In the Olympics of Roses, These 6 Rose Bushes Are Valentine’s Superstars

By Jill Brooke

Want to give a gift that keeps on giving? A gift where you can say or write, “Like the love I feel for you, this rose has been tested to weather all conditions and still bloom beautifully year after year.”

Well, then you must give your loved one any of these roses that won the 2021 American Garden Rose Selections™ Regional Choice Awards- which is like winning a gold medal at the Olympics.

It’s just not a pretty face that gets one of these coveted awards. It has to have endurance and withstand multiple years of intense scrutiny and evaluation to become one of these winners.

Not only that, but these AGRS™ winners must show superior performance in three of six different geographical regions, each containing two test gardens, and excel at vigor, foliage, bloom form, proportion, reblooming, fragrance and hardiness.

Okay, so you are wondering why doesn’t your local nursery have one of these beauties? Why haven’t I heard of this?

“These are specialty roses,” explains Chris VanCleave, who is the host of Rose Chat podcast and Marketing Director for AGRS™,  “The big stores buy from breeders who sometimes have 250,000 of one rose. These roses are often bred in smaller quantities so are not distributed in a mass scale.”

“That doesn’t mean they aren’t easily available,” adds Pat Shanley, Chairman, American Garden Rose Selections™, (AGRS)™as well as Immediate Past President of the American Rose Society and the current President of Manhattan Rose Society. “A little effort is all it takes.”

A great source, says these rose experts, is  HelpMeFind.com/Roses

So, get out a pad and write these beauties down and get some of these rose bushes as gifts. Here are the 2021 AGRS™ Regional Choice Award winners and be sure to choose ones that apply to your region.

6 SPECTACULAR ROSE BUSHES TO BUY

1)  Sweet Spirit™

Regional Choice Award Winner in all regions and Fragrance Award Winner. Bred by Meilland®. Introduced by Star Roses & Plants.

Of all the winners, Sweet Spirit is truly noteworthy because it is so adaptive. Can you imagine any of your plants doing well in all weather conditions? This perky pink treasure bloomed in all climates which rarely happens and did this year.

(Peachy Knock Out, created by the great Will Radner, also won in all 6 regions another year. If you want peach, this could be a good selection too)

Sweet Spirit is also aptly named because it has a sweet scent and just is very pretty.

2)  Brick House™

-Regional Choice Award Winner in the Northwest, Northeast, and South Central Regions. Bred by Meilland®. Introduced by Star Roses & Plants.

3)  Easy to Please™

– Regional Choice Award Winner in the Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast Regions. Bred by Christian Bédard. Introduced by Weeks Roses.

4)  Top Gun™

– Regional Choice Award Winner in the North Central, Southeast, and Southwest Regions. Bred by Tom Carruth. Introduced by Weeks Roses.

5)  Tropica

Regional Choice Award Winner in the Northwest, North Central, Southwest, and South Central Regions. Bred by Ping Lim. Introduced by True Bloom™ Roses.

6)  Brindabella Purple Prince™

Regional Choice Award Winner in the Northeast, South Central, and Southwest Regions, and Fragrance Award Winner. Bred by Sylvia E. and John C. Gray. Introduced by Suntory Flowers in partnership with Dig Plant Company.

These are also fabulous gifts for a friend, a work colleague, a relative or anyone you love.

And when thinking about roses, know the following vocabulary. You can buy Hybrid Teas, Grandiflora, Floribunda, Climbers, Shrubs or Old Garden Roses also known as Antique Roses.

You may also want to consider what color rose you choose for your perfect gift. In the language of flowers, red is passionate love, pink is admiration and sweetness,  yellow is friendship, peach is the color to express gratitude, white is for purity, charm and elegance, lavender is for someone fascinating, and mixed colored roses are sent for someone who is just good fun.

As we say at flowerpowerdaily, a little effort goes a long way and no act of love is ever wasted.

To learn more about the American Garden Rose Selections™, visit http://www.americangardenroseselections.com