Are roses on the verge of making a comeback?Trials underway at Rochford as demand overtakes supply for first time in decades

摘要

loseph Rochford Gardens started rose trials on a I former sheep field at its Birch Green site near J Hertford in November 2018, after having contacted former Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) members for seedlings. The society went into administration in May 2017.Rochford owner Paul Rochford, the last RNRS president, decided that the trials needed to be done because they were the most important thing the RNRS did, so funded them as a corporate social responsibility exercise. "It costs a lot and comes out of our general budget," he says. "We're doing it just because I think it's important. As I get older, the education side is really important for me."The Rose Society UK, which emerged from the ashes of the RNRS, also received requests and supported the plan, as has the British Association of Rose Breeders (BARB), Roses UK and the World Federation of Rose Societies. There are plans for school trips and public open days. "Most schools don't know what happens in a horticultural environment," says Rochford. "The HTA and RHS do a terrific job but it's up to the industry to help push that message at an early age."