THE EARLY FLORIBUNDAS

First Section: Floribundas Proper

by

Brent C. Dickerson

Copyright © Brent C. Dickerson



To facilitate study of the history and development of the Floribunda class, the following offers for a limited time illustrative materials pertaining to the text The Early Floribundas, by Brent C. Dickerson, published 2020. In most cases, the illustrations come from materials at least somewhat contemporary with the roses they depict. This collection of images was originally put together as a private aid to my research, and are for study only, and not to be reproduced for commercial purposes.

To make it easier to get a sense of how the group developed, this collection of images is in chronological order, determined by the year in which the particular variety was introduced (released to commerce), which is not necessarily the date of being first exhibited, and certainly not the date of first being bred (for instance, the two varieties considered the first "official" Floribundas, 'Else Poulsen' and 'Kirsten Poulsen', appear below under 1924, even though they were bred circa 1911). To find a specific variety quickly on this page, please use the search function on your browser. Those wishing further details on these roses will find them, often in baroque—even maddening—profusion, in the book.

The images posted here have been taken directly from the original publications (not from any secondary sources), with minimal changes (clean-up, re-sizing, and the like). As the reader will note, many of these images are not the usual close-up glamour shots but rather showing plants "in habitat," which with Floribundas (and their forebears) means "as bedding plants." In compiling a collection such as this, one is struck by how often competing companies used the very same image (or details from it) in their catalogs, not to mention by the horticultural press as well; the implication is that such images were originally supplied by the breeder without restriction, as a come-on or publicity for the new rose. I have not sought to compile here an exhaustive collection of images of these roses, but rather to give the reader a quick notion of salient characteristics that the breeder or grower might have found of interest in their pursuits. Sadly, I have not been able to obtain illustrations of some of the early Floribundas discussed in the book; even images of some of the important early ones have remained elusive.

I would like to warmly thank California State University, Long Beach, for its generous support of making this research material available to those interested in the study of horticultural history.



1909:

'Gruss an Aachen'



1911:

'Rødhætte'



1921:

'Joseph Guy' (syn. 'Lafayette')



1923:

'Mrs. R.M. Finch'


'Salmon Spray'



1924:

'Else Poulsen'


'Kirsten Poulsen'



1925:

'Pink Lafayette'



1928:

'Belvédère'


'Johanna Tantau'



1929:

'Pink Gruss an Aachen'



1930:

'Frau Astrid Späth'



1933:

'Bonnie Jean'


'Fortschritt'


'Goldenes Mainz'



1934:

'Mevrouw van Straaten van Nes' (syn. 'Permanent Wave')


'Rochester'



1935:

'Anne-Mette Poulsen'


'Betty Prior'


'Carillon'


'Fluffy Ruffles'


'Little Beauty'


'Springtime'


'Topaz'



1936:

'Baby Château'


'Pink Karen'


'Snowbank'


'Violinista Costa'



1937:

'Dainty Maid'


'Orange Triumph'


'Rosenelfe'


'Smiles'



1938:

'Donald Prior'


'Else's Rival'


'Erna Grootendorst'


'Freude'


'Holstein'


'Minna Kordes' (syn. 'World's Fair')

See also, under 1942, 'Magic Red', with a picture of a bouquet which includes 'Magic Red' and 'Minna Kordes'.


'Poulsen's Yellow'


'Stadt Essen'



1939:

'Adolf Grille'


'Poulsen's Pink'



1940:

'Bouquet'


'Cheerio' (Kordes/Dreer)

(See also image at top of page.)


'Eutin'


'Lipstick'


'Meisterstück'


'Pink Jewel'


'Pinocchio'


'Poulsen's Copper'


'Red Velvet'

(See image at top of page.)


'Sunmist'

(See image at top of page.)



1941:

'Cheer'



1942:

'Magic Red'

In the picture below, of an arrangement with 'Magic Red'(of 1942) and 'Minna Kordes' (of 1938), 'Minna Kordes' makes a large "C" curving from above to left then beneath, while 'Magic Red' is on the inside of the "C."


'Marionette'


'Niobe'


'Red Ripples'



1943:

'Floradora'



1944:

'August Seebauer'


'Pink Bountiful'


'Red Sweetheart'



1945:

'Goldilocks'


'New World'


'Pink Satin'



By 1946:

'Kirsten Poulsen Improved' (red one, on right and lower)



Backyard of average Floribunda fancier.



Details on these roses and many others of the era will be found in the book The Early Floribundas, by Brent C. Dickerson, published 2020.



Click here to go to Section 2 on Non-Floribundas.