ROSE HILLS INTERNATIONAL ROSE TRIALS
By Clair Martin
For the past three years the Rose Hills Company in Whittier has sponsored a rose trial and I am one of 15 local rosarians who serve on the permanent panel of judges. Each judge visits the Rose Hills Rose Garden four times during the rose season to evaluate rose entries from all over the world. Entries are judged in ten categories including: novelty, bud and flower form, color opening, color finishing and substance, vigor, habit, quantity of flowers, repeat bloom, foliage, and disease resistance. The only glaring omission from these categories is fragrance. Each judge does note fragrance on the notes and a ‘Most Fragrant’ rose is honored each year.
Dr. Tommy Cairns, President of the World Federation of Rose Societies and a former president of the American Rose Society, manages the trials. Cairns conceived and has organized this trial in the European style with a local permanent panel of judges accounting for 75% of the final vote and an International Panel whose votes account for the remaining 25%. An exciting aspect to this year's trial is the addition of three other Pacific rim rose gardens in Japan, New Zealand, and Australia who also hold trials in their regions, giving these trials a truly international flavor.
This year we examined 45 entries and presented five Gold Medals in the individual classes. The Gold Medal for best Hybrid Tea went to ‘Tahitian Sunset’ (JACgodde) hybridized by Keith Zary for Jackson & Perkins. The Gifu Prefecture (Japan) Governor’s Award for Most Fragrant Variety was awarded to ‘Maria Shriver’ (DORbandina), a white Floribunda produced by Dorieux in France.
The Gold Medal for Shrub went to ‘Paul Ecke Jr’ (WEKpascisou) developed by Tom Carruth for Weeks Roses. Tom is a former Huntington Plant Sale volunteer and has a number of awards for his hybridizing including several All-American Rose Selections (AARS) to his credit. ‘Paul Ecke Jr’ is named in honor of the man responsible for hybridizing the poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima, and making it the holiday flower.
The Golden Rose of Rose Hills this year went to ‘Preference’ (MEIbionel) a red Floribunda from France produced by Mouchotte and introduced by Meilland.
In all ten roses were recognized by the combined panel for their exceptional growth, flower production, and health growing under Southern California conditions.
Clair Martin, Ruth B. and E.L. Shannon Curator of the Rose and Perennial Gardens
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