This month we feature one of the all-time great ‘small roses’ that has become as well known on the show bench as it has in the garden.
‘Minnie Pearl’ has long elegant buds, opening to well-formed blooms of pale pink with a hint of yellow. The colour deepens in sun but the form still holds. It is one of the top exhibition roses in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Its form lasts for ages and the blooms come singly or in small clusters. The blooms are 1 – 1.5 cm across and made idea buttonholes or shoulder sprays.
Growing to ½ metre high and wide, ‘Minnie Pearl’ grows readily from cuttings and is at home in the garden or in containers. Bred in 1982 by American breeder Harm Saville, ‘Minnie Pearl’ is named for an American Country and Western entertainer who was also a great comedienne. Still one of the great small roses after all these years and worthwhile growing for anyone from a novice to expert rose enthusiast.
