Rose Lovers! American Rose Garden Selections 2022 Winners Here

By Jill Brooke

The annual American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) winners have been announced and here they are!  

For two long years in six different regions, roses are tested for vigor, foliage proportion, plant habit, flowering effect, rebloom habit, bloom form, aging quality of blooms, fragrance, and hardiness and must demonstrate superior performances. 

So if you are thinking of what roses to plant next year, consider Celestial Night, Pretty Polly Pink, Pink Freedom or Easy on the Eyes.

I want easy on the care.

 “The AGRS™ testing program recognizes roses that are easy to care for, disease-resistant, and suitable for different regions of the country,” says AGRS Chair, Pat Shanley. “In addition, awards are given for fragrance to help guide consumers who desire roses for their scent.”

The 2022 AGRS™ winners are:

Celestial Night™ – Introduced by Weeks Roses, bred by Christian Bedard.

Regional Choice Award Winner in 3 regions – South Central, Southeast, Southwest, and Fragrance Award Winner.

Easy on the Eyes™ – Introduced by Weeks Roses, bred by Tom Carruth.

Regional Choice Award in five regions – North Central, Northwest, South Central, Southeast, Southwest and Fragrance Award Winner.

Pink Freedom – Introduced by Weeks Roses/Spring Hill Nursery, bred by Christian Bedard.

Regional Choice Award in four regions – Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast.

Pretty Polly™ Pink – Introduced by Star Roses and Plants, bred by David Zlesak.

Regional Choice Award Winner in four regions – Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast.

You may want to get out a pad and write these down. Start calling local nurseries with your requests since these roses are not massively produced but do yield beautiful blooms for your gardens. For 2021, I bought Sweet Spirit which was a winner and it is blooming in the garden now. These are also wonderful gifts to send since it is a gift that keeps on giving.

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD and floral editor for aspire design and home magazine