You don't have to be scientific about crosses to start with, George and Dawn Agnew say.
Don't snip that hip, grow it instead: the result could surprise you, they say.
Crossing two roses is easy, Bruce Paul says.
"It takes about two minutes. You select a bloom that's three-quarters open.
"Pull all the petals off and then pull all the stamens off with a pair of tweezers. Then put the pollen on that.
"Dip your finger in the pollen and gently rub in. For the next 24 hours, cover the bloom with a small paper bag and tag the stem with a note of the cross."
Leave the hip to ripen until about the end of May.
Cut the ripe hip open and leave in the fridge for three to six weeks, then sow seed in a deep container - but don't expect the same colour as either parent.
"You really don't know what you'll get. It's pot luck," Bruce says.
Asked what roses are good for breeding from, he says: "I use Elina as a seed parent quite often, as it's such a vigorous rose."
The Agnews like using Compassion, which usually has good, plump hips. However, they will try any combination in the hope of getting something interesting.
And if you do get something stunning, six plants of your new variety can be grafted on to rootstock and sent to the national trial grounds in Palmerston North to see whether it will meet the criteria for commercial release.
