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...]
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...]
February – Kiss the Bride
February is, of course, the month of Valentine’s Day (14th in case anyone has forgotten) and although our Rose of the Month is not red, it does have a romantic name. ‘Kiss the Bride’ is a newer variety with clusters of cream to pale pink blooms, lightly scented and opening to reveal golden yellow stamens. A tall grower with very healthy mid-green foliage, this variety is a great addition to any garden. A Certificate of Merit winner at the … [Read more...]
January – Quintessential
We begin 2018 by featuring a promising new rose variety that will be released this winter in New Zealand. ‘Quintessential’ comes from the breeding program of Rob Somerfield and combines his signature traits of lots of flowers and exceptional health. The medium pink blooms have a lighter reverse to the petals and as they are packed with petals, they have an old fashioned appearance and are lightly scented. A medium, bushy grower with dark … [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...]
September – Pamela Bartrum
This month, we feature a rose named for a well-known South Canterbury rosarian which deserves to be more widely grown around New Zealand. ‘Pamela Bartrum’ is a floribunda with blooms of soft salmon pink, large in size for this type of rose with a moderate fruity scent. A short to medium grower in the garden, this variety has healthy, glossy foliage and is very quick to repeat flower so it is almost never without blooms. Bred by George and … [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...]
May – Scent by an Angel
This month we feature a new release for this winter from the world famous rose breeding family Poulsens of Denmark. Poulsen roses perform well in New Zealand conditions and other introductions have included ‘Ingrid Bergman’, ‘Hans Christian Andersen’, ‘Sparkler’ and more recent introductions like ‘Silver Anniversary’ and ‘Mum in a Million’ ‘Scent by an Angel’ is very much like ‘Mum in a Million’ in growth form, being an tall upright vigourous … [Read more...]
April – Tropical Delight
Bicolour roses are a bit of a novelty in the rose world and this month we feature one that deserves to be more widely grown. ‘Tropical Delight’ has clusters of blooms, creamy white edged raspberry red that are lightly scented and look good enough to eat! In full flower, the plant looks a picture and looks a treat in the garden. It is a medium, bushy grower with good health to about 1.3 metres. One thing it does not like is hard pruning so … [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...]