This is the time to buy roses and a new publication can help gardeners choose, says Gillian Vine.
Roses are generally acknowledged as the world's most popular flowers, thanks to their versatility. Size varies from groundcovers to rampant climbers that could cover your house; colours encompass every hue but blue; many modern roses flower for months; and some have exquisite perfume.
For southern gardeners, in particular, the ease with which they can be grown is another point in roses' favour, but they do like to be sheltered from strong winds and need to be kept well fed.
Special rose fertilisers are available and a mulch of well-rotted manure in spring will give plants a boost.
Each winter, garden centres have long lists of varieties and species for sale.
Names like Golden Anniversary, Wedding Day, Birthday Present, My Mum and Remember Me ensure we buy roses to commemorate special times or people we love, while many well-known people (Maggie Barry, Graham Thomas, Abraham Darby) have had roses named after them.
A newer release is a strong orange floribunda that sometimes has yellow striping. Called Anna Leese, it recognises the New Zealand singer.
There are so many on offer it can be hard to choose but the starting point is usually colour and as well as pure tones, like the clear scarlet of, say, Trumpeter, roses can be a blend of two colours (Peace) or have striped petals (Rosa Mundi) or contrasting centres (Eyes for You).
Attributes like good health and whether a rose will make a good show specimen is where the New Zealand Rose Review comes into its own. The annual publication, the latest issue of which is just out, assesses newer roses, gives results from the plants grown in the New Zealand Rose Society's trial grounds, assessments by gardeners of roses they grow and top-10 lists of favourite roses.
''Rosarians from all over New Zealand have reported on 82 varieties, the most we've ever had reported on,'' says Hayden Foulds, editor of the New Zealand Rose Review 2014-15 (NZRR).
''It's an invaluable guide for anyone wanting to buy roses and also lists which nurseries are producing the varieties listed,'' he said.
Perfume is high on many wish lists, but when buying roses in winter it is impossible to know whether a name like Heaven Scent really means the flowers will have good perfume.
Actually, Heaven Scent does, scoring 7.4 in the NZRR's classification, although another hybrid tea, Memorial Day, is rated higher, hitting the rarely seen 8.5.
Other well-perfumed hybrid teas are Astrid Grafin Von Hardenberg (8), Pope John Paul II (7.5) and St Margaret's Gold (7.5). Lemon-yellow Jack Hume tops the climbers for perfume, with a rating of 8.5.
David Austin's English Roses continue to be popular. A newer Austin rose, deep orange Summer Song, was awarded 8 for perfume and the same breeder's dark red Lady of Megginch 7.5.
It will be interesting to see how soft orange Lady of Shalott, released in New Zealand this year, will compare.
Because rose performance varies according to the region in which they are grown, it is helpful to read comments from Otago rose fanciers.
Red Flame, a dusky red climber sounds like one to watch, as the comment from Otago was: ''Has good growth in its first season, very vigorous climber, huge fragrance and very healthy''.
Pamela Bartrum, a salmon pink floribunda bred by George and Dawn Agnew, of Mosgiel, attracted comments such as ''very showy, strong stems and large blooms'' and ''grows well and doesn't need too much attention''.
Incidentally, the name is in memory of a well-known New Zealand rose enthusiast and international judge.
Another southern breeder to be recognised was David Benny, of South Otago, whose soft pink Modern Miss, featured in the NZRR, was named hybrid tea of the year in November 2013.
These two successes underline the quality of rose breeding in the South.
Top rated
For the 27th successive year, the New Zealand Rose Review ranked Sam McGredy's Dublin Bay top large-flowered climber. Paddy Stephens was the top hybrid tea, with Hamilton Gardens in second place. These two roses, both bred by McGredy, were also highest ranked for health. Once again, Raspberry Ice was No 1 floribunda, a slot it has held since 1991, while Sally Holmes led the way in modern shrubs, followed by two David Austin roses, Graham Thomas and L. D. Braithwaite. Irresistible led the way in the miniature-patio roses group, with second-placed Kaikoura trailing by more than 100 votes. Margaret Merrill got the nod for perfume, while in a new category, heritage roses, Jean Ducher was first with Mme Alfred Carriere and Mutabilis second-equal.
Get it
New Zealand Rose Review 2014-15 costs $7.50 including postage and is available through the New Zealand Rose Society website (www.nzroses.org.nz) or from the New Zealand Rose Society secretary Mrs Heather Macdonell, PO Box 66, Bunnythorpe 4867, phone/fax (06) 329-2700 or email secretary@nzroses.org.nz
