Rose Breeder  

Listing last updated on Sat Apr 2025

Havering-atte-Bower
Romford, Essex
United Kingdom

BENTALL, John A. [Joseph H. and Florence Pemberton 's gardener since 1920]
BENTALL, Ann (Anne): The widow of the Rev. Pemberton's gardener.

[From Modern Roses II, p. 19:] J.A. Bentall, Havering, Romford, Essex, England. (Successor to J.H. Pemberton)
[From A Heritage of Roses, by Hazel le Rougetel, p. 117:] In 1932, contrary to belief that it was a sport, [Ann Bentall] bred 'The Fairy' from 'Paul Crampel', a dwarf pompom and 'Lady Gay', the Edwardian rambler.
[From Botanica's Roses, p. 677:] Bentall was active in the 1920s and the 1930s in Essex, following Pemberton...
[From A Hillside of Roses, by Susan Irvine, p. 163:] 'Autumn Delight' was bred by Pemberton's long-time assistant and beneficiary, John Bentall.

[From Signore in Rosa, by Michele Mollia, May 2005:] Ann Bentall, wife of John, both gardeners to the Reverend Joseph Pemberton. The couple was well knit and efficient and Ann learns, in addition to all gardening techniques, also those relating to the cultivation, propagation and hybridization of roses. Following the deaths of Pemberton and his sister Florence in the 1920s, the Bentalls set up their own nursery - Brokenbacks Nursery, in the same village of Havering-atte-Bower, Essex. Ann continues to hybridize and hers are the very famous 'The Fairy' (1932) which seems to anticipate the subsequent Ballerina ground cover varieties by at least sixty years; the delightful 'Buff Beauty' (1939), a favorite among the shrub roses which has not lost ground even when compared with the numerous new varieties that followed; 'Ballerina' (1937), which has had so many progeny beginning, among the best known, with 'Yesterday' (1974) and 'Marjorie Fair' (1977) both by Harkness as well as many shrubs by the Belgian hybridizer Louis Lens. And again, 'Belinda' (1936) which bears the name of Ann's daughter; 'Nancy' with red clusters with white center and 'Rosaleen' (1933), dark red, no longer available to us today.