I’ll bet you get this sort of request a lot, so please accept my apologies in advance. I wouldn’t ask if I knew any other way to get an answer.
After much Google-searching I have determined that it is indeed possible, within certain limitations, to have a rose named for a loved one. Unfortunately, there is no clear set of instructions available for this process (at least not that I have been able to find on my own). The general consensus I found during my online searching is that I would probably need to contact an independent hybridizer and inquire from there.
Unfortunately, I don’t know anything about the rose world.
I found a service that will name an orchid after someone for $250 but the hybrid arrives in seed form (not to mention I have to select the hybrid type I want and I know less about orchids than I do roses!). I think it would kind of ruin the surprise to give my wife two seeds and tell her to grow herself. I was hoping for something a little more vibrant and tangible.
Any suggestions on how I might go about accomplishing my new goal?
You might get a better responce if you indicated what type and/or color of rose you are interested in.
Oh, ok. I apologize for being vague.
When I say I don’t know anything about roses, I really mean that; I have no idea what types are available or the difference between them so I wouldn’t even know how to begin describing the type of rose she’d like. My wife loves all flowers, except the fake variety.
Her favorite color is red. We had red roses at our wedding.
Chad,
wiroses.com has three exhibition hybrid tea seedlings available for naming; naming rights, registration, and propagation cost $7500 or more.
Dave
I remember reading that there are rules about naming a rose after somebody living. I think you have to have their permission. However you you could name something like “Judith’s Smile” and not invoke that rule.
Chris
The naming process for roses is pretty simple
Hello Chad,
I can name a rose after someone for less than $ 7,500.
At this time I still have about 3 seedlings to name which I tested for about 5 years now.
My BEST one has my own unofficial codename for now :“MAN3/00”.
In the USA you will not get a rose named for under 10000 (ten thousand dollars) I was told by a local hybridizer friend as he just named a rose for a US man. A big rose firm in California charges 75.000 dollars. Sam Mc. Greedy in New Zealand charges 30.000 dollars I read somewhere years ago.
Chad,
One reason for the wide variation in naming costs has to do with the distribution of the rose. A rose available in limited quantities from select nurseries generally are not very expensive. On the other hand, roses sold nationwide through mass marketers such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Lowes, etc. often cost more. Other considerations would include disease resistance, uniquesness, type of rose such as hybrid tea or shrub, etc. If you simply want a registered rose named after a loved one then I suggest you go with the least cost alternative.It’s really a matter of availabilty. All the suggestions here have been good ones. A lot of work goes into developing a new variety but it’s worth it to have a rose named for someone you care about.