Rose Society of South Australia
To encourage, improve, foster and extend the cultivation
and appreciation of the Rose
and appreciation of the Rose
Floribunda
(FRYcentury)
‘Daybreaker’ is a perfectly named rose as it takes on the apricot and golden yellow aging to salmon pink and orange colours associated with the dawn sky as the sun emerges on the horizon.
Bred by renowned English Rose Breeder, Gareth Fryer, and introduced in 2004, ‘Daybreaker’ is a consistently excellent performer in spring, summer and autumn in our climate. The perfectly rounded spiral buds open into classic double blooms (26–40 petals) with a tea rose scent. This healthy plant always seems to be in flower and the attractive lush foliage is very disease tolerant. The bush grows to approximately 1.3m tall and 1m wide. ‘Daybreaker’ often has small clusters of 5 to 7 blooms per stem which is typical of a Floribunda rose.
In 2006, this rose received a Gold Medal from the National Rose Trial Garden of Australia. The first character you notice about Gold Medal winners is their hardiness and general pest and disease tolerance – throughout the whole growing season. Next, they are strong flowering roses, quick to repeat and the quality of blooms is consistent, spring, summer and autumn. Personally, I have grown ‘Daybreaker’ since it was released and it is still one of the top performers in my garden.
The plant makes a great display in the garden and the blooms keep well when picked for arrangements.
Available from Swane’s Nurseries, Wagner’s Rose Nursery, Newman’s Nursery and Treloar Roses.
TROPHY (Best in Trial) National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2006
TROPHY (Best Floribunda) National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2006
TROPHY (Best in Trial) Portland USA 2004
GOLD MEDAL National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2006
GOLD MEDAL Rose Hills USA 2002
ALL AMERICA SELECTION All-America Rose Selection Rose Trials 2002
Text: Kelvin Trimper
Mini Flora
‘Red Gem’ is a Mini Flora rose bred by the late Dr. Bruce Chapman in Victoria in 2009. Bruce Chapman, a retired Dentist, was a renowned Australian Rose Breeder who enhanced our reputation for rose breeding. Mini Flora roses have flowers and a plant size which sits between a miniature and a typical floribunda rose.
‘Red Gem’ features vibrant red roses with 26 – 40 petals produced in small clusters. The bush is neat and compact, reaching a height of approximately 40cm and is ideal for smaller gardens or as a container plant on the patio. It also has very healthy foliage with good disease resistance.
This beautiful mini flora rose repeat flowers throughout the season each year and has classically shaped red flowers which perform well in rose shows.
This variety does particularly well on its own roots and can be grown from cuttings taken in May. ‘Red Gem’ creates an attractive display in the garden or can be grown in a 30cm pot. This rose is highly regarded as one of the best Mini Flora roses available in Australia.
Ross Roses are the agent and retailer for this rose and have ‘Red Gem’ for sale all year around in pots. Bare-root roses are also available in the winter months.
Text: Tony Hanna
Shrub Rose
(MASwicri)
‘William Christie’ is a shrub rose producing perfectly overlapping petals to blend into a magnificent display of rose pink trusses. The rose was bred by Dominique Massad before 2000 from the French firm of Guillot Massad and is part of their Rosa Generosa collection.
William Christie grows to 1.6m tall x 1.4m wide and can be grown as a bush, vigorous massed shrub border, or as a small pillar rose.
The rose exudes a delicate citrus, myrrh fragrance.
William Christie’s medium pink blooms have more than fifty petals arranged in an old-fashioned rosette form. The colour fades as it ages. The blooms are very double and are usually produced in clusters. Individual blooms are 7.5 -10 centimetres in diameter. The rose provides a succession of flushes throughout the growing season.
The flowers and healthy, disease resistant, matte green foliage make for a great cut flower.
The rose is named after the American born conductor and harpsichordist William Christie (1944 - ) who moved to France in 1970, obtained French citizenship in 1995 and is renowned for his interpretations of French Baroque music.
William Christie is available from Knight’s Roses, Gawler, South Australia.
Text: Les Johnson
Floribunda
The Rose Breeders at Delbard in France were inspired by the great impressionist painters to create a unique style of rose. The impressionists used small brush strokes of pure colour generating a special effect when viewed from a certain distance.
‘Henri Matisse™’ was bred by Georges Delbard in France in 1993 and introduced in 1996. This rose is named in honour of Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954), a leading figure in modern art. The lovely rich red and white striped roses pay homage to the flair of the great painter. The novelty factor has proved to be popular and there are now 8 painters in the Delbard Rose Collection. Interestingly, none of the blooms are identical.
This rose is classified as a Floribunda (sometimes listed as a Grandiflora) producing clusters of 1 – 3 fully double, cupped roses on each stem. The large flowers, up to 10cm in diameter, feature swirling colours of raspberry, pink and white. The rose has a mild perfume with notes of rose and sweet berry fruit.
Henri Matisse ™ is a strong, sturdy bush with healthy foliage and good repeat flowering throughout the season, producing masses of blooms bursting with colour. It grows to approximately 1.0 metre tall.
A useful cut flower with a long vase life.
Available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery and Newman’s Nursery.
Text: Melanie Trimper
Hybrid Tea
(MEIclusif)
This rose was bred by Meilland International in France before 2005 and was introduced in Australia as ‘Forget-Me-Not’ by Corporate Roses in 2011. Also known as ‘Dee-lish’.
This highly recommended rose has cupped petals of mauve to warm mid pink, with an exquisite strong fruity rose fragrance guaranteed to raise the spirits and scent the garden. The continually produced blooms are borne singularly and in small clusters throughout the season on a healthy, robust bush to 1.5m with grey-green leathery foliage and new growth in a maroon colour. Blooms hold well when picked. This rose is easy to grow and ideally suited to gardens and pots alike.
Forget-Me-Not is a highly awarded rose around the world in Rose Trial Gardens and Rose Shows where it has been exhibited.
The name ‘Forget-Me-Not’ was chosen as part proceeds from the sale of this rose supported Alzheimer’s Australia SA Inc. for 3 years after its release.
AWARDS
Golden Rose of the City Hradec Kralove Czech Republic 2007
ADR Rose Germany, 2007
Most Fragrant Rose National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2008
Silver Medal National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2008
Grand Prix de la Rose in all categories, National Horticultural Society of France 2009
Forget-Me-Not is available from Newman’s Nursery, Wagner’s Roses, Treloar Roses and can be ordered through local garden centres.
Text: Sharyn Perrin
Shrub Rose
(Ausnyson)
‘Lady of Shalott’ is another internationally acclaimed English Shrub Rose bred by David C.H. Austin in the United Kingdom in 2009.
Prominent rich orange-red buds open into beautiful chalice-shaped blooms, filled with loosely arranged, orange petals. The surrounding outer petals are salmon-pink with contrasting golden-yellow undersides. There is a pleasant, Tea fragrance with hints of spiced apple and cloves. The flowers are produced in clusters and are very full (40+ petals), repeating in flushes throughout the season.
The vigorous plant quickly forms a large, healthy, bushy shrub with slightly arching stems featuring semi-glossy green leaves, which have attractive slightly bronzed colour when young.
It can be pruned as a bush, used as a moderate climber or trained as a small Pillar (bush approximately 1.4m tall or it can reach up to 2m trained as a pillar).
The name is taken from one of Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poems to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his birth. The late David Austin Senior loved poetry and, in fact, published several poetry books which he wrote.
Awards: BEST CLIMBER Hamilton Rose Trials NZ 2018
ARS All American Garden Rose Fragrance USA 2017
SNdHF Premier Prix Grand Prix de la Rose France 2015
RHS / RNRS Award of Garden Merit UK 2011
SILVER MEDAL Glasgow Rose Trials UK 2011
Available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery, Newman’s Nursery and Treloar Roses.
Text: Melanie Trimper
Hybrid Tea
Occasionally there are roses on the market which can be said are underrated and ‘Royal Dane’ is one of these. Named to honour the Danish Royal family, by the famous Danish rose hybridist Poulsen. It is also known in some countries as ‘Troika’.
Released in 1971, it was developed for Poulsen’s cut-flower division but found to be an excellent garden rose. Deane Ross imported it into Australia in the 1980’s and found it excelled in our hot sunshine, so adding another strong colour to the autumn coloured roses.
The large blooms are a pleasing mixture of copper and orange with red tinted outer petals which deepen in colour during the summer. Blooms are produced in profusion on good length stems set against thick dense foliage. The flowers are strongly fragrant.
‘Royal Dane’ is an ideal garden rose of a moderate height around 1.5m tall by 1m wide, which is a neat and tidy habit much preferred by gardeners. The health of the rose is excellent with glossy rich green foliage. ‘Royal Dane’ has proven to grow better in Australia than many other locations as it is best in a warmer situation. It simply loves our hot, dry conditions.
‘Royal Dane’ is available from Ross Roses in South Australia and Treloar Roses in Victoria.
Text: Maureen Ross
Hybrid Tea
(SOMnip)
‘Blackberry Nip’ was bred by Rob Somerfield in Tauranga, New Zealand, in 1996. This rose has been named after Blackberry Nip, a liqueur style wine some of you may remember.
Blackberry Nip has shapely, deep purple plum blooms with 35 – 40 petals and a strong alluring perfume, produced on long stems usually one to a stem. An ideal home gardener’s picking rose.
Spent flowers drop their petals and hips are rarely formed, reducing the need for dead-heading. This rose has distinctive silvery grey foliage and has good disease resistance. It has a nice compact and bushy growth habit of 0.8m–1.5m tall and 1m wide, making it suitable for garden beds, borders or to grow in a large container. The bush can be quite thorny, however the thorns can be easily removed with the thumb and forefinger. Blooms in flushes throughout spring, summer and autumn.
Blackberry Nip is available from Newman’s Nursery, Wagner’s Rose Nursery, Treloar Roses and Tesselaar.
AWARDS
Silver Star of the South Pacific Palmerston North Rose Trial NZ 1998
Certificate of Merit Palmerston North Rose Trial NZ 1998
Rose of the Year Auckland NZ 1999
Fragrance award winner Auckland NZ 1999
Text: Sharyn Perrin
(Lady Banks’ Rose)
Species
‘Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ is also known as ‘Lady Banks’ Rose’ and ‘Yellow Banksia Rose’ (native to central and western China). This rose is classified as a Species or ‘wild’ rose and has earned a great reputation as a tough, vigorous Climber or Rambler which displays a profusion of small pale yellow double flowers (2cm wide). ‘Lutea’ is the most popular and prolific flowering of the banksia roses and is promoted as one of the best roses for dry gardens.
The lightly scented blooms are produced in clusters on the almost thornless branches with attractive rich green foliage.
This large, early flowering, semi-evergreen rambler blooms in one single glorious flush each year in spring.
This rambler is an excellent choice to screen off a shed or cover a pergola, fence or other garden structure. It is a typical size Rambler, which can grow to 4.5m - 6m tall and 1.8m -2.5m wide.
This rose tolerates a little bit of shade, but is best grown in full sun to achieve healthy prolific flowering.
Pruning is carried out immediately after flowering has finished at the end of spring or early summer.
Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ was inducted into the World Federation of Rose Societies Old Rose Hall of Fame in 2018.
Available from Garden Express phone 1300 606 242 or website.
Text: Kelvin Trimper
Hybrid Tea
Let’s Celebrate is a Hybrid Tea rose with blooms of rich apricot pink colouring in the centre grading to a creamy salmon pink as the flower opens. It grows to 1.5 metres by 1 metre and is covered with glossy bright green foliage from the ground up. The rose has typical Hybrid Tea characteristics, with flowers usually borne singly with high pointed centres. It has pronounced fragrance, receiving the second highest score for fragrance in the 2006 National Rose Trial Garden of Australia results.
Let’s Celebrate, an Australian bred rose, was released in 2008 to commemorate The Rose Society of South Australia’s centenary year. Raised by Trevor Grant in 2004, Let’s Celebrate is highly pest and disease resistant along with being drought tolerant.
When regularly dead headed Let’s Celebrate will reward with a new flush of blooms. Bloom count averages around forty per bush. The rose has very few prickles.
This delightful Australian bred rose with its large double, soft pink blooms will reward the grower who finds a special place for it in their garden.
AWARDS
Bronze Medal - National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2006
Davis Trophy for Best Australian Bred Rose - National Rose Trial Garden of Aust.
Hamilton Gardens NZ Trophy for the best Hybrid Tea - National Rose Trial Garden of Aust.
Text: Les Johnson
Floribunda
(HARpageant)
This rose was bred by Harkness in the UK before 2006 and introduced onto the Australian market as ‘FireStar’ by Knight’s Roses in 2010. As with most rose names, there is a story to tell. The FireStar rose was created after the events of 7 February 2009, Black Saturday. In 2015 it was named the official rose of the CFS Foundation to raise funds for the work undertaken by the Country Fire Service Foundation in South Australia, to support CFS volunteers and their families financially in their time of need.
The beginning of the bushfire season makes us all aware of the danger of bushfires and the great job 13,500 SA CFS volunteers perform across our state 365 days a year.
The internationally awarded FireStar rose has unusual ruffled petals and a kaleidoscope of colours starting from scarlet buds opening to mandarin orange blooms, softening to raspberry pink with age. The bush has medium to large blooms, with a light fruity fragrance, produced in clusters of 3-5 blooms per stem (30 to 40 petals per bloom).
FireStar is a top performer with almost continuous flowering from spring to winter. The growth habit is bushy, 1.2m tall and 0.75m wide.
FireStar is well suited to our climatic conditions. It is a vigorous grower, very tough and has extraordinary disease resistance. A highly recommended rose for garden beds and borders.
Through the generosity of Knight’s Roses, the CFS Foundation will receive a $5.00 donation from the sale of every FireStar rose purchased online from Knight’s Roses.
Available as a bush, standard or patio standard.
This rose is available from Knights Roses, Newman’s Nursery and Rosesalesonline.
Awards:
SILVER and ‘Best in Trial’ National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2008
People’s Choice Award Rose Hills, California USA
All-America Rose Selection USA
Cert. of Merit Belfast Ireland
Text: Melanie Trimper
Old Garden Rose
‘Scabrosa’ is an Old Fashioned Garden Rose bred by Harkness in the UK in 1950. Classified as a Hybrid Rugosa Shrub, Scabrosa is famous for its large single blooms (4 - 8 petals) of magenta crimson tinged with violet purple colour that can grow over ten centimetres in width. The blooms have creamy yellow stamens and a light fragrance and are produced in small clusters. The flowers are followed by good quantities of eye-catching orange-red hips.
Scabrosa is a robust, spreading bush with luxuriant, healthy, leathery foliage typical of Rugosa roses. The foliage is ribbed or “rugose” and extremely tough. Most members of the ‘rugosa’ family are suitable for coastal regions where they can tolerate strong, coastal winds.
The bush has a medium, dense, well branched habit growing up to 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide with flushes of roses throughout the growing season.
Scabrosa, along with other Rugosa Shrub roses, is hardy, low maintenance and adaptable to almost all soils and weather conditions. This rose provides interest in the garden in spring, summer and into autumn.
This highly recommended rose is available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery, Newman’s Nursery and Treloar Roses.
Text: Kelvin Trimper
Photo: Courtesy of Wagner’s Rose Nursery
Daybreaker
Red Gem
William Christie
Henri Matisse
Forget Me Not
Lady of Shalott
Royal Dane
Blackberry Nip
Rosa Banksia Lutea
Let's Celebrate
Firestar
Scabrosa