About the name
Name. 'Saratoga', after the town of Saratoga Springs (New York State, USA), a famous spa with mineral waters since the nineteenth century, plus horse-racing stables (Saratoga Race Course, one of the oldest in America, from 1863). Naming varieties after American places and events is a typical Boerner-style tradition.
Breeding. Bred by Eugene S. 'Gene' Boerner at Jackson & Perkins (Newark, New York, USA). Code JEPic. US Patent PP 2,299, dated 12.11.1963. Introduced 1964. Parentage: 'White Bouquet' (Floribunda, Boerner 1954) × 'Princess White'. Eugene Boerner (1893-1966), the legendary 'Papa Floribunda', worked at Jackson & Perkins from 1920 and bred dozens of floribundas over 45 years. Saratoga was one of his last major varieties (he died in 1966).
Significance. AARS 1964 (All-America Rose Selections), awarded together with the classic 'Granada' (HT, Lindquist 1963; RNRS Fragrance Award 1968). STRONG FRAGRANCE: a great rarity among white floribundas; most white varieties of the time had a weak scent or none (Iceberg, for example, has only a light one). Saratoga is one of the few fragrant white FLs of the FL XX century. Boerner's legacy: Saratoga represents the peak of American floribunda breeding after the Second World War. The gardenia form: a fully double flower with a characteristic 'gardenia' look. Its compact size suits small beds and borders. Susceptibility to disease is typical for the 1960s: moderate prevention is needed, especially in wet seasons.