News from the gardening world
New facility will assess varieties from professional and amateur breeders
Anewly-created trials facility in Hertfordshire has started evaluating rose varieties destined for sale to the public. It's hoped the initiative will help refresh interest in the introduction of new roses after the demise of the Royal National Rose Society (RNRS), who previously had the role. The independent venture is being privately funded by nurseryman Paul Rochford, last president of St Albans-based RNRS before its financial collapse in May 2017.
Rubbing shoulders
Currently in their first year, the free-to-use trials on an acre field at Rochford’s Birch Green Nursery have already attracted 68 varieties from breeders in Japan, France, Belgium, Germany and the UK, with amateur and small-scale breeders rubbing shoulders with big names, such as Harkness and Fryer's Roses. Amateur and home breeders short on space will be able to grow on their prospective plants at the site, comparing them with those from professional companies. Kerry Austen, previously head gardener at the RNRS is managing and developing the trial.
The judging criteria being adopted is in keeping with that used by the World Federation of Rose Societies, maintaining parity of approach with existing rose trials in Glasgow and Northern Ireland. Factors such as health, vigour, fragrance, length of flowering and even how flowers die will be judged, with varieties vying for the ultimate gold medal, with individual awards also given for various qualities such as fragrance. Varieties are judged in year two and three, with plants only receiving fertiliser when planted and a regular foliar feed. No pesticides or fungicides are used. It's also hoped to institute the internationally-recognised Gold Standard award from Roses UK, the marketing arm of the British Association of Rose Breeders (BARB). The trial has been warmly welcomed by bodies such as The Rose Society UK.
“Roses have made fantastic progress in the last few years, but nobody talks about what’s going on or is able to see how new roses are produced. This is a fantastic start and it’s what the public wants to know about,” said award-winning rose breeder Chris Warner.
Besides being judged professionally, there will also be a people’s choice award and a children’s choice. The planned opening date of 2021 may be brought forward a year to 2020 if all goes well.
Nurture next generation
Education is also an important part of the operation, with local charities and schools involved, with visits as part of the curriculum. Adjacent to the trials, running along a public right of way, borders containing rose species showing where they come from and named plant varieties from the nursery's range, will be interplanted between a shelter-belt of fruit tree varieties.
“Schools don’t know what happens in a horticultural environment and it’s up to the industry to get their message across and nurture the next generation,” said Paul Rochford.