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...]
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...]