Marin Rose Society - Rose of the Month

Stretch Johnson
Rose of the Month For June, 2007
by Barbara Picarelli

Honestly, I had never seen this rose before Gail Trimble exhibited it at the Rose Show at Northgate, but what a stunning bouquet. It had to be pretty impressive to the judges too to win Best of Show.

Looking it up on the internet, I came across the names of ‘Rock‘n’Roll’ and ‘Tango’, and in Modern Roses, it’s listed as MACfirwal. This rose is a modern shrub, hybridized by Sam McCredy, and considered one of his best hand painted roses. The flowers are a brilliant orange (scarlet) with yellow centers and lots of orange suffusing the petals. The undersides of the petals are a silvery orange. The roses actually look like they have an eye painted in the center and have a very mild fragrance. Again there is conflicting color assignment, some calling it an orange blend others as red. The blooms have a petal count of 15+, and are borne in small and large clusters, on a small bush about 2 feet high. The foliage is mid-green, semi glossy and very profuse. This rose produces its best show of roses in the autumn, so I can only image what that must be like since Gail’s offering was so stunning in the spring.

Hybridized in 1988 with parents of ‘Sexy Rexy’ and ‘Maestro’. It’s indeed a winner, proven by the fact this rose was recipient of the Royal National Rose Society Gold Medal in 1988, Glasgow Silver Medal in 1992, Golden Rose of the Hague 1993, and Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1993. The ARS rating is 7.8.

Paula Jaffe found it available at Hortico in Canada. To access this site go to http://www.hortico.com/.

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