Tarvin's Best Kept Secret – Rose of the Year for the Jones's

We can now reveal Tarvin's best kept Secret.... C & K Jones, AKA Jones the Rose of Barrow Lane, Tarvin have, together with their colleagues at Weeks Roses, California won the prestigious honour of Rose of the Year 2025 with this utterly gorgeous creation called "You're my Everything".

Our very own horticultural superstars, Rachael and Keith Jones have had to keep this under their hats for 2 years....Their friend and TOL editor, Fi Miles explains how they did it and why they have had to keep it a secret...

The British Association of Rose Breeders (BARB) Rose of the year competition is by invitation only to breeders and growers of unnamed seedlings. There are several trial stations around the country (qualified nurseries who grow the plants either in the ground or in pots) The plants are judged over 2 years for performance, health, general vigour and so on. They're judged by the country's top rose growers, breeders and experts.

"You're My Everything" was hybridised in America by Christian Bedard, the breeder at Weeks Roses in California. C & K Jones are Weeks' Roses UK agents and testing and growing nursery. New varieties from Weeks are tested and carefully assessed by Keith and Rachael for over 3 years to ensure that they are good enough to be sold in the U.K. market, this is especially important considering the U.K.'s bizarre climate. Rachael and Keith entered the competition on Christian's behalf.. They knew that they had won this prestigious accolade over 2 years ago but had to keep the award a secret. Here's why...

Once they are aware of the award, the winner has to spend the next 2 years making sure they have enough propagating material to supply the rose trade the following year so the nurseries can grow the required amount of rose plants to be available to sell to customers once the award was announced to the press.. The propagating material is known as "Bud Wood" – essentially this is stems of the rose with several "eyes" which are sent to growers and grafted or "budded" on to rose rootstock that has been planted in the fields by specialist rose growers like C & K Jones to create the final rose plants that can be sold to customers as bare root or potted up the following summer. This autumn most nurseries and garden centres should have it for sale .

The rose was launched and the award was presented at Ilford Manor in Wiltshire last Thursday to invited journalists.

Ed: Well done Keith and Rachael – it really is a gorgeous rose and Chris would be so proud!