A winning rose embodies all the characteristics consumers desire in a garden plant: beauty, fragrance, disease-resistance and of course, ease of maintenance. These traits are the hallmark of the American Garden Rose Selections™ testing program and we are proud to announce our selections for 2022.
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 2022 AGRS™ Winners are:
- Celestial Night™ – Introduced by Weeks Roses, bred by Christian Bedard.
Regional Choice Award Winner in 3 regions – South Central, Southeast, Southwest, and Fragrance Award Winner.
- Easy on the Eyes™ – Introduced by Weeks Roses, bred by Tom Carruth.
Regional Choice Award in five regions – North Central, Northwest, South Central, Southeast, Southwest and Fragrance Award Winner.
- Pink Freedom – Introduced by Weeks Roses/Spring Hill Nursery, bred by Christian Bedard.
Regional Choice Award in four regions – Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast.
- Pretty Polly™ Pink – Introduced by Star Roses and Plants, bred by David Zlesak,
Regional Choice Award Winner in four regions – Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast.
All roses entered into the AGRS™ program are tested for two years in six different geographical regions, each containing two test gardens. Additional characteristics that are evaluated include: vigor, foliage proportion, plant habit, flowering effect, rebloom habit, bloom form, aging quality of blooms, fragrance, and hardiness. In order for a variety to be granted an award, the rose must demonstrate superior performance in at least three (3) of the six (6) regions entered.
By recognizing and recommending the best garden-worthy rose varieties for the various regions of the United States through testing, the AGRS™ has the goal of providing objective and reliable information to the general public.
We invite you to visit your local home and garden center or online retailer and try these new varieties this Spring. We think you’ll be very pleased.
For photos and more information visit our press room at www.americangardenroseselections.com
