Rose of the Year 2024

Once again I was delighted to be included amongst the great and the good at the Rose of the Year launch! I really appreciate being included in this event as I’ve seen beautiful gardens plus I’ve been gifted a Rose each time and this , given my love of roses, has made it extra special!

Another wonderful reason for going is getting the chance to catch up with a group of wonderful people who have been marvellously supportive in my career and personal life. This year even more so as the event was being hosted by Waterperrys and their wonderful Head Gardener Pat Havers.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Pat back in 2014, it was an exceptionally tough time for lots of reasons and Pat was so kind and encouraging. She has given me more tours of Waterperry than I can remember. Guiding me to the best snowdrops to take pictures, showing me her favourite spots and dropping bombs of wisdom on me with patience and humour. So to be able to attend the launch in her garden was just bliss!

The garden of course was looking perfect and we had excellent weather for the days festivities. I arrived stupidly early, of course, but it did give me a chance to zoom round and see the garden, absolutely inspiring! Seeing good design reminds me how disciplined you have to be to achieve a good display and I’ve been lucky enough to see that twice this week (The other was Sarah Pajwani’s garden St Timothee)

But what we’re all here for is the excitement of who wins the coveted title of Rose of the Year!

Marilyn and Ian are the people who organise this competition and are the representatives of Roses UK. Both have an unrivalled passion for these beautiful blooms and Ian’s knowledge is encyclopaedic (I’m in awe) whilst Marilyn steers the events with a calm and loving hand.

The rose of the year takes several years to be selected, first the breeder has to grow it from seed, this could take 3 – 5 years. Then it goes through several years of trials in open ground, this is to see how it performs not just for health but for vigour, bloom time, amount and disease resistance. Once all the entrants have been assessed, a winner is chosen and then stocks are built up prior to launch.

This years winner is a beautiful new variety called Meteor. Bred by Kordes, Meteor is a floribunda rose that produces lightly scented blooms of golden-yellow, flushed red. The flowers are repeat-blooming and have a healthy, disease-resistant foliage. Meteor is a compact grower, reaching about 70 cm high, making it a good choice for borders or pots. Meteor benefits from being planted in full sun to enhance the colour change it goes through so be sure to pick a sunny spot.

Here are some of the things that make Meteor a great choice for gardeners:

Beautiful blooms: Meteor produces stunning blooms that are a mix of golden-yellow and red. The flowers are large and full, with a light scent.

Repeat-blooming: Meteor is a repeat-blooming rose, which means that it will flower throughout the season.

Disease-resistant: Meteor has a healthy, disease-resistant foliage. This means that you won’t have to worry about your rose getting sick.

Compact grower: Meteor is a compact grower, reaching about 70 cm high. This makes it a good choice for borders or pots.

If you’re looking for a beautiful, easy-care rose, Meteor is a great choice. It’s sure to add a touch of elegance to your garden.

Some additional tips for growing your roses:

Improve the soil with compost or manure before planting.

Add mycorrhiza to the planting hole, ensuring it comes in contact with the roots.

Water Meteor regularly, especially during hot, dry weather.

Fertilize Meteor every few months with a rose fertilizer.

Deadhead spent blooms to encourage new growth.

With proper care, Meteor roses will thrive for many years to come.

Finally a few more inspiring pics from Waterperry