News from the gardening world
New test facility gets thumbs up from UK and world bodies
Independent testing of new rose varieties on English soil has been boosted by the endorsement of a new trials facility by International and National regulatory bodies.
The new site at Joseph Rochford Garden’s Birch Green nursery in Hertfordshire was founded in 2018 after trials facilities at the Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) closed after the historic charity went bankrupt in 2017.
The collapse robbed England of a major trials facility, which in conjunction with sites in Glasgow and Belfast, collectively formed the UK contribution to the World Federation of Rose Societies' test facilities in 41 member countries.
“We're very pleased that England is back evaluating roses under the World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS) rules and guidelines,” said WFRS president Henrianne de Briey. The Hertfordshire facility, gifted and financially supported by Paul Rochford, last president of the RNRS, has also been accepted as a trial station for the British Association of Rose Breeders (BARB)/Roses UK annual Rose of the Year competition. With up to 20 varieties tested over two years under different soil and climatic conditions it can take around six years before a Rose of the Year candidate can be launched as stocks of the variety need to be built up.
“We’re very pleased at how things have developed. We’ll have around 140 varieties being tested from next year, covering everything from floribunda, hybrid tea, patio, climbers and ramblers,” said trials manager Kerry Austen. “The first results will appear in 2021, when we also plan to open the facility with a public event, offering the opportunity for visitors to vote and providing growing advice. I’m also giving talks to gardening clubs to publicise what we are doing.”
For more details about the Rose of the Year visit www. rosesuk.com.