The awards for Trial 47 (2015 - 17) at the New Zealand Rose Society International Trials were presented on November 26th at the Dugald Mackenzie Rose Gardens in Palmerston North. It was a clean sweep for rose breeder Rob Somerfield of Glenavon Roses in Tauranga with all four awards presented on the day by the Mayor of Palmerston North, Grant Smith. A panel of 20 judges have assessed around 40 entries from New Zealand and overseas rose breeders … [Read more...]
October – William McCarthy
This month, we feature a new release rose which has much promise as an all-around performer in any garden. ‘William McCarthy’ is a prolific flowerer with clusters of clear silver – pink blooms, cupped shape in form with a mild scent. This is a rose that will fit into any garden situation with its compact, rounded habit from being grown in a container in a small garden through to mass plantings in larger areas. Very healthy with glossy medium … [Read more...]
August – Fireball
This month we feature a rose guaranteed to light up any garden this coming season. ‘Fireball’ is a new release floribunda with masses of orange blooms with a silvery – yellow centre and reverse to the petals. The blooms are lightly fragrant and it is a free flowering variety, with quick repeat during the summer months. A medium, bushy grower with glossy green foliage, ‘Fireball will be a great colourful addition to any garden. Bred by Rob … [Read more...]
July – Nostalgia
This month, we feature a newer rose from one of the world’s leading rose breeders that deserves to be more widely grown. ‘Nostalgia’ comes from Tantau of Germany, known for breeding healthy, tough roses and this one is no different. Very glossy, dark green foliage compliments the creamy white blooms which are edged cherry red. Moderately scented, this variety has plenty of blooms in clusters over the flowering season and is a welcome addition … [Read more...]
January – Eye of the Tiger
We begin 2017 by featuring of the winners from the New Zealand Rose Society trials in Palmerston North last year whose novelty caught the eye of the judges. ‘Eye of the Tiger’ received the Nola Simpson Award for the most novel rose in the trials which run over two years. This variety is another of the Hulthemia or Persica roses that are characterised by a darker base to the petal giving the impression of an ‘eye’. In the case of ‘Eye of the … [Read more...]
Rose Trial winners 2016
The awards for Trial 46 (2014 - 16) at the New Zealand Rose Society International Trials were presented on December 4th at the Dugald Mackenzie Rose Gardens in Palmerston North. A panel of 20 judges have assessed around 40 entries from New Zealand and overseas rose breeders (via their New Zealand agents) over a range of categories including freedom of flowering, health, plant quality, flower quality and fragrance. Certificates of Merit are … [Read more...]
December – Flower Carpet Red
The Flower Carpet® series of roses have been a revelation since they were first introduced to New Zealand in the early 1990’s. Since then, 10 colours have been introduced and this month, we feature Flower Carpet® Red. Flower Carpet® Red has all the other attributes of the Flower Carpet ® series – long flowering period, exceptional tolerance to disease, easy care and tolerant of a wide variety of conditions. The single blooms are a velvety … [Read more...]
October – Red Corsair
Red is the most popular colour among roses and gardeners everywhere are always attracted to plant red roses in their gardens. This month, we feature a newer red climbing rose that offers much promise. ‘Red Coisair’ has clusters of semi double blooms of an eye catching fire engine red – a colour that really stands out and brightens any garden. It is almost never without blooms from spring to autumn. Not much scent but for sheet flower power, … [Read more...]
July – Glorious
Yellow is always a colour that brightens up any garden and for the middle of winter, our featured rose is one of the best new roses to come onto the market in recent years in New Zealand. ‘Glorious’ is well named with large, well formed blooms of clear yellow produced on strong stems. They last well and are good for picking. There is some fragrance to enjoy from the blooms. Medium growing in the garden, glossy large foliage compliments the … [Read more...]
June – Kiwi
The brown or chocolate shades have always been a novel colour in roses and this month we feature one of the best to be released in this colour range in recent years. While New Zealand breeders like Nola Simpson and Sam McGredy have made significant contributions to roses in these shades, our featured rose comes from across the Pacific from breeder Tom Carruth, now retired from Weeks Roses in California. ‘Kiwi’ is well named with clusters of … [Read more...]