Upon the recommendation of the ARS Classification Committee, the ARS Board of Directors at the Board meeting in Shreveport, LA on April 25, 2005 approved the definition of a "single rose" as one that possess 4 to 8 petals. This change of definition will bring the ARS, as the International Registrar for Roses, into agreement with the generally accepted horticultural definition of a single bloom . This definition will apply to all ARS areas and publications, to include Modern Roses, 'Rose Registrations' on the web site and in the magazine, the Handbook for Selecting Roses, and to the Guidelines and Rules for Judging Roses.

For judging purposes, this change will become effective upon its publication in the American Rose magazine, likely in July of 2005. From the judging standpoint, the affects of this change should be minimal. Roses that are typically entered as "single" (not to be confused with one-bloom-per-stem), such as those in the mini category (or in the HT spray to accommodate 'Dainy Bess' and a few others) will fall within the new definition. What judges should be aware of, and should make known to the schedule writers of their local shows, is that the term "single" should not be used in the schedule when simply "low-petalled" is intended, such as in many shows' attempts to differentiate between floribunda types. And remember, there are two ARS certificates for 'single' blooms.

With accurate show schedules and a little common sense, judges should be able to adhere to this new definition without wholesale disqualifications and/or removing petals for an accurate count thereof.