Rose of the Month

By Linda Bohne, Consulting Rosarian

‘Grand Prize’ is a rose that makes an elegant statement in any garden. It has the exquisite beauty of form and color that makes it the focal point. The blooms are a neutral color that can blend with just about any other rose. ‘Grand Prize’ is a compact bush with semi-glossy, dark green foliage. It has grown in my raised rose bed to about 3-1/2” by 3-1/2”, with no disease problems. In the southeastern part of the United States that is an accomplishment. The buds are pointed, ovoid, and open high-centered. From spring until frost the bush produces plentiful clusters of light apricot buds. They open to an ivory cream blushed with pink, displaying beautiful golden stamens. When fully open the flower has a flat apple-blossom-like form and has a light, spicy fragrance. Each petal is distinct and delicate. Blooms are 4”, with 20-25 petals.

‘Grand Prize’s’ parents are ‘Sunflare’ and ‘Impatient’. Both are excellent floribundas that have won All-America honors. This was one of the first roses hybridized by Dr. Keith Zary. While it did not make the first cut for roses to be introduced by Jackson & Perkins, Dr. Zary liked it enough to plant it in his garden and also shared some with a neighbor. They grew beautifully for years. He took advantage of J&P’s licensee arrangement, which allows varieties that are not produced in the U.S. to be evaluated in other regions. Test seedlings were sent to Europe, where they received a warm reception. Licensees entered the rose in the 1998 prestigious Hague International Rose Trial, where ‘Grand Prize’ received the Gold Medal Award, which goes to the best rose at the trials.

I won ‘Grand Prize’ in a raffle in the spring of 2004 at a local rose society meeting. At the Deep South District Fall Show in Gainesville, FL that fall, my rose won best One Bloom per Stem Floribunda. The rose continues to win blue ribbons for me at rose shows. However, that day in Gainesville will continue to be a special rose show memory, since I had only had that rose for such a short time and it made it to the head table.

‘Grand Prize’ is at the top of my list for its fabulous performance in the garden. I would recommend this rose to rosarians to grow in their garden.

Linda thought you might like to see a couple of other pictures of this beautiful rose. Below is a picture showing other stages of bloom and to the right is the rose in Linda's garden.