In this episode of Flower Farming in NZ, Jo Robinson is joined by Samantha Matthews of Matthews Nurseries, https://www.matthewsroses.co.nz/ a third-generation family business that has been growing roses since 1947. Samantha takes us behind the scenes of modern rose breeding, sharing the science, patience, and passion required to develop new rose varieties that are beautiful, healthy, and suitable for New Zealand gardens and flower farms.
From planting 50,000 seeds and selecting just a few hundred seedlings, to years of spray-free trials and evaluation, Samantha explains why developing a new rose can take more than a decade.
We discuss:
• How rose breeding works
• Why it can take up to 12 years to release a new rose
• The challenge of breeding fragrance and disease resistance together
• Spray-free rose trials and selecting the toughest plants
• What flower farmers should look for in a rose
• Vase life, stem quality, and picking performance
• Current colour and style trends in roses
• The story behind the popular rose My Mum
• Plant Variety Rights and protecting new varieties
• Crab apples for gardens and floristry
Whether you're a flower farmer, florist, gardener, or rose enthusiast, this episode offers a fascinating insight into the work that goes into every new rose.
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Support Our Work!
Don’t forget, if you like the way we are connecting the NZ Flower Farming Community, you can support our work by:
· Advertising in an episode
· Sponsoring an episode or a season or you can
· Buy us a Coffee (make a donation) following this link https://coff.ee/flowerfarmersinnz
Follow Flower Farming in NZ and let us know your favourite rose variety.
To follow Samantha's photography, follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/samanthamatthewsphoto/
• Rose breeding
• Flower farming NZ
• Growing roses
• Cut flower roses
• New Zealand roses
• Rose breeder
• Matthews Nurseries
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Bongo Baby
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Elderflower
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