American Garden Rose Selections announces 2022 winners

Photo courtesy of cacophony

To achieve the best scores in the American Garden Rose Selections (AGRS) testing program, roses must possess the characteristics consumers desire in a garden plant: beauty, fragrance, disease-resistance and ease of maintenance. The AGRS testing program recognizes roses that are easy to care for, disease-resistant, and suitable for different regions of the country. In addition, awards are given for fragrance to help guide consumers who desire roses for their scent. The program recently announced its 2022 winners.

About the program

All roses entered into the AGRS program are tested for two years and evaluated three times during the growing season. Testing sites are located in six different geographical regions, each containing two test gardens. The regional testing sites are found in Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.

Additional characteristics that are evaluated include: vigor, foliage proportion, plant habit, flowering effect, rebloom habit, bloom form, aging quality of blooms, fragrance, and hardiness. For a variety to be granted an award, the rose must demonstrate superior performance in at least three of the six regions entered.

For more: www.americangardenroseselections.com

Sources: American Garden Rose Selections, Prides Corner Farms, Weeks Roses, Spring Hill Nursery, Star Roses & Plants

Celestial Night

Celestial Night is a floribunda that boasts large, double ruffled, plum-purple blooms, which appear in spring and last through fall. It’s hardy in Zones 4-10 and grows 36-48 inches tall and spreads up to 36 inches.

Easy on the Eyes

Introduced by Weeks Roses and bred by Tom Carruth, Easy on the Eyes won the Regional Choice Award in five regions – North Central, Northwest, South Central, Southeast, Southwest. It also took home a Fragrance Award.

Flowers are medium pink with a magenta purple heart and cream reverse that fades to light lavender with deep smoky purple eye. This shrub rose produces clusters of 15-20 blooms that appear in late spring and last through fall. Flowers are 2-2½ inches diameter and semi-double. It features a citrus and spice fragrance. Hardy in Zones 4-10.

Pink Freedom

Introduced by Weeks Roses/Spring Hill Nursery and bred by Christian Bedard, Pink Freedom won the Regional Choice Award in four regions – Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast.

Depending on how it is pruned, Pink Freedom will easily adapt to borders, can create a focal point planting, or grow into a flowering hedge. It produces an abundance of 3½-inch blooms that open fully to exhibit an old-fashioned form and sunny yellow throats. Pink Freedom grows 4-6 feet tall and is hardy in Zones 4-10.

Pretty Polly Pink

Introduced by Star Roses and Plants and bred by David Zlesak, Pretty Polly Pink received a Regional Choice Award Winner in four regions - Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast.

This pink, Polyantha rose offers a compact, bushy habit and grows 2½ feet tall by 3 feet wide. It has a light, sweet fragrance and attracts butterflies. It’s hardy in Zones 4-10.