Rose Society of South Australia
To encourage, improve, foster and extend the cultivation
and appreciation of the Rose
and appreciation of the Rose
Shrub Rose
(RADrazz)
Modern shrub roses are typically hardy, healthy and attractive with great repeat flowering or continuous flowering in a wide variety of colours. The multi-award winning ‘Knock Out’ set a new standard in disease resistance with very little maintenance required and was recognised as a breakthrough landscape rose worldwide when it was released 20 years ago. Knock Out is extremely hardy, Black Spot resistant, drought tolerant and self-cleaning. Record-breaking sales have earned it the reputation as the world’s number one Rose Brand, which is out-selling other roses by far.
Knock Out now offers a complete range of Knock Out varieties (a total of 11 varieties in all). The collection in Australia now includes Knock Out, Double Knock Out, Pink Knock Out, Pink Double Knock Out, Blushing Knock Out and most recently a fragrant Sunny Knock Out released in 2020, (and more to follow). In the USA, the 11th variety is another innovation, named ‘Petite Knock Out’ the first miniature in the series released last year. Website: https://www.knockoutroses.com
The original ‘Knock Out’ was bred by amateur rose breeder Will Radler in the USA in 1989 and was introduced in 2000. It is a cherry-red, hardy shrub rose with abundant and continuous flowering and deep green foliage. The bush reaches 1.2m x 1.2m. The Knock Out roses have bushy growth, disease resistant foliage, large flowers, beautiful buds and bloom constantly in our region, creating a brilliant garden display.
Knock Out is available from Knight’s Roses and Wagner’s Rose Nursery in South Australia and Roses and Friends in NSW. Also, through garden centres across SA (Lewis Horticulture & Adelaide Plant Growers supply commercially to all sectors).
AWARDS:
Gold Medal National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2005
All America Rose Selection Winner American Rose Society USA, 2000
Hall of Fame World Federation of Rose Societies, 2018
Text: Kelvin Trimper
Aka AUSTRALIAN CENTENARY OF FEDERATION
KORvegata
Hybrid Tea
‘Rebell’ was bred by W. Kordes & Sons, in Germany, in 1996 and was introduced in 2006. Rebell was also released in Australia as ‘Australian Centenary of Federation’ to celebrate the Federation of Australia when the six colonies formed the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Brilliant scarlet red roses often conjure up feelings of love, passion and emotion. The bright red colour was not found among wild Species Roses but red was a later development, which resulted from breeding (cross-pollination). In particular, ‘Slater’s Crimson China’ (1790) played a significant role.
Rebell is an award-winning rose which combines many desirable qualities of red roses in one rose; non-fading vibrant colour, good repeat flowering, large blooms, long straight stems for picking, some fragrance and healthy foliage.
The high centred, cherry red blooms are perfectly shaped and 12cm in diameter. The blooms are large and full with about 20 - 40 petals creating a beautiful display.
This excellent, hardy, upright bush grows 1m to 1.6m tall and is known for its prolific repeat flowering throughout the growing season. The attractive dark green foliage is disease tolerant and extremely tough and heat resistant, making it an ideal rose for our climate.
Rebell is a fitting choice for the 14th February. The rose has been a symbol of love and beauty since Roman times, as well as a symbol of passion and true love for many other cultures through the ages.
Available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery in S.A. and Treloar Roses in Victoria.
Awards:
Trophy: Best Hybrid Tea Rose in Trial, National Rose Trial Garden of Aust. Adelaide 2001
Silver Medal, National Rose Trial Garden of Australia, Adelaide 2001
Text: Paul Flavel
(DELcrouf)
Miniature
Bordure Nacree was bred by Delbard in France in 1973. As the name suggests, it is a border rose and one of Delbard’s “Bordure” series which also has Bordure Blanche, Bordure Camaieu, Bordure Magenta and Bordure Viva.
Although classified as a Miniature, Bordure Nacree grows more like a Miniflora or small Floribunda rose to a height of 60cm and width of 60cm.
The flowers have a slight fragrance and feature a soft salmon peach colour fading to a pleasant pearl colour (hence the name ‘Nacree’). It blooms in large clusters which can contain up to 20 flowers 2 to 3 cm in size.
The bush has glossy, dark green foliage with good disease resistance. The bush retains good compact shape and as such can be grown as a border or low hedge.
Although, best pruned in the traditional way, it can be trimmed and pruned with hedge shears if planted in a mass.
Bordure Nacree is available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery.
Text: Merv Trimper
Floribunda
(Tan 04603)
This internationally awarded rose was named ‘Always Remember’ by the Leukaemia Foundation and Knight’s Roses in 2016 and was released as a fundraiser to support the work of the Leukaemia Foundation. This prolific, constantly flowering Floribunda rose is easy to grow and a very reliable performer throughout the entire growing season.
Bred by Hans Jürgen Evers at Rosen Tantau in Germany in 2004 and released in 2010 in Europe as Hansestadt Rostock®, this rose became the second largest selling Tantau rose in the world.
The large, well-shaped flowers are rich golden yellow to apricot with a soft fragrance produced in clusters on sturdy stems. The bush grows to approximately 1m x 1m with very healthy, glossy foliage and excellent disease resistance.
Always Remember is ideal for a variety of uses, including mass planting to make a colourful display or create a border, hedge or it can be grown in a large pot.
The flowers last very well when picked and make a lovely arrangement in a vase.
Always Remember can be purchased online from Knight’s Roses, Gawler, www.knightsroses.com.au or ph. (08) 8523 1311 and Newman’s Nursery at Tea Tree Gully.
AWARDS: GOLD MEDAL (Floribunda) BADEN BADEN, Germany 2011
GOLDEN ROSE OF THE YEAR, BADEN BADEN, Germany 2011
GOLD MEDAL, MONZA, Italy 2011
GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, France 2011
GOLDEN ROSE OF ORLEANS, FRANCE 2012
SILVER MEDAL, TOKYO, Japan 2013
Text: Melanie Trimper
Hybrid Tea
Dainty Bess was bred by William Archer in the UK in 1925. He crossed Ophelia and Kitchener of Khartoum to create this beautiful single rose (5 – 8 petals). Mr. Archer named the rose for his wife, Elizabeth.
Dainty Bess has large, elegant single blooms of soft rose pink with prominent maroon stamens. The blooms are produced in small clusters and have a moderate tea fragrance.
Dainty Bess has vigorous, upright growth with deep green leathery foliage. Height 1.2m to 1.5m tall and 0.6m to 1.2m wide. It responds well to a light pruning and will repeat flower well.
There is also a climbing sport of Dainty Bess (introduced in 1935). This tends not to be so floriferous.
Available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery, South Australia.
Awards:
Royal National Rose Society, (RNRS) UK, Show and Trials – 1930, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937 and 1953.
Text: Deb Curtis
Photo: Sandra Turner
Floribunda
(Meimozahiq / Mosaik)
Origami was bred by Meilland International in France in 2009.
Origami is a very unusual looking rose with angular blooms similar to Origami, the 17th century Japanese art of paper folding. Said to be the first of its kind in the world and called “The Star Rose”.
The blooms are cream, margined with red, are large, full with 41 petals, and an abundance of flowers. The petals have intricate pleats and folds.
The rose has a mild rose perfume, a long life as a cut flower and well worth a position in the garden especially if looking for something that is a little different.
Origami is highly disease tolerant with mid-green foliage and grows to a height of around 1.5m.
This rose is suitable for planting singly, in a pot or even as a hedge.
Available from Treloar Roses.
Awards: Gold Medal, National Rose Trial Garden of Australia, Adelaide 2010
Rose Hills Trophy for Best Floribunda in Trial, National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 2010
Silver Medal, Tokyo Japan 2010
Trophy, Saint Feliu de Llobregat “Pere Dot” prize Barcelona Spain 2011
Text: Sharyn Perrin
Miniature
(BENjets)
‘Magic Show’ was bred by Frank Benardella in the USA, before 2004, and was introduced in 2010. This award-winning miniature rose was bred from one of Frank’s favourite parent plants ‘Perfection’ to create a very striking, bi-colour miniature rose.
The late Mr. Frank Benardella (1932-2010) was a prolific breeder of miniature roses, making the transition from exhibitor to rose breeding in the 1980s. His meticulous breeding resulted in 20 of his roses receiving the Award of Excellence in the USA and many were internationally successful.
‘Magic Show’ has become popular in Australia, and follows on from Black Jade, Figurine, Radiant, Picotee, Jennifer, Old Glory and Baby Boomer.
The colour and shape of the petals are one of the most appealing features of ‘Magic Show’. The petals are white with a red edge and a white reverse. The high-centred blooms are about 50mm in diameter, fully double with 17-25 petals, usually singly. It has regular flushes throughout the growing season.
The upright bush grows 45cm to 75cm and is covered in healthy medium green foliage that is disease tolerant making it easy to grow. Its compact size fits into most gardens and is suitable for containers. This is an ideal cut flower for arrangements and a top-rated exhibition rose which has won many prizes in rose shows.
Available from Treloar Roses in Victoria.
AWARDS: Gold Medal, Rose Hills International Rose Trials USA 2010
Award of Excellence, ARS National All-Miniature Rose Show USA 2010
Text: Paul Flavel
(DELstror)
Floribunda
Grimaldi was bred by Delbard in France in 1990. It is part of Delbard’s “Painters’ Series” of striped roses (others in this series are Henri Matisse, Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley, Edgar Degas, Maurice Utrillo and Camille Pissarro).
Grimaldi is a typical floribunda rose, growing to 1.2m in height. It has double flowers borne in small clusters. The flowers which are large, have a salmon colour with light pink stripes. They have a mild fragrance of lemon and rose. The flowering repeats well throughout the season.
The bush has medium dark green foliage with good disease resistance. It has good shape and Grimaldi gives great impact if planted in a group of three.
Not everyone likes striped roses, but over recent years more have been released and the colour combinations can be striking. Something different from just another pink rose.
If you want a bright striped rose for your garden, Grimaldi is definitely recommended.
Grimaldi is available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery
Awards: People’s Choice Award, Monza Rose Trials 1998
Text: Merv Trimper
Climbing Shrub
Guy Savoy is a hardy, moderately vigorous, climbing shrub rose bred by Delbard in France and introduced in 2002. It was named as a tribute to the famous French chef, Guy Savoy.
Climbing roses should be featured more in our gardens. They can be relatively easy to train to screen off fences, sheds or walls and can assist in providing privacy from neighbours. Modern climbing roses can provide colour for up to 9 months in a year.
Guy Savoy thrives in our hot, dry climate and is relatively disease resistant. It has large, semi-double cerise blooms with white and red splashes of colour and a subtle orange, peach and vanilla fruity fragrance. It flowers both singly and in clusters with up to 6 blooms per cluster. It reaches a moderate size, 3m x 3m, and is clothed in thick, healthy foliage and has exceptionally good repeat flowering throughout the season.
This is an excellent rose which will provide years of pleasure.
Available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery and Newman’s Nursery.
Text: Kelvin Trimper
Shrub Rose
(AUSmum)
This rose was bred by David C. H. Austin (1926 -2018) and was introduced in the UK in 1995 and in Australia in 1999 as ‘Pat Austin’. It was named after David Austin’s wife, who was an accomplished sculptor.
David Austin’s collection of over 240 English Shrub Roses captured the imagination of rose lovers worldwide with many rightfully taking their place among the world's most popular roses. He created ‘Pat Austin’ from a crossing of Graham Thomas and Abraham Darby, both of these also bred by him. It was regarded as an entirely new colour breakthrough in English shrub roses, introducing an orange colour to the range for the first time.
Pat Austin has deeply cupped, bright copper blooms with a brassy-yellow reverse and long pointed buds. The flowers are medium to large (41+ petals) with a moderate Tea rose fragrance, produced either solitary or in small clusters.
The softly arching, hardy bush is well branched growing to 1.2m tall x 1m wide with good repeat flowering in flushes throughout the season.
For more than 20 years, Pat Austin has been a great performer with its heat tolerance and prolific flowering. Recommended for garden beds or containers and it looks very attractive as a 90cm standard.
Available from Newman’s Nursery, Wagner’s Rose Nursery, Treloar Roses, Swane’s Nurseries and Rose Sales Online
AWARDS:
Certificate of Merit – National Rose Trial Garden of Australia Adelaide 1998
Royal Horticultural Society / Royal National Rose Society UK 2001
Text: Deb Curtis
Grandiflora
(WEKosupalz)
About Face™ was bred by Tom Carruth (Weeks Roses) in the USA in 2003 and was introduced in Australia in 2007. It was named About Face because of its distinctive two-tone appearance, having orange petals with a darker reverse. It is registered as a Grandiflora, meaning usually a tall bush, derived from crosses of Floribunda and Hybrid Tea roses and characterised by blooms both singly on long stems and also in small clusters on the same plant.
About Face™ is unusual among bi-coloured roses, as it features golden-orange upper and darker bronze orange-red on the reverse of the petals (26-30 petals), eventually fading to subtle pink and yellow. Blooms are medium to large, approx. 10-12cm in diameter, with a fruity apple fragrance.
Upright, well-branched and vigorous, this rose grows to approximately 1.8m tall with clean, semi-glossy foliage and good disease tolerance. But, watch out, it is thorny.
The bush has loads of blooms all season long. The large flowers, unique colour, fragrance and long straight stems make this rose ideal as a cut flower and also an eye-catching feature plant in the garden.
Available from Wagner’s Rose Nursery.
AWARDS:
All-America Rose Selections winner (ARS) 2005
Text: Melanie Trimper
(MASversi)
Modern Shrub
Versigny was bred by Dominique Massad in 1992 and introduced in France by Roseraie Guillot in 1998. It was created by the cross-pollination (or hybridising) of the two parent plants Graham Thomas x Davidoff.
This fragrant rose came about as a tribute to all those who love flowers and gardens who come together from all over France and gather at Chateau de Versigny, near Paris, in October every year.
Introduced as part of the ‘Generosa Collection’, Versigny is a soft salmon pink apricot blend with an orange centre and its fragrance shows fruity notes of anise, apricot, peach, citrus and vanilla.
Versigny produces very full clusters of flowers which are cupped and ruffled with 26 – 40 petals. The bush grows to a height of 1.2m and width of 0.7m and blooms in flushes throughout the season. This healthy shrub rose has very good disease tolerance and thrives in our climate.
A worthy addition to any garden, putting on a good show especially when planted en masse.
Versigny is available from Knight’s Roses, Wagner’s Rose Nursery and Newman’s Nursery in South Australia.
Text: Sharyn Perrin
Knock Out
Rebell
Bordure Nacree
Always Remember
Dainty Bess
Origami
Magic Show
Grimaldi
Guy Savoy
Pat Austin
About Face
Versigny