New Zealand: Rose breeder turns hobby into business
"It's hard being a nobody and trying to release a rose," he says. "If I hadn't had 'Blackberry Nip' and a follow-up, 'Kaimai Sunset', I may not have made it. It's almost unheard of that a breeder's first rose is a big success."
Since then, his Glenavon Roses, based at Te Puna near Tauranga, has won the trial's top award six times, footing it with names such as Harkness (UK), Dickson (Northern Ireland), Delbard (France) and Carruth (US).
For me the most important thing in a rose is health, and everything else comes after that, with colour almost unimportant because it's so subjective. But I made the mistake of not liking the colour and almost lost a great little plant."
Rose growers might pity Somerfield for locating his business in Tauranga, but he reckons the hot, humid (and sometimes very wet) summers give him an advantage.
"Anything that is healthy here will do well anywhere. Many gardeners aren't prepared to stake and spray roses so field trials outside allow me to assess all parts of the plant."
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