This month we feature the winner of the New Zealand Rose of the Year competition where the public gets to vote for the best rose on show at Rogers Rose Garden in Hamilton. It also won the award for best New Zealand raised rose and the best shrub rose. ‘Everlasting Hope’ has been named for Postnatal Depression Canterbury for the amazing work they do by breeder Rob Somerfield. The blooms are soft to medium pink with a gorgeous perfume which … [Read more...]
2017 winners
The New Zealand Rose of the Year trials were held in mid November at Rogers Rose Garden, part of the award winning Hamilton Gardens in Hamilton. The trials are the only one in the world to be judged solely by public voting and over the four days of the Pacific Rose Bowl Festival which also saw local school children take part in the voting. 2017 New Zealand Rose of the Year and Children's Choice award 'Best Wishes' (Dicdyna) Bred by Colin … [Read more...]
December – St Margaret’s Gold
Every now and again, a rose variety will produce a sport which is a naturally occurring change in a certain characteristic of the variety. Sports are often propagated and if worthy enough, become a new variety on the market. Probably the most common type of ‘sporting’ is a change in flower colour and ths month, we feature a rose that ‘St Margaret’s Gold’ is a sport of the popular ‘Hayley Westenra’ and shares all its characteristics except … [Read more...]
February – Christchurch Remembers
For this month, we feature a rose named to commemorate the victims of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and which will be widely available in New Zealand this winter. First of all, ‘Christchurch Remembers’ is red in colour - a bright scarlet red that darkens around the petal edges as they age. A floribunda, ‘Christchurch Remembers’ does have relatively large blooms for this type of rose but they are produced in clusters and last well on the … [Read more...]
Win – Christchurch Remembers
Win - we have three plants of the 2016 New Zealand Rose of the Year winner to three lucky winners. There are only very limited plants available this summer but will be widely available in winter 2017 from Mitre 10 and Palmers stores. This floribunda rose has blooms of medium red, darkening on the edges. Medium growing with mid green foliage. Bred by Rob Somerfield of Glenavon Roses, Tauranga, this rose is his tribute to the people of … [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...]
New Zealand Rose of the Year 2014
The New Zealand Rose of the Year trials were held 13th - 16th November at Rogers Rose Garden, Hamilton. The public judged the roses over the four days while VIPS judged on the final day before the presentation of awards. The trials are for varieties already on the market in New Zealand. New Zealand Rose of the Year 2014, Best Hybrid Tea and Best NZ Raised Rose: 'Love Heart' (Somsirwith) Bred by Rob Somerfield, New Zealand. Entered by … [Read more...]
Pacific Rose Bowl Festival
The Pacific Rose Bowl Festival takes place every November in the Rogers Rose Garden, located in the beautiful Hamilton Gardens. The four-day Festival is centered around the New Zealand Rose of the Year Trial. The New Zealand Rose of the Year is one of only two Rose Trials in the Southern Hemisphere that are judged by public votes. There is also a Children’s Choice Award section. The roses in the trial are clearly marked and all you have to … [Read more...]