Yes I do mean 2025 as the announcement is always made the year before the actual year. This is for very practical reasons so that the nurseries can build up enough stock of the rose. This rose, I believe will be available from this autumn
But I am a lucky person, not only do I get invited to the launch but I get given one of the roses. Over the last few years I have been attending I have not been given a bad rose yet so I have no doubts that this year's rose will be an equal winner. This year we returned to Iford Manor, a garden I have visited a couple of times and it is always a joy to visit again. It is a schlep from where I live, but I can listen to my book in the car so all is good.
What a day we had. Treated to fizz, a lovely lunch and a rose to bring home with us and a fabulous garden to wander around with friends - seriously there is not much better that can happen in a day! Anyhoo, you want to know some information about the rose don't you? Well rightly so. This is Rosa 'You're My Everything' (Wekesecunk); bred by Weeks Roses USA and represented in the UK by Keith Jones of C&K Jones. What a beauty she is. Not only is she Rose of the Year 2025, but she also won Gold in the Shrubs Category at the HTA National Plant Show - she's a winner baby!
You can see the range of colours the blooms can have,
it can be paler and darker and the colours change as the bloom ages. The pink edges with the white and then the yellow aura in the centre are just superb and she has a lovely scent too.
Marilyn and Ian from RosesUK, who promote roses and rose breeders, both British and international, so that we can all appreciate and enjoy roses as much as possible; presented Keith Jones with the award, whilst Harold Peto, the creator of the gardens at Iford Manor, sat and read his paper nonchalantly.
As said above this was a return to Iford Manor for this event, it does make the most perfect venue for such an event. I first visited Iford back in 2016 when it was one of the 'must do' stops on my journey to Devon and we were here for the announcement of the 2023 Rose of the Year 'Peach Melba' which is now one of my favourite roses (it would be easier to ask me for a list of ones that are not my favourite as it is probably empty!). I am very fond of this garden and the chance to wander around with some good friends is always a treat.
I always love this statue, I chose this path to start my journey of the garden as it feels like a good way to explore. It takes you up and around the back so that you walk down into the garden and it unwraps gently in front of you.
The garden is set into a hillside and we walked up into the tree shadowed paths. It was a warmish day so this was really pleasant. We found this wonderful viewpoint to see Britannia keeping guard on the bridge.
On we went and we emerged at the Japanese Garden, which is a gentle, shady, water-cooled delight.
We nodded hello to the obelisk.
and descended down into the Italienate splendour of the main gardens.
The scent of roses was everywhere. We made a comical group as we wandered around: "which rose is that?" one of us would say, suggestions would be made usually not by me. Rose identification is not my strong point, I wish it was.
There are so many views in this garden to enjoy. It is a masterclass in vistas.
You move from place to place, enjoying each sight.
I love the different areas of the garden,
You move from level to level, from the formal,
into wildflowers and an orchard in just a few moments. The contrasts are very effective.
Then it was time to start wending my way homewards, but not without stopping off at the plant sales. Last time I was at Iford I came away with a very nice Begonia thurstonii, which is still growing very well. This time I came away with a Begonia sunderlandii sutherlandii (the one with the orange flowers) and Begonia evansiana. Both of which I have owned previously but I have not managed to keep them alive for long. I will try harder with these.
I mentioned above we were all gifted a Rose 'You're My Everything' as part of the day. There are few things as amusing and frightening as watching a group of gardening people choosing which plant they want to take home. There is much inspection, which is 'the one' that gives you the best that you are looking for? Do you want flower now or the promise of flower to come?
I went for the best of both; flower now and a bud for later - win win! This is my beauty - how lovely is she?
and this is she just one day later, you can see how the colour of the bloom is changing and developing: what joy. She will be planted soon in the garden and I will keep you updated as to progress.
A huge thank you to Marilyn and Ian from Roses UK and to all at Iford Manor for their generous hosting of this event.
I know that Rose of the Year 2026 is already waiting in the wings as the assessment process takes two years to reach fruition, I wonder which rose it will be....?