Recognizing regional roses

When the All-America Rose Selection trials were discontinued in 2014, the industry was faced without a national rose trial for the first time since the 1930s. But industry representatives rallied and developed the American Garden Rose Selections program, which debuted its first winning roses in 2016. The program, which operates 12 official trial locations across the country, recognizes roses that are easy-care, disease-resistant and suitable for different regions of the country. For more information on the program, visit AmericanGardenRoseSelections.com.

Fragrance Winner

Name: Munstead Wood

Breeder: David Austin

Description: Flowers feature 70-plus velvety deep-crimson petals with a strong old rose fragrance with a fruit note. The disease-resistant hybrid is a bushy, broad shrub, growing to 3½ feet tall, with emerging red foliage transitioning to mid-green. Hardy in Zones 5-9.

Fragrance Winner and Regional Winner in the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest

Name: Lady of Shalott

Breeder: David Austin

Description: The large double flowers with salmon-pink on the upper side and golden yellow reverse petals have a warm tea fragrance with hints of spiced apple and clove. This hybrid has a large bushy habit with slightly arching stems, and it grows to 4½ feet tall. The foliage is mid-green with bronze tones. Hardy in Zones 5-9.

Regional Winner in the Southeast and South Central and Heirloom Hybrid

Award Name: Faith Whittlesey

Breeder: Viru Viraraghavan

Description: This tea bears bright white, large, double, cupped flowers in small clusters or solitary. The lightly-scented flowers are very recurrent. Responding well to fertilizer and loamy garden soil, this thick plant can stand alone. It grows to 3 feet tall and is hardy in Zones 6-9.

Regional Winner in the Northeast, North Central, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest

Name: Icecap

Breeder: Meilland International and Will Radler

Description: This shrub rose produces pure-white, cup-like blooms in profusion. Each stem can have 20 blooms and is very recurrent. There’s no fragrance, but it does offer good resistance to blackspot, mildew and rust. Growing from 2½ to 3½ feet tall, it makes an excellent hedge or an addition to a combination planting. Hardy in Zones 5-9.

Regional Winner in the Northeast, Southeast and South Central

Name: Tahitian Treasure

Breeder: Will Radler

Description: Exhibiting excellent disease resistant, Tahitian Treasure is a deep salmon pink. The cup-like flowers have a slight fragrance and 18-20 petals on average. The semi-glossy foliage is dark green. With an upright habit, it grows to about 5 feet tall. It’s hardy in Zones 5-9.

Regional Winner in the Northeast, North Central, Northwest, Southeast, South Central and Southwest

Name: Peachy Keen

Breeder: Will Radler

Description: Clusters of five shell-pink blooms with a yellow center per stem cover this low-growing, mounding shrub. The blooms are cupped, appearing continually from spring to frost. There’s no fragrance but it offers excellent disease resistance. It grows 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide, and is hardy in Zones 5-9.