All-America Rose Selections

In 1938, W. Ray Hastings, creator of "All-America Rose Selections", approached Charles Perkins, president of the Jackson & Perkins company with an idea for a rose testing program. Their conversation led to a meeting in Chicago on January 8, 1939, with representatives from the seventeen largest rose growers. The outcome of the meeting was the creation of the non-profit organization, "All-America Rose Selections, Inc. (AARS), with the goal of evaluating and promoting outstanding roses."' The first rose trials began in 1939 in AARS test gardens throughout the US. The first AARS winners were announced in 1940.^[1]

The "All-America Rose Selections" continued each year from 1940 until 2013. The award is considered to be the most prestigious rose award in the United States.^[1] Hybrid tea rose, 'Francis Meilland' was the last rose awarded by AARS.^[2] AARS was discontinued after 2013, and was replaced by the new "American Garden Rose Selections" program.^[3]

The AARS selection process began with a rose grower submitting a new rose (or roses) to AARS for testing. Roses were grown in official rose testing gardens, typically universities and rose nurseries throughout the US. Roses would be evaluated for two years on many qualities, including disease resistance, flowers, form, and ability to grow in many climates. "The AARS award winners chosen at the end of the trial period comprise only about four percent of all the roses tested".^[4] The winning roses can display the AARS brand on their rose tags and in nursery catalogues.^[5]

This is a partial list of All-America Rose Selection winners.

More information Award year, Cultivar ...

Award year	Cultivar	Marketing name	Hybridizer	Intro year	Introduced by	Cultivar Group	Image
1941		'Charlotte Armstrong'	Lammerts (US)	1941	Armstrong Roses	Hybrid Tea	[6]
1943		'Mary Margaret McBride'	Nicolas (US)	1942	Jackson & Perkins	Hybrid Tea	[7]
1948		'Diamond Jubilee'	Boerner (US)	1947	Jackson & Perkins	Hybrid Tea	[8]
1953		'Ma Perkins'	Boerner (US)	1952	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[9]
1955		'Queen Elizabeth' 'The Queen of England'	Lammerts (US)	1954	Germain Seed & Plant Company	Grandiflora	[10]
1955		'Tiffany'	Lindquist (US)	1954	Howard Rose Company	Hybrid tea	[11]
1960		''Garden Party''	Swim (US)	1959	Armstrong	Hybrid Tea	[12]
1961		''Duet''	Swim (US)	1960	Armstrong	Hybrid Tea	[13]
1962		''King's Ransom''	Swim (US)	1962	Armstrong	Hybrid tea	[14]
1963		''Royal Highness''	Morey (US)	1961	Weeks Roses	Hybrid Tea	[15]
1965		''Mister Lincoln'' 'Mr. Lincoln'	Swim & Weeks (US)	1964	Star Roses	Hybrid Tea	[16]
1966		''Apricot Nectar''	Boerner (US)	1965	Jackson & Perkins	Hybrid Tea	[17]
1967		'Bewitched'	Lammerts (US)	1967	Germain Seed & Plant Co.	Hybrid Tea	[18]
1968		'Europeana'	de Ruiter Innovations (Belgium)	1963	Roy H. Rumsey Pty. Ltd.	Floribunda	[19]
1969		''Gene Boerner'	Boerner (US)	1968	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[20]
1969		''Pascali'	Lens (Belgium)	1964	T.G. Stewart	Hybrid tea	[21]
1971		'Red Gold' 'Rouge et Or' 'Alinka'	Patrick Dickson (Northern Ireland)	1967	Dickson Roses	Floribunda	[22]
1973		'Electron' 'Mullard Jubilee'	McGredy IV (Northern Ireland)	1970	Sam McGredy	Hybrid Tea	[23]
1974		'Perfume Delight'	Swimm & Weeks (US)	1973	Star Roses	Hybrid Tea	[24]
1975	TANolg	'Oregold' 'Anneliese Rothenberger'	Tantau (Germany)	1970	Jackson & Perkins	Hybrid Tea	[25]
1976	KORshel	'Seashell'	Kordes (Germany)	1976	Jackson & Perkins	Hybrid Tea	[26]
1977	ANDeli	'Double Delight'	Ellis & Swim (US)	1976	Armstrong	Hybrid Tea	[27]
1980	JACsal	'Cherish'	Warriner (US)	1980	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[28]
1980	JACtwin	'Love'	Warriner (US)	1980	Jackson & Perkins	Grandiflora	[29]
1981	rinaKOR	'Marina'	Kordes (US)	1974	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[30]
1983	JACjem	'Sun Flare' 'Sunflare'	Warriner (US)	1981	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[31]
1984	JACum	'Olympiad'	McGredy IV (New Zealand)	1982	McGredy Roses International	Hybrid tea	[32]
1984	JACum	'Intrigue'	Warriner (US)	1982	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[31]
1986	AROmiclea	'Voodoo'	Christensen (US)	1984	Armstrong	Hybrid tea	[33]
1987	MEIdomonac	'Bonica 82' Bonica	Meilland (France)	1985	Meilland International	Shrub rose	[34]
1988	HARroony	'Amber Queen'	Harkness (UK)	1985	R Harkness & Co. Ltd.	Floribunda	[35]
1989	JACient	'Tournament of Roses' 'Berkeley'	Warriner (US)	1988	Jackson & Perkins	Grandiflora	[36]
1991	MEIpitac	'Carefree Wonder' 'Dynastie'	Meilland (France)	1990	Meilland International	Shrub Rose	[37]
1992	JACpal	'Brigadoon'	Warriner (US)	1991	Jackson & Perkins	Hybrid tea	[38]
1993	JACrite	'Rio Samba'	Warriner (US)	1991	Jackson & Perkins	Hybrid Tea	[39]
1994	HILaroma	'Secret'	Tracy (US)	1992	Star Roses	Hybrid Tea	[40]
1995	MACivy	Spek's Centennial 'Singin' in the Rain'	McGredy (New Zealand)	1991	Edmunds Roses	Floribunda	[41]
1995	JACcofl	'Brass Band'	Jack E. Christensen USA	1995	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[42]
1996	HARwelcome	'Livin' Easy' 'Fellowship'	Harkness (UK)	1992	Weeks Roses	Floribunda	[43]
1997	WECplapep	'Scentimental'	Carruth (US)	1996	Weeks Roses	Floribunda	[44]
1998	FRYxotic	Sunset Celebration' 'Warm Wishes'	Fryer (UK)	1994	Weeks Roses	Hybrid Tea	[45]
1999	WEKplapic	'Betty Boop'	Carruth (US)	1999	Weeks Roses	Floribunda	[46]
1999	WEKroalt	'Fourth of July'	Carruth (US)	1999	Weeks Roses	Climbing rose	[47]
2000	RADrazz	'Knock Out'	Radler (US)	2000	Star Roses	Shrub rose	[48]
2001	MEIzoele	'Glowing Peace' 'Phillippe Noiret'	Meilland (France)	1999	Meilland	Hybrid tea	[46]
2002	BALpeace	'Love & Peace'	Lim & Twomey (US)	1991	Bailey Nurseries	Hybrid tea	[49]
2003	WEKpaltlez	'Hot Cocoa' 'Kiwi	Carruth (US)	2002	Weeks Roses	Floribunda	[50]
2004	JACarque	'Honey Perfume'	Zary (US)	1993	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[51]
2005	WEKosupalz	About Face	Carruth (US)	1993	Weeks Roses	Grandiflora	[52]
2006	WEKvossutono	'Julia Child' 'Absolutely Fabulous'	Carruth (US)	2004	Weeks Roses	Floribunda	[53]
2006	WEKisoblip	'Wild Blue Yonder' Blue Eden	Carruth (US)	2004	Weeks Roses	Grandiflora	[54]
2007	JACtanic	'Moondance'	Zary (US)	2003	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[55]
2008	JACfrain	'Mardi Gras'	Zary (US)	2007	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[56]
2009	Wekcobeju	'Cinco de Mayo 'Celebration Time'	Carruth (US)	2006	Weeks Roses	Floribunda	[57]
2010	HARpageant	'Easy Does It' 'Firestar'	Harkness (US)	2004	Weeks Roses Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[58]
2011	JACmcady	'Walking on Sunshine'	Zary (US)	2010	Jackson & Perkins	Floribunda	[59]
2012	MEIkanaro	'Sunshine Daydream'	Meilland (France)	2006	Meilland International	Grandiflora	[60]
2013	MEItroni	'Schloss Ippenburg' Francis Meilland	Meilland (France)	2006	Meilland International	Hybrid tea	[61]

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