The New Zealand Rose Society

Join the New Zealand Rose Society to attend local rose meetings, rose shows, pruning demonstrations, rose trials, publications, rose of the month and more...

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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...]

Tagged With: 2017, Gold Star, New Zealand Rose of the Year, NZRS trials, Rob Somerfield, Rose of the Month

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...]

Tagged With: 2016, Bob Matthews, Certificate of Merit, Chris Warner, disease tolerance, floribunda rose, Gold Star, New Zealand Rose Society, NZRS trials, palmerston north gardens, Rob Somerfield

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...]

Tagged With: 2016, floribunda rose, Gold Star, New Zealand Rose of the Year, Rob Somerfield

August – Picotee

The ‘hand painted’ roses first appeared with much excitement in the 1970’s, a result of breeding work by Sam McGredy. In recent years, there has been a renaissance in the hand painted area with several newer hand painted roses appearing on the market and we feature one of the best this month. ‘Picotee’ is a patio rose with blooms of pink edged white blooms with a white reverse. It is very free flowering with blooms produced in clusters … [Read more...]

Tagged With: 2016, Certificate of Merit, floribunda rose, Hand painted rose, handpainted rose, NZRS trials, patio rose, Rob Somerfield, Rose of the Month

March – Sky Tower

This month, we featured one of the best climbers to have come on the market in recent years and a rose that lights up the garden when in bloom. ‘Sky Tower’ is aptly named for New Zealand’s tallest man made structure in Auckland and forms clusters of hot pink blooms in clusters, forming a great display. The clusters of blooms are great to pick and bring inside to a vase. ‘Sky Tower’ has also become a popular exhibition rose and is often seen at … [Read more...]

Tagged With: 2016, climbing roses, disease tolerance, Rob Somerfield, Rose of the Month

Free flowering, healthy roses feature among winning roses

New rose varieties that produce lots of flowers and get less disease topped the New Zealand Rose Society International Trial Awards in Palmerston North in early December with an orange rose ‘Fireball’ coming out on top. Bred by Rob Somerfield of Glenavon Roses in Tauranga, ‘Fireball’ received the top award of the trials, the Gold Star of the South Pacific. “It’s a great variety with lots of flowers and a very healthy plant” said Mr Somerfield … [Read more...]

Tagged With: 2015, Bob Matthews, Certificate of Merit, Colin Dickson, Gold Star, New Zealand Rose Society, NZRS trials, Palmerston North, Rob Somerfield

April – White Romance

It’s been a while since we featured a white rose so for this month, we feature one of the best new white roses of the last 10 years to come onto the market in New Zealand. Some say it’s destined to be the best white floribunda grown in New Zealand, already ranking 4th among the top favourite floribundas as voted by rose society members for 2014. ‘White Romance’ is a wonderful rose both in the garden and on the show bench, producing a great … [Read more...]

Tagged With: 2015, floribunda rose, New Zealand Rose Society, NZRS trials, Rob Somerfield, Rose of the Month, white rose

NZRS Trial winners 2014

The awards for Trial 44 (2012 - 14) at the New Zealand Rose Society International Trials were presented on December 7th in Palmerston North. A panel of 20 judges have  assessed around 30 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 awarded to those entries which score over … [Read more...]

Tagged With: 2014, Colin Dickson, floribunda rose, Glenavon Roses, Matthews Nurseries, NZRS trials, palmerston north gardens, Rob Somerfield

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...]

Tagged With: 2014, Chris Warner, Hamilton, hamilton garden, Mike Athy, New Zealand Rose of the Year, Rob Somerfield

2013 NZRS Trial winners

New roses from New Zealand and overseas breeders lead the way with awards at the New Zealand International Rose Trials in Palmerston North in late November 2013. The trials, which are operated as a partnership between the New Zealand Rose Society (Inc) and the Palmerston North City Council, aim to trial un-released rose varieties from leading New Zealand and International rose breeders with the view to their possible release onto the local … [Read more...]

Tagged With: 2013, Certificate of Merit, Chris Warner, David Kenny, Gold Star, Nola Simpson Novelty Award, NZRS trials, Rob Somerfield, WFRS Peoples Choice Award

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