As we leave the 1920’s behind and the birth of suburban life begins the modern Floribunda Rose starts to make an appearance. Compact and free flowering, this style of rose was just what modern gardeners were looking for. Initially these roses were known as Hybrid Polyanthas which means many flowered. The Americans, who were leaders in the development of this new style of rose, preferred the term Floribunda which they started to use in the 1930’s and this is the term still used by Rosarians today.
Poulsen Roses of Denmark did some of the initial breeding of Floribundas producing a rose called Red Riding Hood which led to two more Floribundas called Else Poulsen and Kirsten Poulsen introduced in 1924. The American Nursery Jackson and Perkins continued the development and introduction of many new Floribundas and at one time this family owned nursery was renowned as the world’s largest rose grower. To name drop just a few famous Floribundas: - where would we be without Iceberg (and its many permutations), Margaret Merrill, Sexy Rexy or Satchmo? A personal favourite of mine is Queen Elizabeth, not because I am an avid royalist but it was the first rose I learnt the name and history of when I was a budding pre-teen gardener. The main characteristic of Floribunda Roses is that their flowers are carried in large clusters or sprays giving a mass display often from spring right through to autumn.
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