To take some guess work out of rose buying, All-America Rose Selections (AARS), the association of rose growers and breeders that tests roses around the nation, has created Region’s Choice. This new program selects varieties that thrive with minimal care in specific areas of the U.S. For the San Diego and the Southwest, they picked 11 roses that tolerate heat and won’t fade in the sun. Among their choices are the flashy red-and-white-striped ‘Fourth of July,’ deep red ‘Opening Night’ and ‘Cherry Parfait,’ pure white ‘Iceberg’ and the eye-catching deep lavender ‘Wild Blue Yonder’ and smoky orange-red ‘Hot Cocoa.’
See the complete list at www.rose.org. Look for them at area nurseries now during bare-root rose season.