Dickson Nurseries is a family owned rose nursery, notable for some of the cultivars it developed, and based in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. [2]
Dickson Nurseries is a family owned rose nursery, notable for some of the cultivars it developed, and based in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. [2]
The nursery was founded by Alexander Dickson I (1801–1880) in 1836. His sons Hugh (c. 1831–1904) and George I (1832–1914) both became interested in roses. The firm became Alexander Dickson and Sons. A separate firm, Royal Nurseries, was founded by Hugh in 1869. With the help of George's sons Alexander II (December 20, 1857 – 1949) and George II they started breeding roses in the late 1870s. The main firm later changed its name to Dicksons of Hawlmark and finally became Dickson Nurseries when it moved from Hawlmark to Milecross Road, Newtownards, in 1969. [3]
The BBC reported that the business might close in 2019.
Introducing themselves as breeders at the National Rose Society Show in London in 1886, the Dicksons exhibited two Hybrid Perpetuals and a Tea Rose ('Earl of Dufferin', 'Lady Helen Stewart' and 'Ethel Brownlow'). Later came cultivars like George I's famous pink Hybrid Tea 'Mrs. W.J. Grant' (1892) or his cherry red Hybrid Perpetual 'Tom Wood' (1896). [4]
Alexander II worked for the nursery between 1872 and 1930. He became the most prolific of Dickson breeders (242 roses), most notably of the 'Irish' series of single Hybrid Teas issued between 1900 and 1914 (e.g. 'Irish Elegance' in 1905); of 'George Dickson (1912); of 'Kitchener of Khartoum' and 'Kootenay' (1917); of 'Kathleen Harrop' (1919); and of 'Dame Edith Helen'. [5]
Many rose names such as Hugh's 'Ulster Gem' (1917) — and the name Royal Nurseries itself – show that the family regarded itself as part of the United Kingdom, not of a separate Ireland.
Alexander II was followed by his son, Alexander III (1893–October 15, 1975), whose 57 named roses include 'Sir Winston Churchill' (1955), 'Red Devil' (1965) and 'Nana Mouskouri' (1975), though his career was inhibited by the Second World War. [6]
From 1957 Alexander Patrick (1926–2012), called Patrick, bred 156 roses for the company, introducing varieties such as 'Sea Pearl' (1964), 'Grandpa Dickson' (1966), 'Redgold' (1967) and 'Elina' (1983). [7]
Since 1977 Colin Dickson (1956– ), rosarian of the sixth generation, has been the main rose breeder. Cultivars created include 'Beautiful Britain' (1983), 'Sweet Magic' (1996), 'Irish Eyes' (2000) and 'Whisper' (2002). [8]
Many cultivars created by the Dickson family are known worldwide and were granted several rose awards. The following table shows a selection:
GM - Gold Medal; PIT - President's International Trophy (Great Britain)
| Name | Form | Colour | Date | Awards | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elina | Hybrid tea | pale yellow | 1984 | New Zealand Gold Star of the South Pacific 1987; World's Favourite 2006 |  |
| Freedom | Hybrid Tea | yellow | 1984 | RNRS GM 1983; The Hague Gold Medal 1992 |  |
| Kitchener of Khartoum | Hybrid Tea | red | 1917 | RNRS GM 1916 |  |
| Red Devil | Hybrid Tea | red | < 1965 | Japanese GM 1967; Belfast GM 1969; Portland GM 1970 |  |
| Red Planet | Hybrid Tea | red | 1970 | PIT & RNRS GM 1969 |  |
| Grandpa Dickson | Hybrid Tea | yellow | 1966 | PIT & RNRS GM 1965; The Hague GM 1966; Belfast GM 1968; Portland GM 1970 |  |
| Benita | Floribunda | yellow | 1944 | Dublin GM 1990; Breeder's Choice 1995 |  |
| Whisper | Hybrid Tea | white | 2002 | All-America Rose Selection 2003 |  |
Roses by Dickson, rose photos sorted by breeder
Joseph Pernet-Ducher (1859–1928) was a French rose breeder who is recognized for his work in the development of the modern Hybrid tea rose. Pernet and his father, Jean Pernet, worked together in the 1880s to develop the first yellow remontant Hybrid perpetual rose. After Jean Pernet's death in 1896, Pernet-Ducher continued their work and later introduced 'Soleil d'Or' in 1900. 'Soleil d'Or' initiated a new class of tea roses known as Pernetiana roses and is considered the ancestor of the modern Hybrid tea rose.
Rosa 'La France' is a pink rose cultivar found in France in 1867 by the rosarian Jean-Baptiste André Guillot (1827–1893). It is generally accepted to be the first hybrid tea rose. Its introduction is therefore also considered the birth of the modern rose. As the cultivar was not systematically bred, its hybrid parentage can only be speculated, but 'Madame Falcot' is considered as a possible parent.
W. Kordes' Söhne is a German rose breeding company in Klein Offenseth-Sparrieshoop in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The company is one of the world's leading rose breeders and producers for cut roses and garden roses, annually selling worldwide more than two million rose plants at retail and wholesale. Each year, more than 50,000 new crosses of garden roses and cut roses are tested, leading to four to six marketable varieties after a trial period of eight to ten years.
Peter Lambert was a German rose breeder from Trier.
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Rosa'Elina' is a light yellow hybrid tea rose bred by Patrick Dickson of Northern Ireland in 1983. The variety was developed from the white floribunda 'Nana Mouskouri' and the apricot hybrid tea 'Lolita'.
The Rosa 'George Burns' is a yellow and red striped Floribunda rose cultivar, developed in the United States by Tom Carruth in 1996. The rose was introduced in 1997 by Spring Hill Nurseries.
Rosa 'Primevère' is a yellow hybrid wichurana, a large-flowered climbing rose. The cultivar was bred by French rose breeder, René Barbier in 1929. It is thought to be the best yellow large-flowered Wichurana rambler.
Rosa 'Auguste Gervais is a pale apricot-pink hybrid wichurana, a large-flowered rambling rose that is very popular in France where it was first introduced. The cultivar was bred by French rose breeder, René Barbier in 1916. The rose was awarded the Bagatelle (Paris) Certificat de Mérite in 1919.
Rosa 'Soleil d'Or' is a Foetida hybrid rose cultivar, bred by Joseph Pernet-Ducher and introduced on November 1, 1900. It is the ancestor of all modern Hybrid tea roses and the first yellow-orange rose. Pernet-Ducher later crossed 'Soleil d'Or' with Tea roses to create a new class known as Pernetiana roses.
Rosa 'Léontine Gervais' is an apricot-blend Hybrid wichurana rose cultivar, bred by French rose breeder, René Barbier in 1903. A best selling and popular rambler in the early 20th century, it is often confused with another Barbier rambler, 'Francois Juranville'.
Rosa 'Souvenir de Claudius Pernet' is a medium yellow Hybrid tea rose, bred by French rose breeder, Joseph Pernet-Ducher before 1919. He named the rose for his son Claudius, who was killed in action in World War I. 'Souvenir de Claudius Pernet' is one of the ancestors of the famous 'Peace' rose.
Rosa 'Margaret McGredy' is an orange-red hybrid tea rose, bred by Irish rose breeder Sam McGredy III before 1925. The new rose was awarded the Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) Gold Medal in 1925, but was never commercially successful. 'Margaret McGredy, along with an unnamed seedling, was used to hybridize the legendary hybrid tea rose, 'Peace'.
Rosa 'Joanna Hill' is a yellow hybrid tea rose, bred by American rose breeder, Joseph H. Hill in 1928. 'Joanna Hill is one of the ancestors of the legendary hybrid tea rose, 'Peace'.
Rosa 'Charles P. Kilham' is an orange-red hybrid tea rose, bred by Irish rose breeder, Samuel McGredy III before 1926. The rose was introduced in France in 1926 and Australia in 1927. It won the Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) gold medal in 1927. 'Charles P. Kilham' is one of the ancestors of the legendary hybrid tea rose, 'Peace'.
Rosa 'George Dickson' is a medium red hybrid tea rose bred by Alexander Dickson II of Northern Ireland in 1912. It was one of the Dickson nursery's early commercial successes and was a popular rose with the public. It was awarded the Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) gold medal in 1911 and is an ancestor of the legendary 'Peace' rose.
Joseph Rambaux (1820–1878) was a gardener and rose breeder from Lyon, France. He is considered the patriarch of the legenday Meilland family, award-winning rose breeders for six generations. The rose variety he is best remembered for is the Polyantha, 'Perle d'Or', introduced in France in 1883. 'Perle d'Or' was granted several awards, including the Lyon Gold Medal in 1883, and the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993.
Marie-Louise ("Louisette") Paolino Meilland (1920–1987) was a French rose breeder and co-owner of Meilland International in France. She was married to renowned rose breeder, Francis Meilland, who bred the world famous 'Peace' rose in the 1930s. After her husband died in 1958, she took over the family business and continued to breed roses. During her long career, Louisette Meilland bred over 120 rose varieties, and received multiple awards for her work.
Rosa 'Baroness Rothchild' is a pink Hybrid Perpetual rose cultivar, bred by Jean Pernet in 1868 and introduced in Australia by St. Kilda Nurseries in 1873 as 'Baroness Rothschild'.