VEENENDAAL, Netherlands: KVBC honours four roses with Certificate of Excellence.
Since 2017, Boskoop’s Royal Horticultural Society (KVBC) has been judging gardens roses and awarding them with the Certificate of Excellence. Excellence Roses is a Dutch/Belgium mark of quality and to qualify for it a rose must combine exceptional beauty with excellent health and reliability. Excellence Roses are also committed to sustainability as they can be grown without using any crop protection products.
Each potential Excellence Rose is on trial for three years with rose trial gardens situated in Antwerp (Rivierenhof), Boskoop (Rosarium Boskoop), Winschoten (Rosarium Winschoten) and Lottum (Rozenhof Lottum).
The Excellence Roses award ceremony took place on Valentine’s Day in Veenendaal’s former catholic church which today headquarters the Ginkel Groep landscaping company. This year, 23 cultivars battled it out for the coveted accolade with eventually only four roses given the Certificate of Excellence.
Receiving recognition for excellent rose breeding was Mr Quercus Hanekamp of Tantau for the tea hybrid ‘Romina’, and Ad Volkering of Kordes Roses for the floribunda rose ‘Airbrush’.
Martin Vissers of Belgian rose breeder Viva International climbed up the stage to receive certificates for his shrub rose ‘Taxandria’ and floribunda rose ‘Jean Robie’.
Presenting the certificates to the breeders was KVBC chairman Helma van der Louw.
While Excellence Roses certification is an important consideration when choosing a supplier, the end-consumer ultimately enjoys the benefits
Excellence Roses is an initiative of the Culture Group for Roses and Rootstocks, with its secretariat running under the Dutch industry body Anthos.
Rosa ‘Airbrush’.
Rosa ‘Jean Robie’.
Rosa ‘Romina’.
Rosa ‘Taxandria’.
Helma van der Louw present the certificates to the prize winners.