Rose Reader 2022

TRAILBLAZERS Our Newest Pioneer Roses

Th e future of antique roses is just beginning to bloom! Th e Antique Rose Emporium’s breeding program aims to harness the best qualities of both old and modern roses, as well as some long-overlooked species roses in our e ff ort to improve the rose. Conventional breeding programs typically cross modern commercial shrubs with each other, which, from a genetic standpoint, stir the pot without adding any new ingredients. Making a better rose, however, requires a more diverse gene pool so that new crosses have the chance to di ff er greatly from previous introductions—a goal we meet by bring- ing previously unused species roses (many with rare, desirable traits) into breeding. Breeding with a new species presents its own challenges. Despite hundreds of years of rose breeding progress, many desirable traits of overlooked species are yet to be hybridized into repeat-blooming commercial forms. Some of these traits include autumn color, crepe myrtle-like peeling bark, fragrant foliage, and mossed or crested buds. Moreover, introducing a forgotten species into the gene pool may yield improvements in shade tolerance, heat and cold toler- ance, or disease resistance, especially to rose rosette—a scourge that is challenging the industry right now. Th e future of antique roses is a developing story, so stay tuned as we continue our quest to bring you your “perfect” rose.

2703 Always Hope® ‘Always Hope’ was named by an long-time ARE employee and cancer survivor. Th is daily mantra brought her comfort. Th is rose is certainly one of sub- stance as she blooms proli fi cally and bears a bounty of hips. Th is landscape showpiece is ideally suited for large containers or massed in the back of a border where a splash of color is needed. 4 X 4 feet Z5-11 R H 2711 Heavenly Ascent® Th is climbing rose deserves much favor. As a mannerly climber to 10 feet, ‘Heavenly Ascent®’ is perfect for a pillar or trellis where her very full, fragrant, cream colored fl owers will catch the eye (and noses) of passersby. Clusters of two and a half-inch blooms are borne o ft en through the growing season. 8 to 10 feet Z5-11 R Fr H

2708 Grandbaby®

Don’t put this baby in a corner, but rather in a colorful container or massed in a border planting. By marrying it with blue fl owering perennials, a stunning contrast could be cre- ated in your garden. It is unusual for a yellow fl owering rose to be fra- grant and bear clean fo- liage, but this one does. You will fi nd yourself smitten by this charm- ing rose. 2 x 2 feet Z5-11 R Fr Th is rose is unique and special. Yellow fl owers emerge only to age with pink and purple edges. It also has a fruity fra- grance with a hint of musk. Th ere are no lim- its to her use in the gar- den; a container show- piece, in a perennial border with yellow and purple bedding plants or simply by herself where she can shine! 3 to 4 feet Z5-11 R Fr 2726 Royal Sunrise®

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