The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manhattan Rose Society
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The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Supporting Organizations
The Great Rosarians of the World 2008 Honoree
The GROW Steering Committee is pleased to announce that William J. (Bill) Radler is our 2008 honoree.
Knock Out®
Photo by Clair Martin
Radler is best known as the hybridizer of the Knock Out® series of disease resistant roses. Considered a quantum leap in the development of black spot resistant roses Knock Out® is fast becoming recognized as one of the most important new roses for regions where the disease is endemic and for homeowners and public gardens where spraying fungicides is under question. Knock Out® also was awarded the coveted Amreican Rose Society's Members' Choice Award.
Pat Shanley, founding President of the Manhattan Rose Society, says 'I think that the Knock Out roses...have made an invaluable contribution to the world of growing roses in giving us a fool proof rose to offer to newcomers, that will allow them to fall in love with roses, have a successful growing experience and hopefully give them the incentive to try other more labor intensive roses in the future.'
Bill Radler in a Wasco, California field of Knock Out®
Photo by Syl Arena/Meilland Star Roses
Click here to see the Arena website
Click on photo to enlarge
Radler graduated in 1968 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture. After graduation, he worked with the Milwaukee County Park System for 23 years, since 1981 as Garden Director of The Boerner Botanical Gardens from which he retired in November, 1994.
Although his main interest is with roses, his first plant introduction was a garden mum named Rosetta. He remembers developing his interest in plants as a child paging through Jackson & Perkins’ rose catalogs while visiting his grandparents on holidays. He is avidly interested in new gardening information whether it pertains to worthwhile plants, easy maintenance techniques and gadgets, or in dispelling old gardening myths. At his home he spends much time in producing disease resistant, hardy, everblooming roses through hybridizing.
His first rose introduction Knock Out® (which in 2005 became the most purchased landscape rose in the United States), has received the prestigious All-America Rose Selections award for the year 2000 plus numerous international awards. Since then Blushing Knock Out®, Pink Knock Out® and Double Knock Out® have been released. His 2001 rose introduction Carefree Sunshine™ is a pace-setting blackspot resistant yellow shrub rose. And his 2002 rose introduction Ramblin’ Red™ is a winter hardy blackspot tolerant everblooming red climbing rose. Other introductions include Lemon Meringue™, Climbing Carefree Sunshine™ and lastly, adding fragrance to the other pacesetting breakthroughs is Brite Eyes™ a restrained climbing rose or a five foot tall bush depending on how pruned. His second AARS winning rose, Rainbow Knock Out™, is being introduced in 2007 as well as Pink Double Knock Out®. Many future introductions are in the works including for 2008, Midwest Living®, Sunny Knock Out®, Morning Magic™ climber and Winner’s Circle™ climber.
Radler's has served as a Standby Judge for All-America Rose Selections since 1977 - Official Judge (1995 thru 1999) - Member Judge (2000 thru 2006); Consulting Rosarian for the Chicago Botanic Garden 1999 thru 2001; Past Board Member of the Friends of the Boerner Botanical Gardens; Life membership in the American Rose Society and the American Hosta Society; and as well as member of the Rose Hybridizers' Association, the Canadian Rose Society and the Milwaukee Rose Society.
He authored the booklet Rose Growing Simplified (Boerner Botanical Gardens publisher - currently out of print) and co-authored the book Rose Gardening (Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, New York 1995 - available but out of print).
Click here to read more about Radler
©Copyright 2007 Great Rosarians of the World. All Rights Reserved.
