2017’s Award-Winning Roses for the Garden

Roses in the vase are lovely, but roses in the garden are better still. To choose which variety to plant in your garden this spring, look to these award-winning roses.

American Garden Rose Selections is a relatively new award-giving program. It stepped in a couple of years ago to fill the void left when the All America Rose Selections program ceased to be. American Garden Rose Selections identifies easy-care, disease-free roses for various regions of the United States, based on their performance in 12 trial gardens across the country.

The award-winning roses in 2017 are:

‘Munstead Wood’
Fragrance Award.
This David Austin rose is a bushy plant with dense, deep red flowers that give off a strong old-rose fragrance with a hint of fruit scent. Its leaves emerge red then turn medium green. It grows 3.5 to 4 feet tall and wide. USDA Zones 5–9.

‘Lady of Shalott’
Fragrance Award.
Regional Award: Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest.
Another David Austin rose, this selection gives off a tea fragrance with hints of spiced apple and clove. The petals are salmon on top and yellow underneath, making the coloring as warm as the scent. ‘Lady of Shalott’ grows 4.5 to 5 feet tall and wide. Zones 5–9.

‘Faith Whittlesey’
Heirloom Hybrid Award.
Regional Award: Southeast, Southcentral.
This is a tea rose with large, bright white double flowers that may be held alone or in small clusters. It is reliably recurrent, offering a second flush of blooms after a brief rest. It grows 2.5 to 3 feet tall and wide. Zones 6–9. (Image not available.)

Icecap
Regional Award: Northeast, Northcentral, Northwest, Southcentral, Southwest.
Icecap can offer 20 blooms per stem and it blooms more than once in a season. The flowers are pure white. This variety has great resistance to blackspot, mildew and rust. It grows 2.5 to 3.5 feet tall and it can make a good hedge. Zones 5–9.

Tahitian Treasure
Regional Award: Northeast, Southeast, Southcentral.
The vivid flowers stand out against the dark green foliage and they offer a slight fragrance. The plant has an upright habit and reaches 5 to 5.5 feet tall. Zones 5–9. Image at top of page.

Peachy Keen
Regional Award: Northeast, Northcentral, Northwest, Southeast, Southcentral, Southwest.
This is a low-growing rose that covers itself with clusters of shell-pink flowers from spring to frost. It has excellent resistance to disease and it reaches 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Zones 5–9.

Image credits: Munstead Woods and Lady of Shalott courtesy of David Austin Roses; Tahitian Treasure, Icecap and Peachy Keen courtesy of Star Roses & Plants.