War of the Roses: Winners From the 2014 Biltmore International Rose Trials

See which beautiful roses received the highest honors at the Biltmore Estate's second annual international rose trials.

Related To:

Shop This Look

Photo By: Image courtesy of Biltmore Estate

The Competition

The Biltmore International Rose Trials, established in 2011 by the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, draws competitors from around the world. Roses are judged over a 2-year growing period and are evaluated four times each year before awards are presented at the historic Biltmore Rose Garden.

'Miracle on the Hudson'

A big winner for 2014, 'Miracle on the Hudson', bred by California resident Neil Rippetoe, took best in show with the George & Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose Of The Trials as well as the Chauncey Beadle Award for Best Shrub, the Lord Burleigh Award for Most Disease Resistant and the William Cecil Award for Best Growth Habit.

What Makes a Winner?

Open to amateur and professional breeders. new varieties of roses are judged on growth habit and vigor, bud and flowers, recurrent bloom, fragrance and resistance to disease.

'Honorine de Brabant'

'Honorine de Brabant' claimed the Award of Excellence For Best Established Rose at this year’s Biltmore International Rose Trials. Breeders typically spend 4-5 years developing a breed before entering it in the trials.

'Tequila Supreme'

'Tequila Supreme', bred by Meilland in France, received the Edith Wharton Award for Best Floribunda for its large flowers and thick clustering.

'Sweet Drift'

Bred by Meilland in France, 'Sweet Drift' received the Frederick Law Olmsted Award for Best Groundcover.

'Bajazzo'

'Bajazzo', bred by Kordes in Germany, won the Gilded Age Award for Best Climber.

'Pookah'

The Honorable John Cecil Award for Open Group winner was 'Pookah', bred by James Delahanty.

Annual Judging

Jury member Susan V. Fox surveys the competition in Biltmore’s Rose Garden. Over 90 varieties are planted on the grounds. 2014 competitors were planted in May of 2012 and tended by expert horticulturists.

'Francis Meilland'

'Francis Meilland', bred by Meilland in France, received the Pauline Merrell Award for Best Hybrid Tea Rose. Hybrid tea roses are the most popular type of rose grown around the world.

'Munstead Wood'

A Biltmore Rose Trial entry bred by the famous David Austin Roses, 'Munstead Wood' won the Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil Award for Most Fragrant Rose. Rose trials are more common in Europe, but interest has grown in the United States in recent years.

International Competition

Roses planted in the Biltmore rose garden are assessed in May, August, October and January for two years by a permanent judging panel. An international panel of breeders, state and municipal representatives, journalists, growers and artists convene annually for final judging.

We Recommend

How to Grow Patio Roses in Containers

Formal English Rose Garden With Boxwoods, Antique Sculptures 7 Photos

500 Operands are not of the same type: comparison is supported for Number types only.

Operands are not of the same type: comparison is supported for Number types only.

Cannot serve request to /content/hgtv-com/en/outdoors/gardens/photo-galleries/2015/w/war-of-the-roses-winners-from-the-2014-biltmore-international-rose-trials.html on this server

ApacheSling/2.7 (jetty/9.4.42.v20210604, Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 1.8.0_271, Linux 4.14.256-197.484.amzn2.x86_64 amd64)