Book  (1988)  Page(s) 95.  
 
Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses for 1987-88 Season
'Maestro'. MACkinju. McGredy 1981. blends of red; 8 reports; 9 bushes; 4 years; 1.5m. 6.8 rating. Apart from one Central Taranaki reporter, who feels there are better roses to talk about and have in one's garden, last year's sentiments are again repeated. A report from South Canterbury says it does well in all aspects. The necks are sometimes weak and the petals can burn; otherwise an excellent rose of unusual colouring and exceptional health.

Book  (1987)  Page(s) 94.  
 
Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses for 1986-87 Season
'Maestro'. McGredy 1981; red blend; 28 petals; 11 reports; 15 bushes; 1-5 years; 1.4 m; 6.8 rating. Grows exceedingly well in Taupo, but about average in the remainder of the North Island. One Kaitaia reporter says the colour is wonderful, but the bush grows almost too tall. Waikato says the blooms droop in the heat. Bay of Plenty loves the colour, but it burns. Several others mention that the stem necks are too weak to support the blooms. Generally, North Islanders find 'Maestro' good in the garden because of its health and unusual colour.

Book  (1986)  Page(s) 12.  Includes photo(s).
 
Dear Joyce had real fun trying to capture 'Maestro'. . . it is painted to the eyes! I coined the expression "hand-painted" to describe 'Picasso' when it was marketed for the first time in 1971.....I wasn't really looking for change when I continued to breed in this strain. I was only trying to emphasise the two-tone colouring. But it has happened. 'Priscilla Burton' can vary from pale pink to almost purple. 'Maestro' goes mad, too. At times it can be a washy pink with a stripy overlay of chutney red. At other times it can be much darker, as in Joyce's painting. I have a bloom in from of me at the moment which is almost deep scarlet throughout. There is absolutely nothing even remotely like 'Maestro'. It has to rate ten out of ten for novelty. Everyone who sees it, talks about it, and most seem to like it. I like it best when it is pale, heavily washed with the deeper colour. The fact that the rose stands out in a crowd is important. There is more to it than that. I've yet to see it fall prey to either powdery or downy mildew, and it is very strongly resistant to blackspot and rust. As I write it is our midsummer and I have a block of two-year-old plants which haven't been sprayed all year. They are overshadowed by a tall block of multiflora kept for making cuttings. .The combination of neglect and drought has taken its toll - except for 'Maestro' which is growing furiously and covered top to bottom with foliage. I should say that I mistreat that block of roses deliberately, so that I can really pick out the healthier growers. I've always done it..... When roses are neglected, the weaker frost-prone varieties just die! Needless to say, I am using 'Maestro' a lot in my breeding programme. It takes patience. In every rose there are dominant and recessive genes which transmit their characteristics in Mendelian fashion to the next generation. Unfortunately, small flower size, weak necks, few petals and a number of other nasty faults dominate 'Maestro's next generation, but the health comes through every time, so I haven't given up hope.
'Maestro'. H. T. Raised by Sam McGredy, New Zealand in 1981. Bred from a sister seedling to 'Picasso' x unnamed seedling. Easily the most novel rose of recent years.

Book  (1986)  Page(s) 109.  
 
Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses in 1985-86 Season.
'Maestro' McGredy 1981; (('Marlena' x 'Evelyn Fison') x ('Orange Sweet Heart' x 'Fruhlingsmorgen') x ('Little Darling' x 'Goldilocks') x ('Hamburger Phoenix' x 'Danse de Feu') x ('John Church' x 'Elizabeth of Glamis')); red blends; 28 petals; 4 reports; 3 years; 1 m; 7.0 rating. Northland says it is eye-catching, but has too few blooms, which have weak necks. The plant is vigorous and healthy. Hastings says the colour is intriguing, blooms have weak necks, but the plant is healthy. Rotorua finds the colour blend rather ugly, but the bush is healthy. Central Taranaki gets fine blooms from a good bush that is healthy and well clothed. With such a complicated parentage, one wondered what the result would be!

Book  (1985)  Page(s) 37.  
 
Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses for 1984-85 Season.
'Maestro'. McGredy 1981 ('Marlena' x 'Evelyn Fison' x 'Orange Sweetheart' x 'Fruhllngsmorgen) x ('Little Darling' x 'Goldilocks' x 'Hamburger' x 'Phoenix' x 'Dance due Feu' x 'John Church' x 'Elizabeth of Glarnis') 28 petals, red blend, 3 reports, 3 bushes, 2 years, 1.2 metres, 7.0 rating. With a parentage as involved as this one has, one rather wonders just what 'Maestro' would be, but three reporters talk of a good colour, fascinating ever changing colour, good repeat, but with weak necks. Hastings say it is healthy and good growing; Rotorua has a poor grower and consequently not enough blooms. I wonder which parent brought in the weak neck tendency?!!!

Book  (1982)  Page(s) 133.  
 
Egmont Roses advertisement. 'Maestro' (Mackinju). HT. The first hand painted HT in bizzarre chutney red and cream. McGredy 1981.

Book  (1981)  Page(s) 133.  Includes photo(s).
 
Photo. 'Maestro'. Raiser S. McGredy. Scored 68.9 in the Trials.

Book  (1981)  Page(s) 237.  
 
John Mattock Ltd. advertisement.
1981 will see the introduction of several new roses by John Mattock Ltd. 'Maestro' (MACkinju). At last, the first hand-painted Hybrid Tea (or Large-Flowered) variety. Naturally it is from Sam McGredy in New Zealand and has a bright crimson flower, heavily flecked, and edged white.

Book  (1981)  Page(s) 162.  
 
The Rose Trials. The following are varieties planted in autumn 1977 or spring 1978 and which finished their trial in 1980. T.G. 3882. Mackinju McGredy, HT. red

Book  (1978)  Page(s) 100.  
 
Sam McGredy. A Hand-Painted Family Tree
MACspato x MACbroey has given me the first true hand-painted Hybrid Tea in a most unusual shade of chutney red and cream. And it is healthy and vigorous. That is MACkinju seedlings from which will flower this year for the first time. I cannot wait.

p101. Breeding chart which shows the parentage of MACkinju: MACspato x MACbroey