A rose is a rose ... or is it?

KAREN WIGHT

January is for roses: whether used for parading, pruning or planting.

And this year there are many new selections -- “prolific” in rosarian

lingo.

There are new roses, new rose bushes, and new roses on new rose

bushes and old roses on new rose bushes. Are you following all of

this? We can definitely describe 2004 as the year of the new roses,

and the new roses have an orange crush.

Many of this year’s selections are a variation on the citrus

theme. The All-America Rose Selections’ pick for numero uno hybrid

tea rose is “Memorial Day,” which is lavender-pink, about four to

five inches wide and has more than 50 petals. The rose bush is big --

five to six feet tall when fully grown and highly fragrant.

The “Sundance” rose is another new offering for 2004. Jackson &

Perkins describes this rose as, “born on an energetic well-branched

bush, the sensational, rare-toned flowers create a magnificent focal

point of your landscape -- and in the vase.” The Sundance rose is

bright gold with orange-pink edges. The flowers bloom on 14- to

16-inch stems and the foliage is a glossy dark green.

“Wildfire” is another new rose in the orange tones. Wildfire

starts as a yellow bud edged in an orange swirl and blossoms into

orange with an incandescent yellow reverse.

The new “Buttercream” rose has “light yellow petals with a touch

of anise perfume that soften to nearly white on a tall bush covered

in lush deep green foliage. Bring out the best in these pale gems by

showing them with blue and violet perennials.” That’s some

description: a UCLA grad must have written that.

In the grandiflora category is “Cherry Parfait,” which looks like

a Double Delight. The rose is white with red edges and falls under

the category of “New Generation Rose” from Jackson & Perkins: roses

grown on their own roots instead of being grafted onto a different

variety of rootstock. J&P; claims that these roses are “almost

foolproof,” have a healthier root system, more blooms per branch and

more branches per bush.

The All-America Rose Selections’ 2004 floribunda rose is “Honey

Perfume.” Floribunda roses grow in clusters and have huge clusters of

apricot-yellow flowers that lighten as they bloom. This rose quickly

re-blooms: “prolific” is the official description. This rose has not

only won American awards but has also received the rose gold medal in

Barcelona, Spain and the silver medal in Genova, Italy.

“Marmalade Skies” is a floribunda rose with tangerine-orange

blooms. This very dramatic rose selection has olive green foliage and

a fruity fragrance.

“Heaven On Earth” is a new rose with an old look. This rose has

large, apricot-pink blooms that look like peonies and is highly

fragrant.

Another new generation rose in the floribunda category is “Grace

English Rose,” which took top honors at England’s Chelsea Flower

Show. The flower is pure apricot with pale, apricot edges and has a

strong tea-rose fragrance.

Added to the list of offerings are the “Garden Ease” roses. The

Garden Ease is an exceptionally rugged, maintenance-free plant that

is covered in blooms all summer long (at least that’s what the tag

says). They are dense, short rose bushes that lend themselves to

border or group planting. “Ladies in Waiting” (gold-apricot),

“Roseberry Blanket” (fuchsia) and “Party Lights” (coral and cream)

are the premier Garden Ease offerings.

More rose trivia? The first rose fossil dates back 35 million

years. In the 16th century, colonists brought roses to New England,

making them the longest cultivated plants in this country. In 1798,

Empress Josephine created a garden at Malmaison with all the known

rose varieties at that time, about 250.

The most popular rose of the 20th century was “Peace,” which was

smuggled to the United States from occupied France in 1945.

What color rose to send for each occasion? Rose symbolism and

color breaks down like this: red signifies love and respect; deep

pink, gratitude and appreciation; light pink, admiration and

sympathy; white, reverence and humility; yellow, joy and gladness;

orange, enthusiasm and desire; red and yellow blend, gaiety and

joviality; and pale, blended tones symbolize sociability and

friendship.

There you have it. All you ever needed to know about the 2004

roses -- and then some. The All-America Rose Selections for 2004 are

available to plant in bare root form, or you can give yourself a

reprieve and wait until they’re in their full glory early spring.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Thursdays.