All-America Rose Selections

All-America Rose Selections All-America Rose Selections was a North American trialing program and award body that evaluated new roses from commercial nurseries and hybridizers across the United States. Established in 1938, it functioned as a cooperative of gardeners, horticultural societies, and public gardens to endorse superior roses until its operations ceased in 2013. Its awards influenced nursery trade, landscape design, and public plantings in cities such as New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

History

The organization was founded in the late 1930s amid efforts by figures linked to American Rose Society, Conard Pyle Company, and regional trial gardens in states like California, Texas, and Ohio. Early leaders included prominent horticulturists associated with institutions such as United States Department of Agriculture, New York Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden, and universities like Iowa State University, Pennsylvania State University, and Cornell University. During the mid-20th century, the program paralleled developments at international bodies including Royal National Rose Society, Society of Horticultural Science, and trial systems in France and United Kingdom. Postwar expansion saw collaborations with municipal authorities in San Francisco, Seattle, and Denver and endorsements by magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens and Gardeners' World. Challenges in the 21st century involved competition from organizations like World Federation of Rose Societies, changes in the nursery trade and rising roles for corporations such as Monrovia Nursery Company, Proven Winners, and Ball Horticultural Company.

Selection Process

The trialing protocol relied on coordinated testing at public and private sites including arboreta like Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Mediterranean Botanical Garden, and university-run plots at Oregon State University and University of Florida. Entrants came from hybridizers such as David Austin Roses, Meilland International, Tantau Roses, Jackson & Perkins, and Weeks Roses. Panels of judges included members of American Horticultural Society, Royal Horticultural Society, and local rose societies in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Portland. Evaluation criteria encompassed bloom performance, disease resistance, and landscape value as observed in climates ranging from Florida to Alaska; judges referenced standards used by International Rose Trials, Royal National Rose Society Trials, and botanical authorities like Missouri Botanical Garden. Decisions were announced at events hosted by organizations such as American Public Gardens Association and publications including Horticulture Magazine and Country Life.

Notable Winners and Cultivars

Awarded cultivars included varieties introduced by breeders like Francis Meilland, Alister Clark, Jean-Pierre Vibert, Harry Wheatcroft, and Peter Beales. Famous winners exhibited traits promoted by trialing such as improved blackspot and powdery mildew tolerance, strong rebloom, and fragrance. Cultivars that gained commercial success were marketed by companies like Conard Pyle, Harkness Roses, and R.H. Shinners & Sons and planted in public collections at Kew Gardens, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and municipal parks of Boston and San Diego. Prominent rose introductions associated with trial recognition included hybrids from breeders David Austin, Tom Carruth, Alain Meilland, and Jack E. Christensen. Gardens displaying winning roses spanned continents with exchanges among institutions such as Arnold Arboretum, VanDusen Botanical Garden, and the National Arboretum (United States).

Impact on Rose Breeding and Horticulture

The program influenced breeding priorities at nurseries including Pemberton Nursery, Jackson & Perkins, Ornamental Plant Nurseries Ltd., and international firms like Kordes', Delbard, and W. Kordes' Söhne. Its trials contributed to selection for traits that aligned with practices promoted by Landscape Institute professionals, municipal planting programs in cities like Philadelphia and Minneapolis, and educational curricula at institutions such as Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and University of California, Davis. The endorsement affected retail channels from independent garden centers to chains like Home Depot and Lowe's, and informed media coverage by outlets including The New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times. Its influence intersected with conservation and heritage efforts seen in collaborations with organizations like The National Trust (United Kingdom), preservation projects at Heritage Rose Foundation, and the work of curators at Montreal Botanical Garden.

Organization and Administration

Administratively, the program worked with regional trial chairs drawn from bodies such as American Rose Society, Royal Horticultural Society, and state-level entities including California Horticultural Society and Texas Rose Rustlers. Funding and sponsorship came from corporate partners in the horticultural supply chain, including wholesale firms like Dummen Orange, Syngenta Flowers, and plant patent holders registered with agencies like United States Patent and Trademark Office. Records and archives were maintained in concert with libraries and herbaria at Smithsonian Institution, New York Public Library, and university special collections at University of Minnesota and Michigan State University. The cessation of operations led to stewardship discussions with organizations including American Public Gardens Association, World Federation of Rose Societies, and regional associations in Ontario and Quebec.

Category:Roses