Tropical Sunset

Where to plant. As a 'burst of colour' accent in a bed, thanks to its striped character; in 'genealogical' collections of 80s HTs; for cutting, thanks to its long stems; beside a bench, for its moderate fruity fragrance; not in damp shade.

Climate. USDA 7b. Southern Ukraine without cover; centre and north with mandatory winter cover. Tolerates summer heat well and even intensifies the colour.

Care. Full sun; moderate prevention against black spot (rust resistance is declared); feeding 3× per season; pruning ⅓ in spring; regular watering at the root.

Name. 'Tropical Sunset', for the yellow-orange-red striped gradient, which recalls a tropical sunset over the ocean. A poetic name, typical of McGredy-style naming (Sam IV gave his roses memorable descriptive names).

Breeding. Bred by Samuel Darragh McGredy IV (New Zealand). Code MACtaurang. Introduced 1988. Parentage: 'Louise Gardner' × 'Port Ludlow'. Sam McGredy IV represents the fourth generation of the legendary McGredy dynasty of breeders: I (Sam McGredy 1817-1881, founded the firm in Portadown, Northern Ireland) – II – III – IV (born 1932, moved the business to New Zealand in 1972). McGredy IV was one of the few breeders who consistently developed striped roses as a separate line (Old Master, Sentimental, Hurdy Gurdy Tropical Sunset).

Significance. Striped HT is a rare class, which McGredy IV studied for decades. The fourth McGredy generation is one of the longest breeding lineages in the rose world (170+ years of continuous breeding). Legacy of McGredy: together with Old Master, Sentimental, Hurdy Gurdy Tropical Sunset, it forms the 'striped' direction collection. Resistant to rust, a quality the breeder specifically declared. A complex fruity, spicy, sweet fragrance, a rare combination. The misattribution 'Coker 1994' in some legacy catalogues is a myth; the true attribution is McGredy IV, 1988. No major international awards (ADR/AARS/RHS AGM) are documented.