(1957)  
 
The Story of PERFECTA  ....wonder Rose of 1957
In 1953 I made a trip through Europe, to see what the European hybridists were doing and to learn something about modern breeding methods. At the Kordes nursery I was very impressed with one H.T. from a large number of Karl Herbst seedlings. There were just six or seven plants sitting in a row, and they were smothered with perfect flowers. My enthusiasm was such that Reimer Kordes gave me just ten precious buds of this number 5944-51-1 to try on our nurseries here in Portadown. They were budded on canina and I waited and prayed for the summer of 1954 until I could show the people at home Kordes' new wonder rose. July came, and what a disappointment my wonder rose was. Every flower bud looked as though it had been eaten by thrips. Thoroughly disgruntled I went off to Belgium in search of roses once more. There I heard a whisper about a wonderful new German rose seen on the Kordes nursery. Suspicion got the better of me and I flew to Hamburg and sure enough it was my 1953 discovery about which the Belgians were raving. Mystified, I came home and looked at my own plants—tall and healthy but with no sign of a decent flower. I budded another 50 to keep the variety in stock and forgot about it altogether, Shows and showing occupying all my time. I came home from Newcastle in early August to be greeted with the news that 5944-51-1 was coming into flower again and when I went up to the fields there it was—absolutely magnificent! From there on in we went to town on this rose. It was cut to the ground for buds, and back it came for more. I have never seen a plant which grows so healthily and gives so many strong basal shoots. In 1955 the two-year-old plants gave a wonderful display from beginning to end and in 1956 it was even more profuse. I realised that here was a rose with just about everything. The colour is cream heavily overlaid rose red. The flowers are big and full with natural reflexing petals, held on long stout stems. The habit of plant and foliage is perfection. There is some fragrance, without it being pronounced. Every rose has its faults but to my mind Perfecta has only one. As a maiden the plant grows so vigorously that the first flowers are rough. That is why I was so disappointed in it at first. As the plant matures this failing disappears. I mention this because I want you to know all about Perfecta. I want you to buy it as I feel it is a rose with a tremendous future. It should be just about invincible on the show bench as it knocks Peace into a cocked hat for form and substance. The Belgians are going for it in a big way as a cut flower. Last summer I saw it growing near Ghent and it was a wow. I've also seen it in California and New York—in both places it was the best rose on view. As a disease resistant prolific garden rose it is a "must" for your garden. While there will be plenty of top quality plants for sale in autumn 1957,1 advise you to order early as the demand for Perfecta will be terrific. I know you will become as enthusiastic about Perfecta as I am. Sam McGredy

Technical Data
PERFECTA H.T.
RAISER: W. Kordes Söhne, Germany
ARENTAGE: Spek's Yellow x Karl Herbst.
AWARDS: Gold Medal, N.R.S. (subject to Trial Ground Certificate). First Class Certificate, Glasgow.
PRICE: 10/6 each, 120/- per dozen