while not red, does have a romantic name that will appeal. ‘Amore® Perfumed Kiss’ is an appealing shade of lavender brushed with plum. The blooms are well-formed and have the most powerful fragrance you could wish for in a rose. Lovers of fragrant roses take note; this is another to add to your garden. A medium growing, very … [Read more...]

January – Graham Thomas

This month in tribute to David Austin who passed away aged 92 in December, we feature, without doubt, the most well-known of all the many fine roses he has bred and graced the gardens of rose lovers around the world. ‘Graham Thomas’ is well known to all rose lovers for its deep golden yellow cupped blooms which appear in clusters all season long. Bring the inside to enjoy in a vase or leave for a great garden display. The fragrance, while not … [Read more...]

December – Magic Show

With the rose show season just about over for another year, we are featuring one of the best newer roses for exhibition but also makes a good garden rose. ‘Magic Show’ is a patio rose with very well formed blooms of white with a pink edge to the petals. The blooms are borne mostly solitary and like most patio roses, have little in the way of a scent.  But for picking, it is fantastic and makes a great short standard to ‘lift’ it up off the … [Read more...]

November – Strawberry Blonde

November is the month when roses reach their spring peak across much of New Zealand and is also when we get to see the blooms on new release rose for the first time. One new release for winter 2018 was ‘Strawberry Blonde’ which we are featuring for November.  This floribunda comes to us from Rob Somerfield and has masses of golden apricot blooms that soften with age. For those who like a bit of scent, this one has a good scent. Like other … [Read more...]

October – Thomas a Becket

Red is one of the most popular colours in roses and this month we feature a recent release English rose in this colour. ‘Thomas a Becket’ is named for Canterbury Cathedral in the UK and features clusters of rosette-shaped blooms, crimson red in colour with a moderate Old Rose scent. The plant is medium growing with a shrubby habit and has excellent disease tolerance. Bred by David Austin, this is a welcome addition to the range of red … [Read more...]