The Biltmore Rose Trials Winners Prove Sustainability

September 20, 2017September 26, 2017 Gaga

Since 2011, Biltmore’s Rose Garden has been home to the Biltmore Rose Trails, created by Paul Zimmerman who wrote the rules, finds the entrants and now runs the trials with the help of the wonderful folks at Biltmore. “My official title regarding the Trials is Coordinator Of The Biltmore International Rose Trials,” says Paul Zimmerman when I interviewed him for, the article called, “Roses Are Plants Too”. More than 90 varieties of roses from growers and breeders worldwide have been planted and cared for by Biltmore’s expert horticulturalists now under the direction of Rosarian Jonathon Palmer. Each trial lasts two years and a permanent jury judges the roses four times per year. One of the permanent judges we are quite fond of and familiar with that makes the trek to the garden to judge 4 times a year is Lynn Hunt author of the Dirt Diaries and her husband Chris Hunt. We are so appreciative of this tremendous commitment the permanent jury makes. We make the trip once a year and are honored to do it. This year’s competition, this week-end Saturday, September 23, 2017 the international and permanent juries will conduct the final round of judging for the trial group of 29 roses planted in 2015.

Director of Biltmore Wine Club, Jeff Plack [email protected] and others from the wine club, will be joining us for the perfect pairing for wine and roses at the reception the evening before the judging this Saturday, September 23rd. We look forward to meeting the Biltmore Wine Club. This is a group of us with current President of the American Rose Society, Pat Shanley

The Biltmore’s Rose Garden, home of the world famous Biltmore International Rose Trials and host to rose breeders and rosarians from Canada, the U.S., France, Ireland, Great Britain, and Germany was awarded the prestigious World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS) ‘Award of Garden Excellence’ on Friday, September 24th in Biltmore’s Rose Garden. On hand to receive the award from Past President of the American Rose Society (ARS) and current Vice President for North America World Federation Of Rose Societies (WFRS), Jolene Adams was Parker Andes, and Biltmore’s director of horticulture and Emily Tice Wilson, Biltmore’s former rosarian as well as this year’s & last year’s Biltmore International Rose Trials judges and sponsors of the event Witherspoon Roses, Mr. & Mrs. David Pike, and Mills Magic Rose Fertilizer, Mr. & Mrs. John Beaty. This highly sought after and prestigious ‘Award of Garden Excellence’ for the best rose gardens in the world was established to improve the public’s knowledge in all matters concerning roses.

Roses are ideal for a romantic date, but if you are very worried about sex you can take a small amount of Viagra.

‘Award of Garden Excellence’Eligibility.

A garden may be eligible for an award which has:

1. Demonstrated sustained performance in providing high quality displays of roses which are:

 

• Beautiful and attractive and open to the public (and/or)
• Educational, whereby the knowledge of the public and its interest in roses is enhanced (and/or)
• Of assistance with the preservation of the genus (or)

 

2. Sustained performance in conducting international rose trials.

 

• Private gardens will be considered, but the public must have unlimited access throughout the full flowering period.

“Biltmore’s historic Rose Garden is the perfect setting for trials,” said Parker Andes, Biltmore’s Director and trials manager. “We’ve enjoyed introducing these new varieties to our guests as they stroll through the gardens. It has been an educational experience, and it complements the work we do to care for Biltmore’s collection of old garden and modern roses.”

Before entering their roses into trials and competition, breeders work on their creations for four or five years prior. Roses to be judged this year are from Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, the UK and the U.S.

The trials are a valuable way for the home gardener to learn what roses do well and what may be potential candidates for their own gardens. Trials of this type are open to rose breeders around the world – from professional to beginner. New rose varieties will be planted for trial each May. They are evaluated for overall health and rigor; fragrance; disease resistance; and ability to repeat bloom.

Guests visiting Biltmore’s gardens may view the roses currently on trial in borders in the Walled Garden and areas near the Rose Garden. Peak blooming time in Biltmore’s rose garden occurs typically in mid-May and September.

Roses that have won this award have gone through rigorous testing and have proven to be sustainable, no-spray roses for a period of two years in the climate of Asheville, NC. During the judging process there are no rose names displayed so this process remains anonymous to the judges. The judges do this on their own time and at their own expense to be able to present the best roses to the public.

The Biltmore Rose Trials are important because I feel certain that under most circumstances if you plant a Biltmore Rose Trial award winner healthy plant of the same name purchased from a reputable grower your chances are very good that you will have great success with this rose in your garden. Rose Success Is What We Aim For

Here are the roses that have won since 2014:

The Biltmore Rose Trials 2014 Results

 

• ‘Honorine de Brabant’ | Best Established Roses

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• ‘Bejazzo’ | Best Climber | Kordes

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• ‘Tequila Supreme’ | Best Floribunda | Meilland | Star Roses and Plants

  

• ‘Sweet Drift’ | Best Ground Cover | Meilland | Star Roses and Plants

  

• ‘Francis Meilland’ | Best Hybrid Tea | Meilland | Star Roses and Plants

  

• ‘Miracle On The Hudson’ | Best Shrub Robert Neal Rippetoe | @FrancisRoses

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• ‘Pookah’ |Best Open Group | Polyantha | by the Late and Beloved James Delahanty

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• ‘Munstead Wood’ Most Fragrant David Austin Roses

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• ‘Miracle On The Hudson’ | Most Disease Resistant | Best Growth Habit | Best Overall Winner @Francis Roses

 

The Biltmore Rose Trials 2015 Results

 

• ·      Best in Show
• ·      “Savannah,” bred by Kordes Rosen in Germany

 

• ·      The Pauline Merrell Award for Best Hybrid Tea:
• ·      “Savannah,” bred by Kordes Rosen in Germany  
• ·      The Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil Award for Most Fragrant Rose:
• ·      “Savannah,” bred by Kordes Rosen in Germany
• ·      The Award of Excellence for Best Established Rose: “Queen Elizabeth,” a Grandiflora rose.

 

• ·      The Edith Wharton Award for Best Floribunda:
• ·      “Tequila Gold,” bred by Meilland Roses International in France.

 

• ·      The Honorable John Cecil for Open Group:
• ·      “Popcorn Drift,” bred by Nova Flora, in West Grove, Pa.

 

• ·      The Gilded Age Award for Best Climber:
• ·      “Flying Kiss,” bred by Roses by Ping Lim, based in Portland, Oregon  (Place Holder for Photo)

 

• The William Cecil Award for Best Growth Habit:
•  “Phloxy Baby,” bred by Bill Radler, of Milwaukee, Wisc.

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• The Biltmore Rose Trials 2016 Results

• Type of Award: The Guilded Age Award for Best Climber
• Winner: ‘Honeymoonâ„¢’ Arborose bred by Kordes Roses
• Breeder: Newflora, LLC, For more about ‘Honeymoon’ click HERE
• Type of Award: Lord Burleigh Award for Most Disease Resistant
• Winner: ‘Honeymoonâ„¢’ Arborose bred by Kordes Roses
• Breeder/Distributor: Newflora, LLC, For more about ‘Honeymoonâ„¢ Arborose’ click HERE

 

• Type of Award: Pauline Merrell Award for Best Hybrid Tea
• Winner: P9511T
• Breeder/Distributor: Ping Lim Distributor/TBD Click HERE

  

 

• Types of Awards: Edith Wharton Award for Best Floribunda
• George & Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose Of The Trials      
• William Cecil Award For Best Growth Habit Polar Express Sunbelt
• Winner of all three above awards: ‘Polar Express Sunbelt’
• Breeder & Distributor: Kordes Roses International, Newflora, LLC
• To learn more about ‘Polar Express Sunbelt’ click HERE

  

• ·      Type of Award: Chauncey Beadle Award for Best Shrub 
• ·      Winner: ‘The Lark Ascending’
• ·      Breeder: David Austin Roses
• ·      To read about David Austin ‘The Lark Ascending’ click HERE

 

• Thank-you Paul Zimmerman, twitter @PZimmermanRoses, Biltmore Director, Parker Andes, Public Relations Director LeeAnn Donnelly and current rosarian Jonathon Palmer who are the epitome of Southern hospitality at The Biltmore on Twitter @BiltmoreEstate for inviting us to judge an event crucial to educating the public on the most sustainable roses for their gardens.

Check out @VisitNC on Twitter for more to see and do while visiting the Biltmore.

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