''Rosa'' 'Silver Jubilee' is an apricot blend hybrid tea rose created by

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

rose breeder, Alec Cocker. The rose was named in honour of the Silver Jublilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977. The rose was awarded the Royal National Rose Society's President's International Trophy, the Belfast Gold medal, the

Portland Gold Medal The Portland Gold Award is given annually by the Portland Rose Society to new rose cultivars that demonstrate exceptional performance in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The first award was given in 1919 by the city of Portland, Oregon. ...

and the James Mason Memorial Prize.

Description

'Silver Jubillee' is a hybrid tea rose, It is a medium-sized shrub, 3 to 4 ft (90–120 cm) in height, with a 2 to 3 ft (60–90 cm) spread. Blooms have an average diameter of 5 inches (12 cm) and can have up to 40 petals. The rose has a large, full, high-centered bloom form. The color is apricot blend, varying from pink to apricot, and salmon with shades of peach. 'Silver Jubilee' blooms in flushes from spring to fall, but does not thrive in warmer climates. The plant has dark, glossy green leaves.

History

James Cocker & Sons

James Cocker & Sons was established by James Cocker (1807-1880) in 1841 in Aberdeen, Scotland. He initially sold forest trees and

herbaceous plants Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

. Cocker's son, James (1832-1897), took over the company when his father died in 1880. Cocker's three sons, William, James and Alexander, joined the company in the 1880s. With the growing popularity of roses, the Cockers initiated a rose breeding program in the early 1890s. The three sons took over the management of the company after Cocker's death in 1897. The nursery's first commercially successful rose variety was 'Mrs. Cocker' (1899). Alexander became the sole owner of the company after the deaths of his two brothers. Alexander Cocker died in 1920 and the company was passed to his two young children, Margaret and Alexander Morison (Alec) (1907-1977), through a trust. The business was dissolved in 1923. Alec Cocker reestablished the company as a general nursery in 1936. He rented a field in Aberdeen and initially grew perennials and roses. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Cocker joined the

Civil Defence Service The Civil Defence Service was a civilian volunteer organisation in Great Britain during World War II. Established by the Home Office in 1935 as Air Raid Precautions (ARP), its name was officially changed to the Civil Defence Service (CD) in 1941. ...

, where he met Anne Rennie (1920-2014). Cocker and Anne became engaged, and after the war formed a new nursery business using Anne's £80 war grant. Alec and Anne began specialising in growing and breeding roses in the 1960s. Their first rose varieties included 'Morning Jewel' (1968), and 'White Cockade' (1969). The hybrid tea, 'Alec's Red' (1970), was awarded the Royal National Rose Society's (RNRS) President's International Trophy in 1970.

Silver Jubilee

Alec Cocker's most famous rose variety was the hybrid tea, 'Silver Jubilee'. The new rose variety was named with permission of the Queen to commemorate her 25-year reign. The rose was created from a cross between ( floribunda, 'Highlight' and hybrid tea, 'Colour Wonder) and (floribunda, 'Parkdirector Riggers' and hybrid tea, 'Piccadilly'). The new rose made its debut at the 1977

Chelsea Flower Show The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the ''Great Spring Show'',Phil Clayton, ''The Great Temple Show'' in ''The Garden'' 2008, p.452, The Royal Horticultural Society is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural ...

. Alec died of a heart attack in 1977 and did not live to see his rose's success. Anne introduced the rose commercially in Britain in 1978. 'Silver Jubilee' won the

Royal National Rose Society The Royal National Rose Society (RNRS) (1876-2017) was a specialist horticultural organization in the United Kingdom dedicated to the cultivation and appreciation of roses. Founded in 1876 as the "National Rose Society", it was the world's olde ...

(RNRS) President's International Trophy (Britain) in 1977, the

(United States) in 1981, the Belfast Gold Medal (

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

) in 1985 and the James Mason Memorial Prize (Britain) in 1981.

Anne Cocker

After Alec's death, Anne managed the company until she was in her eighties. She continued the rose breeding program, developing new rose varieties, including 'Remember Me' (1979), 'Braveheart' (1993), and 'Heart of Gold' (2001). She won multiple horticultural awards during her career. She died in 2014. The business continues today under the management, of Alec Cocker Jr.

Child plants

* ''Rosa'' 'Remember Me' (1984) * ''Rosa'' 'Abbeyfield Rose' (1985) * ''Rosa'' 'Fyvie Castle' (1985) * ''Rosa'' 'Lincoln Cathedral' (1985) * ''Rosa'' 'Wandering Minstrel' (1986) * ''Rosa'' 'Rosa Armada' (1988) * ''Rosa'' 'High Sheriff' (1992) * ''Rosa'' 'Tina Turner' (1992) * ''Rosa'' 'American Honor' (1993) * ''Rosa'' 'Aladdin's Dream' (1995) * ''Rosa'' 'Super Hero' (1996) * ''Rosa'' 'Daybreaker' (2003)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosa 'Silver Jubilee' Silver Jubilee