Green is not a colour often associated with roses so this month’s featured rose has certainly created a lot of interest since its release last year. ‘Green with Envy’ is the culmination of 29 years of work by Rob Somerfield to create a green rose. The lime green blooms come in clusters on a medium-growing plant. The flowers will last for a long time, either on the bush or in a vase and intensifies with age. There is no scent but the novelty … [Read more...]
Pink Ribbon
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and what better rose to feature than the newly released rose ‘Pink Ribbon’ ‘Pink Ribbon’ is a stunning free flowering rose with masses of soft pink cupped blooms covering the compact, bushy growing plant. An ideal rose for a pot or to grow in the garden. It looks especially stunning planted in large groups and is also good as a standard. Bred by Bob Matthews of Matthews Nurseries, $2 from the sale of … [Read more...]
Valerie Webster
For the first month of 2021, we feature one of the winners from the NZRS International Rose Trials in Palmerston North which were announced at the end of November. Clusters of pure yellow blooms, lightly scented feature on a very healthy, medium growing plant with glossy green foliage. Named in celebration of Zonta International’s Centennial year in 2019 and for their beloved past Governor Valerie Webster. Presented with a Certificate of Merit … [Read more...]
Green with Envy
Green is not a colour you associate very often with roses so this month’s featured rose is a very welcome new addition to this colour range. Aptly named ‘Green with Envy’ is a new release for spring 2020 from Rob Somerfield. It is the culmination of 29 years of breeding by Rob to get a green rose good enough to release onto the market. The blooms are lime green in colour and are produced in large clusters. The colour intensifies with age, … [Read more...]
My Best Mate
This month we feature a new release for winter 2020 that would make a great gift for your best mate. ‘My Best Mate’ has clusters of rich red blooms set against glossy green foliage. An easy to grow rose that will reward even the most novice gardener with lots of blooms and great disease tolerance. No scent. Bred by Bob Matthews of Matthews Nurseries Ltd, Wanganui, this is the latest addition to the My Rose Collection. Available from … [Read more...]
Amore® Expresso
This month we feature a welcome addition to the range of brown toned roses available in New Zealand. ‘Amore® Expresso’ is a good garden rose with clusters of brown flowers, opening to reveal golden yellow stamens. A spicy clove scent of moderate strength is another addition to this medium growing variety. Perhaps the best feature of this rose is its fantastic health with the dark glossy foliage looking great well into the autumn … [Read more...]
Rosy success at International Rose Trials
A rose named for the breeder’s mother topped the list of awards presented at the New Zealand Rose Society International Rose Trial Grounds in Palmerston North in early December. Tauranga Rose Breeder Rob Somerfield from Glenavon Roses topped the trials with his variety ‘Grandma’s Rose’ which won the Gold Star of the South Pacific. “The name is a tribute to my mother from her grandchildren, they felt it was her colour” said Rob Somerfield … [Read more...]
November – Sweet Romanza
November is when roses are at their peak flowering in New Zealand and it is always good to see what newer roses look like when they begin blooming. This month we feature a newer variety with lots of promise. ‘Sweet Romanza’ is from Dutch breeders Spek and has blooms of white with the faintest tinge of pink to the blooms, moderately scented with a tea rose scent. It is super healthy with dark green glossy foliage. Grows to 1.2 metres and is an … [Read more...]
September – Christophe
After the dullness of winter, we’re featuring a rose that brightens things up as we head into spring. ‘Christophe’ is a floribunda rose with clusters of bright tangerine orange blooms - a real stand out colour in the garden. There is only a light scent to enjoy but the real stand out is the colour. A taller grower with mid-green foliage, this is one for the back of the border. Bred by Colin Dickson of Northern Ireland, it received a … [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...]