Sue Longhini began her hybridizing journey in 2019 after germinating a single rose from seeds she harvested that fall. She named it ‘Ellen May’ after her grandmother and has been hooked on creating roses ever since.
Today, Sue is the Director of Hybridizing at Rocky Mountain Rose Lab in Boulder County, Colorado. The lab specializes in small-batch roses specifically bred and rigorously tested to endure Colorado’s complex, ever-evolving climate. Crosses are made during the first bloom of the season, usually in May. Seeds are harvested and stratified in the late fall, typically germinating in January or February of the next year. All seedlings are transferred to a test garden in the spring, where they undergo evaluation for a minimum of two years. During their trial period, they are exposed to dry, triple-digit summer temperatures, as well as below-zero winter conditions. Insect interference, sub-optimal soil conditions, limited weed management, wind and hail are some additional challenges the roses face. Only those showing unique character, superior vigor and disease resistance are put into commerce.
Sue loves the science behind rose breeding and keeps meticulous records in order to optimize the program, as well as share her results and observations. Her hybridizing articles have been given awards of merit on numerous occasions by the American Rose Society. She also enjoys giving hands-on demonstrations about hybridizing and propagation, as she believes that creating roses should be an approachable and fun process for anyone to try.
Sue is an American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian and Accredited Horticulture Judge. As both an exhibitor and judge, she brings never-before-seen seedlings to the show table to be viewed by the public and scrutinized by her peers. She is an active member of the Denver and Riverwalk Rose Societies, as well as a member of the Rose Hybridizers Association. In 2018, Sue won the American Rose Society’s Rising Star Award, given to “individuals doing outstanding work in promoting the culture and appreciation of the rose.”
Her roses are exclusively available through High Country Roses in Broomfield, CO.
Learn more about Sue’s work:
- Facebook; Rocky Mountain Rose Lab (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584461379445)
- Instagram; @rockymountainroselab (https://www.instagram.com/rockymountainroselab/)