2021 American Gardens Rose Selections for the Northeast

The American Gardens Rose Selections™ (AGRS) testing program recognizes roses that are easy to care for, disease-resistant and suitable for different regions of the country. In addition, awards are given for fragrance to help guide consumers who desire roses for their fragrance.

Of the six winners, four are recommended for our region, Northeast, and were recommended based on observations at the Queens Botanical Gardens in Flushing, NY and the Arboretum State Botanical Garden of Kentucky in Lexington KY.  The selected roses are:

Brick House™ - Regional Choice Award Winner in the Northwest, Northeast, and South Central Regions.

Bred by Meilland®. Introduced by Star Roses & Plants.  Brick House™ has a strong, dark red flower color and reblooms throughout the season with a lot of flower power on each flush. A floribunda with 10-12 petals per slightly fragrant bloom and dark green matte foliage.  It has excellent disease resistance for the type and performs well on its own roots. Blue Ribbon™ Winner for outstanding, low water performance in 2017-2019 Water Use Classification of Landscape Species (WUCOLS) trials. 

Brindabella Purple Prince™ - Regional Choice Award Winner in the Northeast, South Central, and Southwest Regions.

Bred by Sylivia E. and John C. Gray. Introduced by Suntory Flowers in partnership with Dig Plant Company. A compact shrub rose with upright habit that is somewhat reminiscent of a hybrid tea rose, only more freely branched and more densely foliaged; quickly growing to 3 ft and approaching 4 ft in 2 years time.  High-centered, doubled flowers that are dark red-purple with a very strong traditional rose perfume.

Easy to Please™ - Regional Choice Award Winner in the Northeast, Northwest, South Central, and Southeast Regions.

Bred by Christian Bédard. Introduced by Weeks Roses. A fragrant floribunda with glossy, medium green foliage. This high-performing rose produces loads of classically spiraled fuchsia pink flowers with a lighter reverse and a mild clove fragrance with hints of cinnamon. All of this flower power comes on an upright, vigorous plant that has more disease resistance than many landscape roses.

Sweet Spirit™ – Regional Choice Award Winner in all regions and Fragrance Award Winner.

Bred by Meilland®. Introduced by Star Roses & Plants. Sweet Spirit™ is a cherry red grandiflora rose with a strong, sweet fragrance that does really well in hot, humid climates. It displays beautiful, disease-resistant foliage, and is a wonderful rose for cutting.

All roses entered into the AGRS™ are tested for two years in six different geographical regions, each containing two test gardens. Additional characteristics that are evaluated include: vigor, foliage proportion, plant habit, flowering effect, rebloom habit, bloom form, aging quality of blooms, fragrance and hardiness. In order for a variety to be granted an award, it must demonstrate superior performance in at least least three of the six regions entered. By recognizing and recommending the best garden-worthy rose varieties for the various regions of the United States through testing, the AGRS™ has the goal of providing objective and reliable information to the general public. For a complete list of the 2021 winners and to learn more about the American Garden Rose Selections™, visit americangardenroseselections.com.