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...]
Irish rose breeder takes top award at rose trial
Rose breeders from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland dominated the awards presented at the trials with five of the six awards going to rose breeders in this part of the world. Amateur rose breeder David Kenny, a retired school teacher from Tullow took home the main awards with the variety ‘FLORANZA® Eye Popping won the Gold Star of the South Pacific for the highest scoring rose on trial and the Nola Simpson Novelty Award for the … [Read more...]
Pride of Palmy
November is the month when roses are at their best across much of New Zealand as they come into flower and is also the month when many rose shows occur (Covid permitting) and also trial results are announced from the New Zealand Rose Society International Trials in Palmerston North. ‘Pride of Palmy’ has been named to celebrate 50 years of the Palmerston North Rose Trials by its breeder Rob Somerfield of Glenavon Roses. The deep … [Read more...]
Truly Special
This month we feature a special rose that is great to give as a gift as well as to grow in your own garden. ‘Truly Special’ was presented by rose breeder Rob Somerfield to his parents on the occasion of his parents 60th wedding anniversary. The blooms have an old fashioned form and are rose pink with a slight warm glow to the centre of the blooms. A strong scent adds to the appeal of this variety. A small growing rose to 80cam … [Read more...]
Ladies Night
An award winning rose features as the Rose of the Month for March. ‘Ladies Night’ topped the NZRS trials in 2018 and was recognised with the presentation of the Gold Star of the South Pacific award to its breeder Rob Somerfield. . Red buds open to lightly scented blooms of red with a pink centre. With long stems, it is a good picking rose to enjoy in a vase. A medium to tall upright growing plant, it has very good health. Available … [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...]
Tabasco
This month we feature a very eye-catching recent release that will brighten up any garden. ‘Tabasco’ is well named with blooms of orange salmon produced both singly and in clusters, making for a stunning sight when in full bloom. Lightly scented. Medium growing with an upright habit, it is very healthy with healthy green foliage. Bred by Rob Somerfield, it was a Certificate of Merit winner at the NZRS Trials in Palmerston North in 2017. One … [Read more...]
Eye Spy
The Persica or Hulthemia roses have come into their own in recent years as several new hybrids have been released featuring better freedom of flowering, improved health and a range of flower colours. This month we are featuring a new climbing variety that will be released this winter. ‘Eye Spy’ is a vigorous climber with blooms of peach aging to honey with a dark red ‘eye’. Larger in size and with more petals than other Persica varieties, it … [Read more...]
‘Pride of Palmy’ selected as name for city rose
‘Pride of Palmy’ has been announced as the name for the rose celebrating 50 years of International Rose Trials in Palmerston North in 2020. The name was announced at the presentation of this year’s rose trial award on Sunday by the Mayor of Palmerston North, Grant Smith and was selected from names submitted in a competition held in August and September. Six people submitted the name with Ann Cryer of Pukekohe drawn as the recipient of six … [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...]