Rosarian's Garden - Frank Strickland

story by: Will Funk

  
 
 
 

With hundreds of thousands of seeds being tested each year by full-time, professional rose hybridizers it’s amazing to think an All-America Rose Selections award recipient would be created by an amateur rose hybridizer in only his third year of effort.  But Frank Strickland and his blending of Brandy and Gold Medal beat the odds and created St. Patrick, a heat resistant, yellow-gold hybrid tea that received the nod from AARS judges in 1996.

Strickland became interested in hybridizing roses while a member of the Inland Valley Rose Club in Southern California.  He remembers seeing a presentation at the club by hybridizers Jack Christensen and Joe Winchel and decided to give it a try.  Strickland admits the first two years didn’t go too well proving to be a steep learning curve.  But he was learning.  In his third year for one of his hybrids he used Brandy as a seed parent and Gold Medal as the pollen resulting in a distinctly yellow colored hybrid tea. 

Growing in the hot temperatures of the Inland Empire east of Los Angeles provides a test for roses.  Yellow roses commonly don’t fare well in these harsh conditions.  However, St. Patrick not only thrives in heat but also produces a unique green hued coloration as the temperature increases.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Strickland began work on St. Patrick in about 1986.  He continued hybridizing roses, working with about 6,000 seeds each year during his peak.  Tom Carruth, lead hybridizer at Weeks Roses, worked with Strickland introducing the flower to the public.  It was also entered in the All-American Rose Selections trails, ultimately capturing the award in 1996.  Not bad for only your third year as a hybridizer!

 Strickland may have slowed down his pace in the last few years, down to about 2,000 new seed each season, but his enthusiasm remains.  “I’m still having fun,” advises Strickland who has had a few other commercial introductions since St. Patrick.  He initially thought it would be fun to create new roses named after his randdaughters.  As you may have guessed none of the girls are named after the March holiday but the international name for St. Patrick includes the name Amanda in the title, for his eldest granddaughter.

  
 
  Weeks Roses Fourth of July Rose What other roses does Strickland like?  He lists the classic Double Delight among his favorites.  For climbers Strickland noted, “4th of July is fantastic,” the AARS winning climber introduced by Weeks Roses.  Moonstone, Neptune and new Weeks’ introduction Falling in Love also rate highly with Strickland.
  With such a variety among his favorites the amateur hybridizer notes that he enjoys all styles of roses although he favors reds.  He also is concerned with roses that will perform well in the warm Southern California sun.  “They must survive in the heat,” Strickland observes.  
   

Frank Strickland is a man who simply enjoys roses.  His passion is evident as he talks about any aspect of the flower, whether it’s one he created or a classic fragrant variety from the past.  As far as his success goes Strickland says, “St. Patrick has blessed us.”  Actually I think it’s all of us that have been blessed by a man willing to share his love for roses with the rest of the world.