Rose School- Meet Sunshine Daydream

As promised today we will talk about Sunshine Daydream, the 2012 AARS rose winner.

What is an AARS winner? AARS stands for the All-America Rose Selections organization. AARS is a nonprofit association of rose growers and introducers dedicated to bringing exceptional, easy-to-grow roses to gardeners across the county. AARS operates the world's most rigorous plant trial program via its national test garden network which represents all climate zones. This sophisticated evaluation process results in a new crop of AARS winning roses each year, guaranteeing that only the best make it into your garden. AARS strives to identify roses that are easy to grow.

Once a rose is chosen it is then planted in more than 130 sample gardens around the country so gardeners can see the rose for themselves. To be chosen as an AARS winner, Sunshine Daydream thrived during two years of comprehensive testing in 21 gardens nationwide. In fact, AARS-winning roses must flourish in 15 categories including the ability to resist disease, vigor, flower production, flower shape, fragrance, petal count, overall beauty and general ease of maintenance. Each winning rose bears the AARS red-rose seal of approval that ensures gardeners the plants will grow beyond expectations with little maintenance.

Sunshine Daydream

A grandiflora with a 25 petal count of light yellow flowers with no fragrance, may have up to eight 3" blooms on a single stem! With proper pruning, it will continue to bloom all summer long. This bushy rose grows to be five feet tall and four feet wide. It was debuted to the world at this year's Tournament of Roses Parade on the Bayer Advanced Garden of Imagination float.

Tomorrow we will learn all about the rose itself. What's the difference between a floribunda and a grandiflora? Tune in tomorrow!