This is rose month in most places around the country, and if you haven't already gotten the news, here are the winners of this year's All America Rose Selections. 
Dream Come True
This rose is a medium-tall grandiflora, upright and bushy, with matte green leaves and abundant blooms of a distinct color -- yellow tinged with ruby red. I'm not sure I like the color, but it is said to have excellent disease resistance and a mild tea fragrance. Hardy to zone 5, and to zone 4 with winter protection, so it would be a good choice for northern climates. The flowers are large, up to 5 inches in diameter, with a full-ish petal count of about 40. Hybridized by Dr. John Pottschmidt for Weeks Roses.
Mardi Gras
This floribunda also has yellow-ish blooms, but these are tinged with pink. It reaches a height of about four feet, and it's an upright grower than can be planted as a hedge. The leaves are glossy dark green, hardy to zone 5. The flowers, about four inches in diameter, have a moderate peppery scent with a petal count of about 20. Hybridized by Keith Zary of Jackson & Perkins. The parentage is an un-named seedling crossed with Rosa 'Singin' in the Rain.'
You never quite know with new roses if they are actually going to perform as billed, so if you decide to give these a try, let us know how they do in your area.
(images: top: © Gene Sasse, Weeks Roses; bottom: Jackson & Perkins courtesy AAS)
gorgeous...been wanting a multicolored grandiflora - may have to try out that top one :)
~plantgirl of
http://squarefootgardenblog.com
Posted by: plantgirl | June 06, 2008 at 12:56 AM
I love Dream Come True.
Posted by: Daphne Gould | June 05, 2008 at 07:32 PM
Both of these roses are beauties!
Posted by: Nancy Bond | June 05, 2008 at 02:03 PM