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Perpetual Love

Perpetual Love

Feb 2, 2021 | TYPES OF ROSES

by Mirjana Toyn, Consulting Rosarian, Connecticut Rose Society

This is a 2014 AOM article

 

Hybrid Perpetuals are easily the Heinz 57’s of Old Garden Roses. They represent remontant roses that developed from Hybrid Damask crossed with Bourbons, Portlands, Chinas or Teas. Finally, in 1842 a new class was created for them with the introduction of ‘La Reine’. The Victorians became obsessed with these roses and started an exhibition craze, focusing on the beauty of the individual bloom. In Germany, Peter Lambert continued to breed them until 1936, despite the fact that Hybrid Perpetuals had become eclipsed by the new Hybrid Teas as the focus in exhibition shifted away from fragrance to form. ABOVE: Baronne Prévost (Hybrid Perpetual), by Rich Baer

 

Experts seem to agree that there are five distinct lineages for these beauties, all of which have somewhat different growth habits. The smallest grow around 4 feet, but the more vigorous varieties will easily reach 8 feet. Bloom forms also vary wildly from pointy with high centers to blowsy, and what can only be described as disheveled at best. Some, like ‘Roger Lambelin’ also have serrated petals. This explains why it was so difficult to include them into any existing classification!

They are blessed with sumptuous fragrance, with only a few notable exceptions like ‘Baroness Rothschild’ and her descendants. Hybrid Perpetuals are amongst the most hardy rose classes (some people apparently grow them in zone 4) and perform superbly in cooler summer climates. Their colors range from pure white to every shade of pink, red and purple you care to imagine. ‘Frau Karl Druschki’ is still considered one of the most perfect white roses of all times. I was lucky to get a $1 bare root specimen a few years ago and can attest to its beauty and large bloom size. It is one of the last roses to flower in my garden, and a few years ago, it continued into the first week of December! Extreme heat stresses them and it is advisable to plant them in a location that gives some reprieve from the hot midday sun. This holds true particularly for purple and dark red varieties like ‘Souvenir du Docteur Jamain’, whose petals can scorch. The most spectacular bloom happens in June and a secondary, less opulent flush occurs at the end of summer. ABOVE: Baron Girod de L’ain (Hybrid Perpetual) by Mirjana Toyn

 

When I was still an inexperienced rose grower I foolishly planted mine in mixed borders, and I am now suffering the consequences as the perennials and shrubs grow ever more vigorous, sapping the energy of these roses. Hybrid Perpetuals are extremely greedy feeders and require breathing space around them to accommodate their size and to help prevent fungal disease. Severe pruning is also resented and you might suffer serious dieback if you are too enthusiastic with the clippers! I prefer to peg mine or train them laterally like small climbers when dealing with long canes.

Some of the more popular varieties in my garden include ‘Baron Girod de l’Ain’ with its serrated red petals and white picoté edging, mauve and nearly thornless ‘Reine des Violettes’, stripy pink and blush ‘Ferdinand Pichard’, cerise ‘Paul Neyron’ with its large flowers and pink ‘Baronne Prévost’. ABOVE: Ferdinand Pichard (Hybrid Perpetual) by Rita Perwich

Strangely enough, they are more readily available in nurseries in the United States than in Europe. The gardens at Sängerhausen and Roseraie de l’Hay both have nearly 500 different varieties of Hybrid Perpetuals. Occasionally you can find them as bag roses at Home Depot or Ocean State Job Lot in late spring.

 

The beauty and scent of these old girls remains undiminished over the centuries and no rosarian should refuse them a space in the garden. You are spoiled for choice regarding size, bloom shape and color, so you might need to buy multiple varieties!

Rose Classifications

Feb 2, 2021 | TYPES OF ROSES

by Billie Flynn, Consulting Rosarian, Central Louisiana Rose Society

Information from the American Rose Society Handbook for Selecting Roses and The Official Registry And Checklist – 2nd Edition – Rosa

Information collected by Central Louisiana Rose Society Newsletter Editor Billie Flynn

Rosebud June 2020

 

In order for the rosarians to foresee the growth habit and provide proper care of the many different roses in their garden they must first identify the class to which each of their roses belongs. The class along with other information about each rose can be found by simply looking up the name of the rose in reference books such as the American Rose Society Handbook for Selecting Roses, or searching online here.

There are over 40,000 named roses, some no longer in commerce or in existence. In 1955, the International Cultivar Registration Authority appointed the American Rose Society international responsibility to define rose classifications according to origin and botanical characteristics, maintain the records of all registered roses and prevent the duplication of named roses. When a hybridizer registers the name of a rose it is the responsibility of that hybridizer to use the classification definitions described by the American Rose Society to designate the class to which the rose belongs.

 

The American Rose Society divided all roses into three main groups: Species (i.e. wild roses); Old Garden Roses (classes in existence before 1867); and Modern Roses (classes not in existence before 1867). These three groups were further divided into 37 classes according to their origin, growth characteristics and classification assigned by the hybridizer or introducer.

 

Classification Characteristics — The American Rose Society provides information to explain the distinction of rose classifications. (For lack of space, only the most often grown classes are defined in this newsletter)

 

Species Roses — Often referred to as “wild roses,” species roses are usually single-petaled (4-8 petals), once-blooming and have a bush size ranging from two 2 to 20 feet. They are listed according to their Latin name.

 

Old Garden Roses — In 1966, the American Rose Society defined old garden roses as those classes (not roses, but classes) that existed prior to 1867. Within the class of Old Garden Roses there are 22 subdivisions based on natural historical developments and characteristics. Among the most often grown old garden rose classes are:

 

Zéphirine Drouhin (Bourbon)

Souvenir de Malmaison (Bourbon)

Louise Odier (Bourbon)

* Bourbon — Developed from the hybrid chinas, these were the first repeat-flowering roses. They derive their name from the location of the first members of the class, the Ile de Bourbon in the Indian Ocean.

 

Old Blush (China)

Mutabilis (China)

Green Rose (China)

* China — This group’s most important characteristic is its ability to repeat bloom. The plants are variable in height, with relatively few thorns. The flowers tend to be borne in small clusters. China roses originated in Southeast Asia and are one of the most important historical groups of roses.

 

* Damask — These roses are best known for their intense heavy fragrance. Plants generally range in size from 3 to 6 feet. Some varieties are repeat blooming.

 

* Moss — Named for the mossy thorn growth on the peduncle just below the bloom and sepals, this group releases a pine-scented oleoresin when the moss is rubbed between the fingers. Some varieties are repeat blooming.

 

Mme Alfred Carrière (Noisette)

* Noisette — This classification originated in the United States by Philippe Noisette of Charleston, SC, who later introduced them in France when he moved there in 1817. Plants are large and sprawling, often reaching up to 20 feet tall. Blooms are produced in fragrant clusters.

 
 

Sombreuil, (Climbing Tea)

* Tea — Characterized as variable in height, with some of the best cultivars being Climbing Teas. Teas have large blooms on weak stems resulting in drooping or nodding flowers. This group is one of the immediate ancestors of the modern Hybrid Tea. They grow best when only lightly pruned.

 

The era of modern roses was established in 1867 with the introduction of the first hybrid tea, ‘La France’, by the French hybridizer Guillot. This variety was considered unique for their repeat bloom, upright growth habit, fragrance and color range as well as the elegant shaped buds and free-flowering character of a tea rose. Hybridizers were quick to recognize that planned parenthood (cross pollination of select roses) could evolve new flower forms, size, growth habit and colors. By the late 20th century, more than 10,000 hybrid teas had been hybridized with great success. Therefore, the following new classifications based on growth habit evolved.

 

Peace (Hybrid Tea)

* Hybrid Tea — Perhaps the most popular class of modern roses is the hybrid tea, easily recognized by the large shapely blooms containing 30 to 50 petals. Flowers are borne on long stems either singly or with several sidebuds. In 1945, the ‘Peace’ rose heralded the modern era of the elegantly formed hybrid teas. So dramatic was the overwhelming public acceptance and praise accorded this variety that its place in history was instantaneous. Since 1945, many thousands of new hybrid teas have been bred and introduced.

 

* Grandiflora – In 1954, the introduction of a rose bred from crossing the hybrid tea ‘Charlotte Armstrong’ with the floribunda ‘Floradora’ resulted in a carmine rose and dawn pink variety. It displayed not only the characteristics of a hybrid tea but also the ability to bear clusters or trusses and grow to a commanding height of 6 to 8 feet or more. To accommodate this variety, the class of grandiflora was born. ‘Queen Elizabeth’ had the distinction of being the very first member of this class.

 

* Floribunda — Second only to the hybrid tea and grandiflora in popularity, the floribunda is characterized by its profuse ability to bear flowers in large clusters or trusses with more than one bloom in flower at any one time. This class is unrivaled for providing massive, colorful, long-lasting garden displays. The distinct advantage of the floribunda is its ability to bloom continually whereas the hybrid tea exhibits a bloom cycle every six to seven weeks. Floribundas as a class are hardier, easier to care for than hybrid teas.

 

* Polyanthas are generally smaller but sturdy plants with large clusters of small 1-inch diameter blooms often used for massing, edging and hedges.

 

* Miniature roses have increased in popularity due to their novelty and versatility… Their average height is 15 to 30 inches with flower form and foliage which are indeed miniature versions of both hybrid teas and floribundas.

 

* Miniflora roses are a new classification adopted by the ARS in 1999 to recognize another step in the evolution of the rose, intermediate bloom size and foliage falling between miniatures and floribundas.

 

* Shrub (Classic & Modern) — Shrubs are easily characterized by their sprawling habit. There are five popular subdivisions within the class: hybrid kordesii, hybrid moyesii, hybrid musk, hybrid rugosa and shrub. They can grow from 5 to 15 feet or more in every direction given the correct climate and growing conditions. Noted for their hardiness, they are usually vigorous and produce large quantities of clusters of flowers. The unique group of roses hybridized by David Austin (often called English Roses) belong to this class. They resemble old garden roses in shape and form but are recurrent bloomers and often have fragrance.

 

* Large Flowered Climber, Hybrid Gigantea, Hybrid Wichurana — These varieties are dominated by their growth habit, long arching canes with the ability to climb up fences, over walls, and through trellises, arbors and pergolas if properly trained and tied. These varieties offer a wide range of flower forms, shapes and colors.

 

For more information about rose classifications visit:

 

All photos by Rich Baer

‘Butter Cream’

‘Butter Cream’

Nov 28, 2020 | TYPES OF ROSES

by Bob Martin, ARS President 2018-2021

BELOW: ‘Butter Cream’, photo by Bob Martin

Challenged by our Editor to select one rose to write about, I decided at once to pick the best of my own creations – ‘Butter Cream’.

 

A rose “hybridizer” is one who is responsible for the discovery or creation of a new rose. And since there is nothing about roses that does not interest me, there came a time circa 1992 when my thoughts about roses had turned to becoming a hybridizer.

 

My first step was to seek some information on the subject. I had heard of the Rose Hybridizers Association (www.rosebreeders.org), which has continued to this day as an important organization for advancing the interests of amateur hybridizers. Of particular interest I learned that the Rose Hybridizers Association publishes an excellent handbook titled “Rose Hybridizing for Beginners”. So I ordered it and read it cover to cover and then again.

 

Following some earlier introductions dating to 1995, my best-known rose, introduced in 2003 is the miniflora ‘Butter Cream’, a cross of ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ x ‘Fairhope’.

 

In selecting its parents, I was guided by a horse breeding principle I had learned in my law practice that says, “Breed the best to the best and hope for the best”. Following that principle, I selected ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ because it was the seed parent of the top-rated exhibition hybrid tea, ‘Gemini’. And, I selected the miniature rose ‘Fairhope’ because it was then the top-rated miniature exhibition rose in the country, a position that it went on to hold for eleven consecutive years through 2006. (LEFT: ‘Butter Cream’ matched pair, photo by Dona Martin).

 

‘Butter Cream’ has many similarities to ‘Fairhope’, however the blooms are a clean medium butter yellow and much larger (about 2-inches), marking it a true miniflora. The classic form is extraordinary and more high-centered than ‘Fairhope’, a trait it appears to have taken from its seed parent, ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’. The blooms typically have about 28-32 petals. The yellow is more prominent in cooler, overcast weather and shaded conditions; in hot sunny conditions the blooms tend to be whiter. The blooms appear one to a stem and have excellent substance, lasting a long time on the bush and as a cut flower.

 

The bush itself is upright, tall (30-inches), with medium green, semi-glossy, highly disease-resistant foliage. It is very vigorous and grows well on its own roots, producing show-quality blooms at an early age. The exceptional quality of the bush, and particularly its disease resistance, has lead Ping Lim to use in his breeding program that focuses on disease resistant varieties.

 

‘Butter Cream’ was, however, bred primarily to be a show contender and has not disappointed. In its first appearance on the show tables, it won the seedling class at the San Jose Spring National in April 2002. Following its commercial introduction by Rosemania in 2003 it recorded its first Queen at the Gainesville Rose Society show in Florida on April 26, 2003, shown by Steve Felts of Ocala, Florida. This was also the first Queen of Show for him and came with the second bloom on a plant he had received in March.

 

Since its introduction, ‘Butter Cream’ has been a top ranked exhibition miniflora, including several years as #1. Through the end of the 2019 season, ‘Butter Cream’ as an individual bloom has recorded 121 Queens nationally, in addition to more than 600 appearances as royalty or in major challenge classes. It has also demonstrated an ability to produce show-quality sprays, ranking in the top ten in that category for several years.

 

Much of the show success of ‘Butter Cream’ is attributable to my dear friend Suzanne Horn who claims ‘Butter Cream’ as her favorite rose as well. Suzanne has known ‘Butter Cream’ since its earliest days, having seen it as a seedling in my garden. In fact, we discussed an appropriate name for it on several occasions; my recollection being that she had preferred ‘Crème Brulee’.

 

Suzanne’s success with showing ‘Butter Cream’ has been amazing and I freely admit she shows the rose better than anyone I know, including I will add my great friend Dr. Satish Prabhu who has told me he considers ‘Butter Cream’ the best miniflora ever introduced. In fact, Suzanne has been winning trophies with it since the year of its introduction in 2003 and has won 91 trophies since.

 

Suzanne won her first two Queens with ‘Butter Cream’ in October of 2004, and since that time has won a total of six Queens of Show. She has also utilized it in many different classes, including challenge collection, miniflora English box, miniflora vase of three, miniflora vase of six, miniflora vase of twelve, miniflora cycle of bloom, miniflora artist’s palette, miniflora picture frame and miniflora rose in bowl. One of the best is a stunning miniflora basket pictured in an accompanying article by Suzanne.

 

‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ has continued as the mother of many of the roses I have bred. A pink, white and yellow blend hybrid tea, ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ in our garden is a huge upright bush on ‘Fortuniana’ rootstock with dozens of canes producing an abundance of classic high centered formed blooms with beautiful iridescent seashell color. For show purposes, the petals are very tender and are difficult to groom without splitting. It also does not refrigerate well and requires near perfect timing to get it to the show table.

 

The strength, however, of ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ is as a mother. As noted, it is the mother of ‘Gemini’. It was also used as a seed parent in the production of the hybrid teas, ‘Vanilla Perfume’ and ‘Diana, Princess of Wales”, the namesake of the mother of the future king of England.

 

‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ as a seed parent produces large abundant hips, each of which contain large seeds that are relatively easy to handle. As a seed parent, it takes pollen easily and the seeds have a high rate of germination. But best of all, it produces multiple outstanding offspring of various colors.

 

One of my earliest crosses was of ‘Anne Morrow Lindberg’ x ‘Glowing Amber’ which produced my white floribunda, ‘Pasadena Star’. After the sister seedlings ‘Butter Cream’ and ‘Peter Cottontail’, I made a later cross with my rose ‘Bolivar’ to produce the floribunda, ‘Peachy Cheeks’. Subsequent crosses with the floribunda ‘Julia Child’ have produced an abundance of offspring, including the floribunda, ‘Escondido Sunset’; the shrub, ‘Ruth Tiffany’; and the minifloras, ‘Angel Grace’, ‘Bronze Medal’ and ‘Coconut Shrimp’.

 

The breeding of ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ itself is something of a mystery. The 1993 patent application discloses that it was bred by the late William A. Warriner, from a cross of two unnamed seedling varieties known only as “78-5563” x “75-3762”. It was originally introduced in 1993 in Australia and named ‘Melinda Gainsford’, after a well-known Australian athlete. Some clue as to the parentage of those varieties is suggested by the roses selected as “comparators” in a comparative trial conducted in Australia from October 1993 – April 1994. There the comparators were ‘Pristine’ and ‘Princess De Monaco’, either or both of which could plausibly have played a role in the genealogy of ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’.

 

To complete the story, I also had a hand in the naming of ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’. In 1993, while then with the Pasadena Rose Society I was approached by one of our members who was a publicist for the then 87-year old Anne Morrow Lindbergh. She told me that Anne Morrow Lindbergh loved roses and was willing to lend her name to a suitable rose, notwithstanding that she had never previously permitted her name to be used as an endorsement of any product. At my suggestion she contacted Jackson & Perkins Co who, liking the idea, presented photos of three ready-to-introduce roses for consideration. I selected the one with the seashell-like colors as being the most appropriate and Jackson & Perkins Co. introduced it into the United States in 1994 as ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’. As a reward, I received a bush of the newly named variety, which I later used to produce ‘Butter Cream’.

 

One of the great excitements about rose hybridizing is the daily walk among seedlings in germination, greeting new flowers with anticipation. Most lack novelty or have other issues that weigh against their successful commercial introduction. But, each is unique and a reminder of God’s work. My cross of Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ x ‘Fairhope’ in 2000 produced 30 seedlings in 2001. The #4 seedling, designated 01-AnnFair-04, was later introduced as ‘Peter Cottontail’, the #7 seedling, designated 01-AnnFair-07, was ‘Butter Cream’. The other 28 were discarded. My initial notes on ‘Butter Cream’ said “White with classic form”. As it developed it was more yellow and was eventually released as a light yellow. I actually remember the first bloom because it was extraordinary and I knew at once that if I could get a plant under it, I would have something. As it turns out, getting a good plant from an ‘Anne Morrow Lindbergh’ cross is the norm.

 

To conclude, I and am reminded of the Scriptural passage, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:28-29) The Rose – and especially my rose, ‘Butter Cream’ – is to me a gift from our Creator, one superior even to the lilies of the field.

Easy Elegance Roses: Simple, Carefree & Beautiful

Nov 23, 2020 | TYPES OF ROSES

 

by Angelina Chute

Award of Merit 2017 winner

I’m a big fan of Easy Elegance Roses. They’re not only sustainable and easy to grow, but also produce roses that have great color and form throughout the season. My “old” favorites include All the Rage and Yellow Brick Road. But I have more favorites: Super Hero, Kiss Me and My Girl.

Easy Elegance roses were hybridized by Ping Lim and introduced by Bailey Nursery. According to Ping, the term Easy Elegance was inspired by an ideal lifestyle that was simple, carefree and beautiful. The roses he created certainly have these attributes.

Each year I look forward to seeing the small red roses of Super Hero, one of the first bushes to bloom in the spring. The flowers start out with hybrid tea form and then open to round flat blooms. I like to cut Super Hero because it fits perfectly into a small vase.

All the Rage is a single, but what a gorgeous rose it is with apricot blooms and a bright yellow center. When the bloom is fully open it is 3-4 inches. This rose bush was one of the first roses we planted in our sustainable rose garden 9 years ago and it still remains one of my favorites.

There are now more, newer Easy Elegance roses available. I don’t have room to plant all of them in my garden, but I manage to find space for a few more each year. All the roses described below were on display as potted roses at this year’s Rose Show.

If I had to choose my favorite potted rose on display at the Rose Show, I think it would be Champagne Wishes. I’m attracted to clear, creamy white roses and Champagne Wishes has clusters of white blooms packed with 24-30 petals. The flowers start out as apricot buds — attractive at even the bud stage — and open to white. We planted this rose in our garden this year and the Friday morning before the Rose Show I saw a fresh spray of Champagne Wishes in bloom that I thought I could enter in the Sea of Roses class. Since I had no previous experience with Champagne Wishes, I wasn’t sure its blooms would stand up over night without losing its petals, but the morning of the show, it still looked good. I entered it in the show and was pleasantly surprised when I saw it won Best of Class! Champagne Wishes is hardy to Zone 4.

Last year we planted Calypso in a bed at the back of our garden. It doesn’t get as much sun as some of our other roses, mainly because it’s planted next to our Renaissance Roses which grow quite tall. I didn’t pay too much attention to Calypso last year, but this year when I saw it in bloom, I really liked its delicate, light apricot flowers that have 25 petals. Calypso has a compact, rounded habit and is hardy to Zone 5.

Coral Cove has been around since 2010, but we planted it in our garden this year. It really caught my eye with its bright orange-pink roses. The blooms are ruffled and the outer petals start out as dark pink before changing to orange. The buds are a combination of orange and yellow and just as eye-catching as the fully opened flowers that have bright yellow centers. Coral Cove has 20 petals. It’s hardy to Zone 4 and has a small habit of 2-3 feet.

Little Mischief, a deep pink shrub, has small 1 inch blooms with a white eye that look great against its glossy green foliage. The flowers have 20 petals and the bush is low growing to 2-3’ which make it perfect for a small garden. Little Mischief is hardy to Zone 4 and very disease resistant.

Music Box is a flashy rose with its yellow blend petals that have outer pink on their edges. The blooms have 30-35 petals and the foliage is a glossy medium green. Music Box can grow from 4-5’, but so far its habit in our garden is only 3’. It is hardy to Zone 4.

A shrub rose that would do well in a container is Paint the Town which grows 2-3’ high and has medium red flowers. Its hybrid tea shaped blooms have 20 petals and the foliage is a glossy dark green. Hardy to Zone 4.

The shrub Pinktopia got a lot of attention at the Rose Show with its appropriately named clusters of medium pink blooms. The single flowers of 10-15 petals are about 3” when fully opened. Pinktopia grows to a height of 4’ and is hardy to Zone 5.

If you’re looking for some disease resistant roses to add to your garden, you may want to keep some of these simple, carefree and beautiful Easy Elegance roses in mind.

Ring of Fire – Rose of the Month

Nov 3, 2020 | TYPES OF ROSES

Suzanne Horn, Master Rosarian, Pacific Rose Society

This is a 2018 Award of Merit article

‘Ring of Fire’ has literally burst into flames on the national scene for home gardeners and exhibitors alike. Created by local hybridizer Chris Greenwood of Glendora, California under the working title of ‘Apollo’s Fire’, it was introduced to the buying public in 2017 by Certified Roses. This stunning orange hybrid tea was one of the most eagerly anticipated releases to the market in years thanks to word of mouth from growers of test plants around the country. Since its release, ‘Ring of Fire’ has exploded on the retail market, having been distributed to top nurseries around the country and literally flying off the shelves. (ABOVE: ‘Ring of Fire’, photo by Kitty Belendez)

ABOVE: Left, ‘Ring of Fire’ – 2021 David Fuerstenberg Prize, photo by Dona Martin. Right, Ring of Fire-2021 David Furstenberg Prize.

 

This is not Chris Greenwood’s first introduction. The talented amateur hybridizer has produced a number of excellent roses and has had a goodly amount of success with the hybrid tea ‘Crowd Pleaser’ (introduced by Weeks Roses), floribunda ‘Tootsie’, miniflora ‘Hello Sunshine!’ and miniature ‘Hello Gorgeous!’, to name a few. However, nothing to date has come close to the phenomenal success of ‘Ring of Fire’. It has rapidly become the most popular new hybrid tea rose in the country and has drawn national recognition to its Southern California hybridizer. (ABOVE: Chris Greenwood with Jolene Adams receiving Rose Hills Award)

‘Ring of Fire’ was produced from what Chris Greenwood observes was “a happenstance cross” in May of 2007 between Marilyn Monroe and Hotel California. He notes that he had tried using Marilyn Monroe in his breeding program in the past but with no results. Marilyn Monroe presents very little pollen, and no seed had set. In 2007, he harvested numerous Marilyn Monroe flowers and obtained just a small amount of pollen. Since he had a couple of flowers of Hotel California ready to pollenate, he used what little Marilyn Monroe pollen he had on those two blooms. Fortunately, hips set and he was able to harvest about 20 seeds that fall. After placing them in the refrigerator, he planted those seeds in February of 2008. (ABOVE: ‘Ring of Fire’ bloom in bud vase, photo by Chris Greenwood)

I well remember the first bloom on this rose, which was really exciting. Chris cut the bloom and brought it to a rose society meeting in a mini bud vase. (See attached photo from that day and note the size of the vase on this first-year bloom.) He passed it around and elicited lots of “ooohs” and “ahhhhs” from the rosarians present. It was perfect – a glorious rich color with lots of substance and perfect, high centered hybrid tea form. It was a small glimpse into the greatness to come for this rose. (LEFT: ‘Ring of Fire’ – Best of Show photo with exhibitor Suzanne Horn from Santa Clarita Show, photo by Peter Alonso)

 

Chris notes that subsequent flowering on this rose was even better. With high hopes, he sent some budwood over to Weeks Roses. A small bump in the road occurred when his seedling plant died the following year due to a bad placement in the ground. But Chris really believed in his as yet unnamed orange hybrid tea, and you couldn’t keep a good rose down!

Other top hybridizers took a liking to the rose as well including the great Tom Carruth. In 2010 Tom budded more plants, and he and Christian Bedard continued to evaluate the rose. Another bump in the road occurred in about 2012 when Weeks decided it was not a variety they wanted to continue with. However, the silver lining was that Christian sent 10 plants to the Rose Hills Trials for Chris; and that was where it became a star! (ABOVE: ‘Ring of Fire’ – Cycle of Bloom shown by Suzanne Horn, photo by Dona Martin)

 

Chris recalls, “In April of 2014, I received a call from Christian to get over to Rose Hills, that my baby was in full bloom and very spectacular!” I remember going to see it on May 31, 2014, and it was still in full bloom. To say it was spectacular was an understatement. It was the most stunning display in all of Rose Hills. I found myself begging Chris for a test plant. (LEFT: ‘Ring of Fire’ bloom at Rose Hills, photo by Chris Greenwood)

As time progressed, Tom Carruth, who was now working with Certified Roses, recommended that they pick up the variety. Tom opined, “Ring of Fire is a jazzed-up version of Touch of Class. It has those same broad round petals that hold a perfect show form but with a brighter, clearer, orangier color. Even in hot weather, the flower size holds up. Its Grandfather is Saint Patrick so you can expect the flowers to last and last in the vase.”

Chris sent a boatload of budwood to Certified Roses, and it performed very well in Glendale, Arizona. This speaks very well for how well the rose performs in the heat. The rose was also sent to the Costa Farm Trials in Miami, where it showed absolutely no sign black spot, quite an achievement for a rose in Florida. Chris noted, “It appears that this variety is equally at home in hot climates as well as cooler ones. So far, I’ve not seen any fade in the color even with the extreme weather of hot then cool. Furthermore, I have not noted any disease whatsoever on any of my nine plants.” (ABOVE: ‘Ring of Fire’ – Vase of 12 shown by Suzanne Horn, photo by Dona Martin)

 

In October of 2014, ‘Ring of Fire’ (at the time dubbed “orange hybrid tea”) was awarded the gold medal for the Best Hybrid Tea in the Rose Hills Trials. This was a huge achievement for Chris as an amateur hybridizer, and the rose had now officially reached star status. See the attached photo of Chris receiving this award from then President of the American Rose Society, Jolene Adams. (LEFT: ‘Ring of Fire’ bloom, photo by Kitty Belendez)

 

As noted above, ‘Ring of Fire’ became commercially available across the country in 2017, and the response was remarkable. There are now large plantings of ‘Ring of Fire’ at Rose Hills, the Wrigley Garden and the Huntington Rose Garden. In addition, the rose is currently in the Portland Rose Trials. Tom Carruth conveyed to Chris that he anticipates this rose will be particularly stunning in the Portland trials and believes the flowers should be huge in the cool climate of Portland. As such, rose enthusiasts all over the country now have the opportunity to see and fall in love with this fabulous new rose.

 

I began growing this rose in 2015 as a test plant, which I grew in a large container in my Glendale, California garden. At the time I originally wrote this article, I was growing three plants, all of which were growing vigorously in these containers. Suffice it to say that I now grow many, many more. Glendale has a very hot climate, and ‘Ring of Fire’ thrives in it. The roses present a rich, non-fading orange hue with just a hint of yellow at the base. The blooms present a light fragrance, and just looking at them makes me think about fresh squeezed orange juice. They are produced almost exclusively as one bloom per stem and have a high percentage of great exhibition form. (They had me at “great exhibition form”.) Those blooms are presented on long straight stems and are cloaked in dark, rich, clean foliage, which create a complimentary frame for their dramatic color. I have not seen a speck of disease on any of my plants since I started growing them. In addition, the blooms present great substance, those legendary “petals of steel”, which were no doubt inherited from its parent plant, Marilyn Monroe. I have added to Chris Greenwood’s royalties as I continue to add more and more of these plants to my garden. (ABOVE: ‘Ring of Fire’ – Horizon Roses cover photo, rose photo by Chris Greenwood)

For the exhibitor, ‘Ring of Fire’ has everything you could possibly dream of in a show rose. It has great, classic form with lovely spiral centers that hold for days. The stunning electric orange color will surely grab a judge’s attention from across a crowded room. It is what exhibitors like to call a “Queen Machine”.

 

A wonderful rose for the garden as well as the show table, you will find ‘Ring of Fire’ to be one of the most striking and dramatic splashes of color in the yard. The bright, glowing orange hue is a real eye-catcher, and the beautiful blooms are nothing short of dazzling. The color remains fresh and vibrant through all stages, from bud to exhibition form to fully open bloom. As a cut flower, it is unbeatable and it has a long vase life as well. (ABOVE: ‘Ring of Fire’ bed at Rose Hills, photo by Chris Greenwood)

Needless to say, ‘Ring of Fire’ has a very rosy future. Everyone who sees it falls in love with it. You won’t want to miss out on adding this fabulous new star in the rose world to your own collection. Furthermore, rosarians everywhere are now looking forward to the great new introductions that are pending from the country’s newest star hybridizer, Chris Greenwood. (ABOVE: ‘Ring of Fire’ spray, photo by Chris Greenwood)

*** November 2020 Update ***

Since this article was originally written in 2018, the fame of ‘Ring of Fire’ has continued to grow. Chris Greenwood observes, “With every bloom cycle I get more and more impressed (proud papa). Whether it is on its own roots, Dr. Huey or Fortuniana, the results are still the same. Spectacular. Every bloom has stunning form and her performance on the show table is amazing.”

There have also been some new developments worth reporting. As of 2018, ‘Ring of Fire’ had already reached Number 5 on the list of Top Exhibition Hybrid Teas and Grandifloras on Roseshow.com. To date, it has logged 21 Queens of Show, 5 Kings, 13 Princesses, 14 Courts of Honor, 11 Challenge Classes, 2 Sprays and 1 Open Bloom. Furthermore, I have personally won three Cycle of Bloom awards with the rose, plus trophies for vases of 6, vases of 12 and Best of Show. I’m sure there are many more undocumented trophies for ‘Ring of Fire’ around the country that do not fall within the top recorded classes.

In addition, the most current issue of “Horizon Reports 2020” has recently come out, and ‘Ring of Fire’ is the cover rose. Furthermore, editor Bob Martin reports that ‘Ring of Fire’ received more reviews than any other rose – a record number of 85! Rave reviews came in from exhibitors all over the country. Space constrictions prevent me from sharing them all, but here are some of my favorite comments (edited for space).

 

Great rose overall! (Alonso); The red-orange blend of the blooms is stunning and they hold substance. Bloom, stem and foliage have all the characteristics of a champion exhibition rose for years to come. (Bechtle); What a beautiful exhibition rose! Attractive orange color with great form. Growth is much better this year with longer stems. Will continue to be on the trophy table for years to come! (Becker); This is the best orange hybrid tea I’ve grown in 33 years of growing roses, and one of the best exhibition hybrid teas we’ve ever grown. It produces perfect bloom form with very little grooming, fantastic fluorescent orange color, and long stems. Foliage is dark green, glossy and disease free. Insects seem to avoid it. The blooms hold form and color in the garden, but do not clam up in the floral fridge. It’s always the earliest and first hybrid tea to bloom in my garden, and it has a very fast bloom repeat. It has won us many local, district, and national trophies. (Belendez); Always a contender for Queen. Best show rose I grow. (Bever); A sure- fire beautiful shade of flaming orange and spectacular form. defines the phrase – Absolutely Awesome! (Blevens); A good bloom at the show will dazzle, I’m sure. (Borrmann); Cannot say enough good things about this rose. Beautiful form, beautiful color, long staying power in vase and on bush, nice leaves, a great show rose, always a Queen! (Brennan); Healthy bushes with good foliage are providing the blooms that we all know and love. Striking, deep orange with high centers. Honor Roll bound. (Dale); There aren’t enough superlatives. Color, form, this bloom has it all. (Eckley); The best hybrid tea in my garden, by far. (Ekuan); Blooms are spectacular vibrant orange. Excellent form with good centers and size. (Garman); Outstanding variety! Rich orange blooms have size, form and substance. (Garrett); A great rose to be sure. Forms, stems, disease resistance. It’s a keeper and will be Honor Roll quickly. (Guillebeau); Orange with outstanding exhibition form. Already a national queen. (Hering); One of the best roses in the last 40 years. Continual show quality blooms, disease resistant, statuesque and sublime color. (Huffer); Best hybrid tea of the decade. Wonderful color and form. (Lester); This has become my favorite – second to Gemini. Holds forever as a show exhibit and looks amazing in arrangements (Mahoney); An exceptional rose with vibrant orange blooms of great substance derived from its pollen parent, Marilyn Monroe. Like Marilyn, who starred in Some Like it Hot, the rose likes heat. Its seed parent, Hotel California contributes wide petals that enhance is near perfect hybrid tea form. The bush is a strong, upright grower and well productive of bloom on long straight stems. It has already proven to be one of the best hybrid teas ever. It is a must-have for exhibitors and it will be on the Honor Roll. (Martin); This is an outstanding rose and one of the best new roses in my rose garden in recent years. (Mayhew); This is an exceptional hybrid tea rose from Chris Greenwood. The orange blend color is truly beautiful, and the exhibition form is impeccable. This rose will not only win Queen, it will be on the Honor Roll. (Merriam); A winner for the garden and the trophy table. (Shockley); Color is beautiful and it is rare to get a bloom that is not PERFECT form! All stages of bloom are beautiful! Best rose for exhibition I have had in a long time! (Snellgrove); Obviously one of the best exhibition hybrid teas around. Great form and color, huge productive plant. (Streeper); One of the best roses to be introduced. It has everything I want in a hybrid tea. (Wilkinson).

 

As for me, I couldn’t be more pleased with this gorgeous hybrid tea, which has become my favorite. It seems to be almost everyone’s favorite now, with talk about it being the “rose of the century” frequently bandied about. The only downside to it is that everybody and their brother is growing it, and you will see up to a dozen blue-ribbon quality entries for Queen at the Southern California rose shows. It is certainly winning more than its share of trophies and I look forward to seeing it on the Honor Roll soon.

Lastly, perhaps the most significant development for this remarkable rose occurred this year when its hybridizer, Chris Greenwood, was awarded the American Rose Society’s 2021 David Fuerstenberg Prize! Established in 1929, this accolade is awarded from time to time to the originator of any new rose of American origin suitable to the American climate which may deserve honor. I couldn’t think of a more deserving hybridizer to receive this grand award.

 

Chris Greenwood continues with his backyard hybridizing program and has produced a number of new roses including a highly regarded floribunda named ‘Shannon Lanaya’ that we will be seeing more of on the trophy tables soon. In the interim, hearty congratulations to him on his David Fuerstenberg Prize and the incredible success of his outstanding creation, ‘Ring of Fire’.

American Rose Society