User:MauraWen/sandbox Jack Harkness

Harkness Roses (a trading name of R. Harkness & Co. Ltd) are rose breeders based at Hitchin, Hertfordshire in England. The nursery was founded in 1879 in Yorkshire. Early varieties included a sport of 'Heinrich Schultheis' introduced in 1893 as 'Mrs. Harkness'. In the 1950s, Harkness popularized 'Frensham' and 'Ena Harkness', both developed by amateur Albert Norman, and for a time 'Ena Harkness' was the most popular red hybrid tea rose in the world.

Ted Hughes worked for the firm during the summer of 1955: "The job is following round the expert as he grafts expensive rose-buds onto common bushes, and doing all the trimming and tying-up-with-raffia—a back-breaking job apparently, but outside, and with roses, and with good employers." §

Jack Harkness
Jack Harkness (1918—1994) worked for the family's rose-growing firm from 1937 to 1977, with time out for army service in World War II.

In the early 1960's, he began developing new rose cultivars with the goal of better health. He went on to win a medal in Rome and a prize in Paris for a red-and-white shrub rose named Marjorie Fair. Its admirers have called it spectacular. Other awards for his breeding work, which was in association with Alec Cocker, came from the United States and Australia.

Varieties introduced

 * 'Mrs. Harkness' (1893)
 * 'Frensham'
 * 'Ena Harkness'
 * 'Alexander' (1972)
 * 'Compassion' (1972)
 * 'Yesterday' (1974)
 * 'Margaret Merrill' (1977)
 * 'Anne Harkness' (1979)
 * 'Amber Queen' (1983)
 * 'Bill Slim' (1987)
 * 'Bridge of Sighs' (2000)
 * 'Rosa Belmonte' (2007)
 * 'Soham Rose' (2003) in memory of the victims of the Soham murders

Jack Harkness (1918-1994) was a British award-winning rose hybridizer, who has created more than 100 rose varieties, including eleven All America Rose Selections (AARS).

Career
Harkness started breeding roses in 1962. His goal was to breed healthier roses. Harkness's early successes were all Hybrid teas like 'Alexander' (1972) or 'Compassion' (1972). These were followed by Floribunda with large, hybrid tea shaped flowers. Examples are 'Margaret Merril) (1977), 'Amber Queen', (1983) and Bill Slim (1987).

Selected roses
site=the National Gardening Association Plants Database |accessdate=3 July 2019}}

Rose gallery
