Rose Garden Gets Environmental Makeover

“It is time to move toward a disease-free environment; it’s the wave of the future.”

—Peter Kukielski, Rose Garden Curator

The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, the most beautiful of its kind in America, is being transformed into one of the most disease-resistant rose gardens in the world. The goal to plant only low-maintenance roses is a tall order, since roses have a reputation of being among the most chemically dependent flowers in existence. But new varieties on the market in conjunction with Curator Peter Kukielski’s passion, expertise, and willingness to experiment are driving the idea toward realization. “A few years ago, this would have been difficult to achieve, but now there are greater efforts by hybridizers to make the rose a great garden plant again,” Kukielski notes.

The multiple-year conversion began last fall when nearly 1,400 high-maintenance roses, about one-third of the Rose Garden’s inventory, were removed. Last winter Kukielski scoured the world (virtually, not physically) for the finest disease-resistant varieties that would bloom beautifully for five to six months of the year. He found just what he was looking for, and all the growers donated the plants. This past spring, Garden staff planted over 845 new, hardy roses from both here and abroad, varieties chosen particularly for their claim of disease resistance, long bloom time, and easy care.

Garden visitors are enthused about the changeover and eager to learn more. “They want to know what can be successful in their own homes,” Kukielski says.

This fall, additional roses will be considered for removal and the new roses will be evaluated for their performance. While the Rose Garden will accommodate new roses hybridized for disease resistance, a complementary plot across from the site will be opened next year for testing existing rose varieties for hardiness, low maintenance, and ability to sustain all but the severest droughts as part of the EarthKind™ Northeast Rose Trials.

War of the roses
By Robin Lane Fox

Planting Diagram and 2009 Alphabetical List of Roses