B.A.R.B Rose Trials "2009" (Pencoed)
Atrocious weather conditions throughout July & August made judging roses very difficult. Having a months rain
one day during July,and warm humid conditions bringing downy mildew early, It was already a tough year for the roses. David
Austin shrubs Lady of shallot" (apricot) And "Kew gardens" (White) were content to grow rather than flower,
the later burst of flowers got it into the top ten." Strikes gold" a Kordes HT will do better in a dry summer, (one
to watch). "Home Run" a deep red low growing shrub from C&K Jones made it to number six by staying healthy and
hardly out of bloom, a very good first year. Chris Warners "Gardeners Glory" is shaping into a healthy pillar rose.
Flowers are a lovely shade of yellow. "County of Hampshire" pink single flowers, super ground cover rose. But "hurray"
its being sold as a standard as well.It makes a geogeous umberella tree. Dicksons low shrub "Wild Thing" a cerise
red,masses of flower early on, and very late in the season. Its only fault was the big gap in between. Gareth Fryers "Lucky"
a lovely pink with a touch of lavender, a tall floribunda, was unlucky to be pipped for the top spot by an equally healthy
and robust Kordes rose, "Friends For Life" a yellow floribunda, consistent through summer into autumn. Since the
retirement of Ivor Mace, "Pencoed College" have done a pretty good job looking after the trials ground, freeing
up messers Mace to share the judging. The Top Ten roses is as follows.
BARB ROSE TRIALS 2009
1st Friends For Life.(Kordes)
Flori 65pts
2nd Lucky. (Fryers) Flori
64,5pts
3rd Wild Thing. (Dicksons) Low Shrub
63pts
4th County Of Hampshire. ( Kordes) Ground Cover
62pts
5th Gardeners Glory. (Warners) Pillar Rose
61,5pts
6th Home Run. (C&K Jones) Flori/shrub
60,5pts
7th Strikes Gold. (Kordes ) HT
57,5pts
8th Golden Glory. (Warners) Pillar Rose
57pts
9th Super Trouper. (Fryers) Flori
55pts
10th Kew Gardens. (Aurtins) Shrub.
53pts
"Cinderella" (Kordes) pink shrub 2008 winner scored 73pts. Roses are not eligable
to win more than once.
ROSE
TRIALS PENCOED "2008" RESULTS
By Mike Thompson
Based
on the visits of 1st of July, 16th July 1st of august and the 5th. of September.
Most
of the judging this year was done from under an umbrella. Not fair you might say. On the other
hand, you could say it was a good experience. Rain and more rain, If they survived this, they could survive anything. It was
by far the worse season I can ever remember for flowers, and not as good as you might think for growth because all that rain
quickly brought black spot and later, downy mildew that in turn weakened the rose bushes . The varieties that have made the
top ten this year are really tough nuts. It is also worth mentioning that 6 new rose varieties planted this year that didn’t
quite get into the top ten only because they got off to a very slow start. By September they were amongst the best roses in
the trials. Golden Glory and Gardeners Glory two yellow climbers from Chris Warner look healthy and should do well next year.
Young Lycidas, Sir John Betjeman, and Wisley 2008 (all Austins) were also in top gear by September. And Wild Thing, a cerise
ground cover shrub from (Dicksons) was also looking smashing. They were the unlucky ones. Rambling Rosie, a red shrub from
the late Colin Horner looked a very good healthy rose all year. Sherbet Fizz (Limes) put on a dazzling display in July and
August, a lovely yellow patio. George Best (Dicksons) a red patio, full of flower until September where
it fell away a little, but looks good for next year. County of Hampshire (Kordes) single pink ground cover, and would look
great on a half-standard, healthy and has a good constitution. Gold Spice a yellow HT from (Fryers) is a cracking new rose.
Also Strikes Gold a (Kordes) HT introduced by John Woods looks a winner in waiting. I could go on with so many good varieties
to choose from, but this years winner is CINDERELLA, a pink shrub with the habit of the new English roses. Bred
by (Kordes) Introduced by John Woods. The power and constitution of this rose is something to see, very healthy, no disease
all season. This variety will be around for quite a while
Cinderella
The
list of the top ten roses is as follows:-
1
CINDERELLA (Kordes)
56.5
2 COUNTY OF HAMPSHIRE
(Kordes)
56
3.RAMBLING ROSIE (Warner)
55.5
4.ALAN TITCHMARSH (Austin)
55
5.STRIKES GOLD (Kordes)
54.5
6.GOLD SPICE
(Fryers)
54
6.GLOWING
PINK (Limes)
54
6.FRIENDS
FOR EVER (Kordes)
54
9.GEORGE BEST
(Dicksons)
53.5
10.SHERBET
FIZZ (Limes)
53
10 PINK CHAMPAGNE
(Limes)
53
2006 Winner – Wild Edric (Austin) scored
56.5
2007 Winner
– Sally Kane (Fryers) scored
55.5
The trial was managed and looked after by Ivor
Mace and judged by
Mike Thompson
