A ROSE IS A ROSE IS A ROSE ... ... UNLESS IT'S THE LATEST OFFERING FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM.

Byline: Karen Dardick Correspondent

Roses, roses and more roses. Just when we think our gardens can't possibly hold another rose bush, along come new varieties to tantalize and beguile us. It happens each and every January, when the latest introductions tempt us beyond measure.

Roses that get the most attention are those winners of a rigorous test program conducted by the All-America Rose Selections (AARS). Rose companies enter their very best varieties, which are assigned code numbers and then grown in more than 30 specially designated AARS test gardens throughout the United States. Miniature, floribunda, grandiflora, hybrid tea and shrub roses are grown and evaluated for two years. Climbers are given an additional year.

The roses are evaluated for 15 traits, including disease resistance, hardiness, growth habits, flower production, flower forms, colors, fragrance and overall appearance.

In past years, hybrid tea roses dominated the competition. 2001 is one of the few years when a hybrid tea variety wasn't among the winners. Perhaps this is an indication of American gardeners' changing tastes. Where once the standard of beauty was the high-centered elegant bud and flower form of a hybrid tea rose, now the attractive appearance of the entire rose bush is also highly regarded by garden enthusiasts who value their use in landscapes.

In 2001, the AARS winners are Glowing Peace, a grandiflora; Sun Sprinkles, a miniature; and Marmalade Skies, a floribunda.

Glowing Peace was created by the famed French House of Meilland, the same company that created the beloved Peace rose. Glowing Peach was named for its illustrious grandparent. Although Peace is a hybrid tea, this offspring is a round, bushy grandiflora that grows to 4 feet by 3 feet. Its large, round buds open to 3-inch blossoms of golden yellow and cantaloupe orange blended petals, with light tea fragrance. This variety is very disease resistant, and like its famous relative has glossy, deep green foliage.

Sun Sprinkles is only the fifth miniature rose ever to win AARS honors, and is the first to do so since 1993. The upright bush reaches 24 inches. Its high, pointed oval buds spiral open to form 2-inch, petite bright yellow blooms with moderate spicy fragrance. The dark green, glossy foliage is very disease-resistant. This variety was hybridized by John Walden for Bear Creek Gardens.

As the name implies, Marmalade Skies produces brilliant orange tangerine blooms. This floribunda, created also by the House of Meilland, has olive green satiny foliage and clusters of five to eight blooms per stem. Growth habit is compact - 3 feet by 3 feet - with good disease resistance.

If you prefer roses with strong fragrance, consider the new English Legend series of roses created by Harkness of England. Harkness roses have won many awards throughout the world with old-fashioned flowers and strong fragrance. They're available only by mail order from Heirloom Roses in Oregon. According to John Clements, owner of Heirloom Roses, this new series offers the rich fragrance and old-fashioned charm of antique roses with the virtues of modern breeding emphasizing disease resistance.

Austin roses have the reputation of growing very large in the abundant sunshine of Southern California. The English Legend roses are so new to our shores that it's not yet known if they'll do the same.

Shrub roses continue to grow in popularity. Romantica Roses, from the House of Meilland, are France's entry into an increasingly popular category. The Romantica Roses offer strong disease resistance and old- fashioned flowers on shrubs small enough to fit into urban gardens. However, I found the first wave of introductions sadly lacking in fragrance. This year, several new varieties are available, and these have stronger fragrance.

Among the newcomers are Francois Rabelais, with red wine quartered flowers; Peter Mayle, with deep pink very fragrant flowers; and Michelangelo, a hybrid tea with lemon yellow flowers and a slight citrus scent. This variety is a tall grower and produces very long stems. Carefree Sunshine is another introduction by Meilland. This shrub rose is also a large plant and produces light yellow flowers on arching canes.

Another noteworthy new variety is Outta the Blue, a shrub with fragrant magenta flowers and excellent disease resistance. It was hybridized by Tom Carruth of Altadena for Weeks Roses of Upland. Another of his creations is one of the most outstanding yellow roses to date. Named Mellow Yellow, this is an exceptional hybrid tea that produces numerous bright yellow roses that retain their intense yellow color from bud through mature flower. This is a rare feat for roses growing in hot climates like ours. The plant has glossy green leaves with excellent disease resistance. An upright grower with moderate spread, it fits well into any landscape.

With the exception of the English Legend roses, all these varieties are available at local nurseries. Contact Heirloom Roses for a color catalog on its Web site www.heirloomroses.com or by calling [phone].

Pruning made simple

Look out in your garden and you'll probably notice your roses are beginning to behave as they do in spring. Bud eyes are swelling, new leaves are forming - it's definitely time to give the plants their annual pruning. As soon as the rain-saturated ground dries, you'll have to pull out your shears.

This seems to be the one task that fills most gardeners with dread. I believe part of the hesitation to pick up the shears and cut and snip is in part due to the misinformation and mystique surrounding what is really a simple procedure.

There are just a few things to keep in mind during this annual rose ritual.

First and foremost: Don't pay attention to most of the advice in rose books. These books are written for a national audience, and much of the information doesn't apply to our climate. For example, one of the most common recommendations is that gardeners should prune the canes to 18 inches in height. This is true if you garden in a cold climate, but not when you live here!

Also, much of the information about care of roses comes from people who are mainly interested in exhibiting them. They want very long stems and large flowers. Most people, however, only care what the roses do in their gardens. So longer canes, and more of them, results in vivid landscape displays.

You can achieve success with your pruning efforts if you simplify the whole procedure. Here's what to do:

1. Know the types of rose bushes.

Hybrid tea roses require a different type of pruning effort than do shrubs or floribundas. In general, for hybrid tea and grandiflora roses, remove one-half to two-thirds of the previous year's growth. For example, if your Gold Medal rose is 8 feet tall, cut the canes back by half. Even though you'll end up with 4-foot long canes instead of the common recommendation of 18 inches, the bush will thrive.

For shrubs and floribundas, prune one-third to one-half and concentrate on shaping the plant into a symmetrical mound.

Miniature roses are usually grown on their own roots and are very easy to manicure. Just cut the plant down to ground level. Then use your hand (protected by a heavy glove) to shake the plant and break off any dead canes in the center.

2. Leaves should be stripped from all rose bushes and removed from the garden. This helps combat rose diseases and encourages healthy new growth. Yellow and apricot roses of all types perform better if they are pruned only slightly - approximately one-third of the previous year's growth. They are very slow to recover if they are pruned more severely (this includes Peace, one of the most popular roses).

3. You might notice a bush has produced a thick new cane from its base (the bud union). This basal break often grows tall and produces branches at its tip. This branching is called a ``candelabra.'' This is highly desirable and you want to keep most of it intact. Keep the lower two or three branches of this candelabra and pinch out only the middle branches.

4. Before you prune any of your roses, be sure that your shears are freshly sharpened. It's also wise to dip the shears in a diluted solution of bleach and water before going to another bush. This keeps disease from spreading from plant to plant.

5. Be sure to remove all dead or diseased canes. Sometimes, a cane will turn black at the top and die back slowly to its base. Be sure to remove all of this unhealthy growth. It isn't necessary to seal the ends of the canes. This advice is for gardeners in other parts of the nation, who prune roses when cane borers are active. In our part of the nation, these burrowing insects do their greatest damage in late spring through fall, so sealing canes now won't deter them.

If you need help with pruning, attend one of the excellent demonstrations held at this time of year at the Arboretum in Arcadia (including one today from 9 a.m. to noon; call 626-821-4623), the Huntington Library, Botanical Gardens & Art Collections in San Marino, and Descanso Gardens in La Canada-Flintridge. Also today, all Armstrong Garden Centers are offering a pruning workshop. There are Armstrong stores in Sherman Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Valencia and Glendale. You can watch how the experts prune and also learn what to do with climbing roses and large, arching shrub roses.

Above all, don't panic when you face your roses with shears in hand. You really won't kill the bush when you prune it.

- K.D.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) The floribunda rose Marmalade Skies.

(2 -- color) Another AARS star is Sun Sprinkles, a cheerful miniature rose.

Courtesy All-America Rose Selection

(3 -- 5 -- color) Some of the All-America Rose Selections for 2001 include, clockwise from left, Glowing Peace, a grandiflora; Cameo Perfume; and Carefree Sunshine, a shrub rose.

Courtesy Louise Clements/Heirloom Old Roses

Courtesy Star Roses

Box: Pruning made simple (see text)