Peter Kukielski

Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden Curator

Profile

Peter Kukielski is responsible for the development of the historic Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden and making recommendations for its long-term maintenance as well as day-to-day care. Peter began working at the Garden in the spring of 2006. He was given the immediate task of inventorying, evaluating, and planning for improvements to the rose collections as part of the restoration of the Rose Garden for its 20th anniversary in 2008. He went on to plan the reorganization of the Rose Garden and rejuvenation of its plantings, bringing in hundreds of plants including modern and heritage cultivars new to the garden. Peter has become a leader in the investigation and evaluation of roses that are resistant to common fungus diseases. In 2009, he initiated the Garden’s EarthKind Rose Trials as part of an international effort to identify hardy, disease-resistant roses. He is an author and co-editor of The Sustainable Rose Garden.