The 9th International Fragrant Rose Trial in Echigo Hillside Park, Nagaoka, Japan(Echigo-IFRT)
Details of the result
The International Fragrant Rose Trials is held every year by inviting applications of new fragrant roses
from rose breeders not only in Japan but all around the world. All the applied nursery plants are planted andbrought up for two years under exactly the same condition in the snowy and cold region of Japan. Then,
examination session is held twice every spring and autumn by the Judging Committee comprising ofexperts of roses and fragrances to decide the award winning varieties.
The winning prizes are Gold Award, Silver Award and Bronze Award each for the specified four criteria.
In addition, as special awards, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award is presented
to the highest score winner among the Gold Award Winners, Niigata Prefectural Governor’s Award ispresented to the highest score winner in the fragrance section among the winners of Gold, Silver andBronze Awards, and Nagaoka City Mayor’s Award is presented to the most popular variety among thegeneral guests to the park.

<< Prize Winner Details and Judges’ Comments >>Judging Committee Chairman:
Yoshihiro Ueda, Principal of Gifu International Academy of Horticulture
We received 68 entries in the 9th International Fragrant Rose Trials in total, with 26 Hybrid Teaentries (including Grandiflora varieties), 23 Floribunda entries, 10 Shrub entries, and 9 entries in theMiniature category. This time there were fewer Shrub entries compared with the previous trials.
This year there was a period of low rainfall and high temperatures lasting well into mid-August.
However, from the second half of August an autumn rain front lingered over Japan and weexperienced a prolonged period of cloudy rainy weather. Despite these tough conditions, we wereable to conduct a fair and deliberate examination twice, once in spring and once in autumn. In theHybrid Tea, Floribunda, and Shrub categories we awarded three awards per category, a bronze, asilver and a gold. We also awarded one bronze award in the Miniature category. There were tenaward winners in total.
Sugar Moon was the Gold Award winner in the Hybrid Tea category and also the recipient of theMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award. It is a very well-balanced variety
with a neat and tidy soft white bloom. It was awarded high marks for all characteristics, including
fragrance, disease resistance, hardiness, and particularly vigor.
Kinuka, Gold Award winner in the Floribunda category, is a gorgeous blue rose variety with acuplike bloom. An abundant flowerer, it scored highly for all characteristics.
Gold Award winner in the Shrub category, Helen, is a hardy vigorous variety with a sweet pale pinkrosette bloom on a red stem.
Eternal, Silver Award winner in the Floribunda category, winner of the Niigata Prefectural
Governor's Award, and winner of the Nagaoka City Mayor's Award, is a cheerful blue rose withwavy petals, which scored highly for its fragrance. Its blooms complement the autumn leaves
beautifully making it a favorite among park visitors and thus earning it the Nagaoka City Mayor'sAward.
The sole award winner in the Miniature category, Utsusemi, is a variety that truly captures theessence of Japanese elegance with a stunning gradation of shades of beige on its petals as it blooms.
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<< Prize Winner Details and Judges’ Comments >>Judging Committee Deputy Chairman:
Yuji Ichikawa, Perfumer
We received a total of 68 entries from Japan and overseas for the 9th International Fragrant RoseTrials. This year the climate was particularly harsh on the trial roses with the intense heat of summer
lasting well into mid-August, which was then followed by a prolonged period of cooler weather
triggered by an autumn rain front. Despite these conditions, many roses scored highly and this year
we saw the highest number of award winners to date, with three Gold Awards, three Silver Awards
and four Bronze Awards. This included an award winner in the Miniature category for the first timein a number of years.
The highest overall score was awarded to Sugar Moon, the Gold Award winner in the Hybrid Tea
category and winner of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award. It has aclassic damask fragrance described as “a striking rose fragrance with a honey-like sweetness blended
with notes of fresh lemon and the fruity aroma of juicy green apples.”Kinuka was the Gold Award winner in the Floribunda category and has “a blue-rose fragrance typicalof large flowered roses, with a peachy fruit scent combined with soft powdery tea notes and honeylike sweetness.”Helen, Gold Award winner in the Shrub category, has a classic damask fragrance described as being“a charming well-balanced rose fragrance with the endearing fruity aroma of apple blended withfresh green notes of violet.”
The Floribunda category Eternal was awarded highest points for fragrance, as well as a SilverAward, the Niigata Prefectural Governor's Award, and to cap it all off the Nagaoka City Mayor'sAward which is chosen by popular vote by visitors to the park. It has a “luxurious blue rose fragrancewith a rich fruity apricot aroma and a honey-like sweetness finely balanced with an elegant floralscent."2

Category : Large-flowered Roses (HTs, Grandifloras)
Gold Award
Special prize : Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award
Entry No.18
Name : Sugar Moon
Breeder : Christian Bedard– United States
Flower : A soft white rose with touches of cream at the heart of the bloom. A tidy hybrid-tea shaped
bloom with a high-centered bud.
Fragrance type : Damask Classic
A striking rose fragrance with a honey-like sweetness blended with notes of fresh lemon and thefruity scent of juicy green apples.

Silver Award
Entry No.7
Name : Claus Dalby
Breeder : Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen - Denmark
Flower : A white bloom with subtle pink highlights at the heart of the bloom. Starts flowering with acuplike bloom which transforms into a rosette. Flowers in clusters despite being a hybrid tea.
Fragrance type : Tea
A well-balanced fine tea rose fragrance with a strong sweet floral scent and clean fresh violet notes.

3Bronze Award
Entry No.5
Name : Zuihou
Breeder : Kazuzo Tagashira - Japan
Flower : A pure white flower with glimpses of magenta blotches at the center of the bloom upon
flowering. Blooms in clusters so prolifically that the foliage is almost completely hidden.
Fragrance type : Damask-Classic
A fresh rose fragrance with soft powdery tea notes complemented by a distinctive blend of spiceand fruity green apple scents.

Category : Floribunda Roses (F)Gold Award
Entry No.51
Name : Kinuka
Breeder : Yuji Yasuda - Japan
Flower : A beautiful blue bloom which holds its color well. Round loose cuplike semi-double blooms
with visible centers.
Fragrance type : BlueA blue-rose fragrance typical of large flowered roses, with a peachy fruit scent combined withsoft powdery tea notes and honey-like sweetness.

4Silver Award
Special prize : Niigata Prefectural Governor’s AwardNagaoka City Mayor’s Award
Entry No.53
Name : Eternal
Breeder : Hitoshi Nakashima - Japan
Flower : A cheerful blue rose that complements the autumn leaves beautifully. Blooms with wavy petals that seem totwist around the heart of the rose. Blooms in clusters, even in autumn.

Fragrance type : BlueA luxurious blue rose fragrance with a rich fruity apricot aroma and a honey-like sweetness finely balancedwith an elegant floral scent.

Bronze Award
Entry No.34
Name : Regina
Breeder : Hitoshi Nakashima - Japan
Flower : A showy dark pink bloom with large single flowers. Boasts a low-centered large rosette bloom
with very few side buds.
Fragrance type : Damask Classic
A youthful rose fragrance with the fruity aroma of fresh green apple and apricot blended with leafy
green notes.

5Category : Shrubs(S)Gold Award
Entry No.62
Name : Helen
Breeder : Takunori Kimura - Japan
Flower : A delightfully sweet pale pink rose with a beautifully well-formed rosette shaped bloom.
Fragrance type : Damask-Classic
A charming well-balanced rose fragrance with the endearing fruity aroma of apple blended withfresh green notes of violet.

Silver Award
Entry No.58
Name : Piacere
Breeder : Tamotsu Tomokage - Japan
Flower : A harmonious mix of bright orange blooms and reddish stems. As this variety blooms, the tipsof the petals also become tinged with red.
Fragrance type : Tea
A rich tea rose fragrance with an exquisite tropical fruit scent and sweet vanilla notes.
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6Bronze Award
Entry No.61
Variety : Odysseia
Breeder : Takunori Kimura - Japan
Flower : A chic stylish bloom with rich dark red frilled petals. Produces multiple blooms in clusters.
Fragrance type : Fruity
A strong rose fragrance with a distinctive honey-like sweetness and the fresh fruity scent ofgreen apple and pear.

Category : Miniature Roses, Mini-floras, Patio Roses,
and Polyanthas (Min)
Bronze Award
Entry No.27
Variety : Utsusemi
Breeder : Takashi Kawai - Japan
Flower : This rose captures the essence of Japanese elegance with a stunning gradation of shades of beige
that changes throughout flowering. Flowers strongly with rosette shaped blooms.
Fragrance type : Tea
A soothing tea rose fragrance with the soft sweetness of vanilla married with the spiciness ofcloves.

7The 9th International Fragrant Rose Trial in Echigo Hillside Park, Nagaoka, Japan（Echigo-IFRT）◆Guidelines for Applications
1. Eligibility for Applications：Breeders both professional and amateur, in Japan and overseas.
2. Acceptable Rose Varieties:(1) Varieties which have never been on the market, or were made available for sale on or after the first of January,
2008.
(2) Categories of Acceptable Rose Varieties:
Part 1: Large-flowered Roses (HTs, Grandifloras)
Part 2: Floribunda Roses (F)Part 3: Shrubs(S)Part 4: Miniature Roses, Mini-floras, Patio Roses, and Polyanthas (Min)
Climbers are excluded from any of the above categories.
(3) The Number of Entries: There is no limitation on the number of varieties the breeder can enter into the trial.
(4) The Number of Trees per Variety:For each variety, four 2-to-3-year-old bare-root trees, either budded, grafted, or self-rooted.
3. Entry Fee : Free of charge◆The Periods of Judging: June and October, 2015
◆Judging and Commendation:
Yoshihiro Ueda（Principal of Gifu International Academy of Horticulture）
Yuji Ichikawa（Perfumer）
Naoki Ishikawa（President of Niigata Rose Society）
Naoharu Watanabe（ Dean , at Graduate School of Science and Technology Shizuoka University ）Yuki Mikanagi（Curator of Herbarium, Natural History Museum and Institute, Chib a）
Kazuko Nomura（Vice President of Rose Culture Institute）
Kin-ichi Moriai（Perfumer）
Yutaka Abe（Honorary President of Saitama Rose Society）
Hideko Ishiguro（Rose researcher, Director of Ishiguro Music Academy）
Ayako Takagi（Gardening Lecturer for Japan Broadcasting Corporation）
Minobu Maekawa（Garden Designer）
Naomi Okubo（ Senior Research Coordinator at National Institute of Floricultural Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organizati on）
Junko Nagano（Senior Perfumer at Fragrance Creation Center, Corporate Research & Development Division, Takasago International Corporation ）Tatsuya Yamagishi（Director of Echigo Hillside National Government Park Office）◆Prizes: Gold, Silver, and Bronze Award for each category.
◆Special prizes: Minister of Land, Infrastructure Transport and Tourism Award (Top Award)
Niigata Prefectural Governor’s AwardNagaoka City Mayor’s Award◇Exhibitors : 24breeders◇The number of varieties : 68Varieties (HTs-26, F-23, S-10, Min-9)◇Participating nation : Japan, Denmark, France, Germany, India, U.K., U.S.A8