In 2009, Select Breeding started a special cross-breeding program to develop Floribunda roses for use on the patio and in the garden, that can be grown in the unheated greenhouse and in plastic tunnels. The first varieties have been on the market since 2014, and since then the range has been expanded and optimized annually.
There are now seven growers in the Benelux that grow the varieties that have resulted from this breeding program. The interest, in their own words, stems from a combination of the desire from the consumer to buy a ‘ready’ flowering product and the fact that it is also available early in the season.
By growing the roses in greenhouses and tunnels, the product can be delivered flowering from mid-April to mid-June. The roses are delivered with an arch which is 70 to 80 cm high. The roses have strikingly large flowers that are 12 to 15 cm with deep green leaves. The plant produces new shoots throughout the summer and continues to flower well into the fall. Moreover, because there is no need for inhibitors, it can be grown sustainably.
The roses are hardy, are grown on their own root and are available in the colors red, white, pink, cerise, orange and various bi-color combinations. Breeding is now focused on the development of scented roses and it is expected that the first varieties will be available in the near future.
The product is grown in 4 to 7 liter pots. The breeder is looking for a few growers with unheated greenhouses in different European countries to produce for the local and surrounding markets. Plant material can be supplied in a rooted plug or as a half grown plant in a 2 liter pot.
This year Select Breeding is taking part in IPM Essen for the first time with its new line of Patio & Garden roses. The roses can be admired in bloom at stand 7A35. Open days will also be organized from 27 April to 9 May at the location in Klazienaveen, the Netherlands, where interested parties can come and see the cultivation and the product.
For more information: 
Select Breeding
T: +254 (0) 727 34027
E: info@selectbreeding.nl
www.selectbreeding.nl