Creating A New Type Of Rose

Developing a new rose variety requires many years of evaluation and dedication. Take, for example, the 1990 All-America Rose Selection ”Pleasure.” Like most other new introductions, “Pleasure” was the result of 10 years of testing. To get to this stage, a single, new rose horticulturists for Jackson & Perkins Nursery evaluated almost 500,000 new seedlings. The best of these were planted in test plots across the country. (Many of these test roses can be seen at public rose gardens, labeled only with numbers.)

The test plants were graded at regular intervals for every possible characteristic, from flower form to growth habit to disease resistance. By eliminating roses with undesirable traits, eventually only hybrids with exceptional characteristics remain. The few outstanding roses remaining are further evaluated for a two-year period by rose experts at over 20 All-America Rose Selection test plots around the country. Finally, the best of the best are named an All-America Rose Selection for that year.

The late 1970s and 1980s brought important changes to rose gardening as breeders evaluated new hybrids. The changes in the kinds of roses that were being developed mirror an evolution in the way people want to garden. In the past 40 years or so, the ultimate goal of many rose gardeners was simple:grow the perfect flower. As part of their quest, they followed an almost-weekly spray program to keep their plants free of insects and disease. However, as concern about pesticide safety increased, the number of safe but effective sprays on the market decreased. Many gardeners began to seek alternative ways to control pests.

Fortunately, one of the best means of pest and disease control is prevention. Preventing problems begins with selecting varieties of roses that are naturally resistant to attacks from common diseases. Problems with insect pests can be largely negated by allowing natural predator insects to prey on insect pests, reducing their populations. Prevention also means planting varieties and species that perform well in your climate and supplying them with proper care. Healthy roses, which are plants that are watered, fertilized and pruned properly, are much less prone to attacks from insects and disease.

Meanwhile, many gardeners became interested in the history and beauty of antique or heritage roses, such as the Damask and Bourbon roses. These old roses bring a different character to the garden, one that is less refined, but one that has a simple and natural elegance, blending with other plants in the landscape. They also have unique and interesting flowers, often with intense fragrance. As cut flowers, old roses seem to turn bouquets into works of early European art. In addition, wonderful new hybrids like the David Austin English roses are now being grown throughout North America. These roses combine the beauty of old varieties with the ever-blooming qualities of newer roses.

To meet the needs of the environmentally aware gardener, the vast majority of new rose hybrids are carefully evaluated for disease resistance. And, luckily for the rose gardener, disease resistance usually translates into roses that possess attractive foliage as well as great versatility as landscape plants.

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