One of our own.
"For 22 years, Julie Overom has been on a personal mission to develop the perfect rose for more northern climes — a disease-resistant rose as pretty as a hybrid tea and hardy enough to survive Northern winters without being buried.
What began modestly as a backyard hobby cross-breeding roses grew into full-time research that includes a rose farm in Lake Nebagamon and a 30-by-100-foot, commercial-size greenhouse where she spends long days from mid-April to November plus many hours keeping meticulous records.
In her search for the perfect commercially-released Northern rose, Overom has hybridized tens of thousands of roses over the years, producing more than 10,000 new cultivars she has exposed to disease and harsh winters. Along the way, there’s been plenty of heartbreak when promising cultivars succumb to disease, harsh winters or fail to thrive."
Congratulations Julie!!! I LOVE your Cherry FrostTM rose. It has been hardy in the Twin Cities with minimal dieback, very healthy, and it always has at least some flowers on it through the growing season. The color is a clear red that stays strong and true from beginning to end.
Was it 16 years in the making, or 22? https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/lifestyle/4434624-blooming-success-new-hardy-rose-variety-was-22-years-making
Wonderful news, Julie! And a great article. (I almost think something like that should be pinned at the top of the forum for newbies so that can have a better understanding of this labor of love.) Is the pedigree public?
10,000 seedlings, eh? I’ve got some catching up to do still. At the rate I’m going, I may to need to live a few more centuries.
Congratulations Julie!
I know how hard you worked for this. Breeding roses in Zone 3 is a real challenge, growing your seedlings in pots in the greenhouse and overwintering most of your plants in the basement or at a friend’s house.
OK–thirty minutes spent posting a reply and I can’t get my identity accepted–everything lost. I think I’d rather spend 22 years hybridizing, LOL!
Seriously, I had a nice email from Charles up in Manitoba this morning mentioning the “local press”. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out where he might have heard about a newspaper article in a Duluth, MN paper. Henry, I should have known you’d pick it up! Thank you all for the very kind words and congratulations. This is truly an exciting time for me. I love roses and I love where I live. It has always been my goal to bring the two together in a sustainable manner. What I know for certain is that I have produced a great plant for my yard. The rigorous testing that Conard-Pyle has put my plant through means it has done OK in other locations and I thank them for setting high standards for their plants. I know that no rose is perfect. I know that Cherry Frost is a good rose. What is amazing is that, even though I have reached a point that I considered to be “success”, I failed to realize that success still eludes me right now. It is such an honor to get to this point, but Cherry Frost still needs to be a commercial success–more years of waiting (sigh). But I recognize that I have come a long way and I have enjoyed every minute of the last 22 years. I have learned that enjoying the journey is just as important as reaching the goal. The 16 years in development comment is not precisely correct–you were right, Stephen. I spent the first seven or eight years 1) learning how to germinate seed 2) learning hybridization techniques 3) developing a system that worked for me in my environment (and yes, a greenhouse was pretty much a necessity) and 4) hybridizing the first generation of my own seedlings that became the parents of future generations. Failure was a big part of the learning process. I have no qualms at all about sharing the parentage of Cherry Frost, but until the patent process is completed I am pretty sure that Conard-Pyle would prefer that that information not be shared quite yet. As soon as they give the OK I will happily put it out there. The creation of Cherry Frost was deliberate, but it wouldn’t be here without a certain interesting twist of fate. Hybridizing is a lot of hard work, but whether you want to call it luck or God–some things are beyond our control and can also contribute to our results. Take those happy accidents for the gift they are!
I want you all to know that the friends I have made in this organization have contributed to my results. We encourage each other, we share ideas, we share techniques, and we share plants and pollen. There is so much joy in being able to share our love for this amazing plant. It doesn’t matter where we live–from Maine to California or Minnesota to Texas–our environments are different but the love is universal and we understand each other! We are a small group–but it is wonderful to have friends who understand that we are not truly crazy–just obsessed! You can all reach this point, too. Believe it!
Finally, I have to give a special thanks to David Zlesak, Joe Bergeson, and Peter Harris. Cherry Frost could not possibly have had a more enthusiastic group of cheerleaders. You are all so dear to me!
I was just visiting to post the link to the article, but Henry beat me to it.
I started with 40 plants, and we sold out within hours of the article’s release. I had about 18 reserved prior to the article coming out. There is a demand for hardy roses.
Cherry Frost has done well here in Zone 3b for about six years, and I’m excited to have been able to offer it to my customers.
Congratulations Julie,
Cherry Frost (great name) looks like it could become a classic in many areas of the country, but even more so for Wisconsin and similar cold climes. I am from Wi. and remember how difficult it was to keep a descent rose alive for more than 1, maybe 2 yrs., and then if really lucky (and there was a mild winter) for 3 yrs. Congratulations to what also looks to be a bloom machine, another very favorite attribute.
