Each year members of the American Rose Society are invited to participate in the annual evaluation of new rose introductions. This program is referred to as "Roses in Review" or RIR. Recently introduced roses are evaluated in a number of different categories for three consecutive years beginning with their second year in commerce.

This valuable reference guide has been designed with the assistance of rosarians around the country to make it user-friendly. Information on more than 3,000 roses which are in commerce in North America has been included, listing not only the national Garden performance rating, but also data on classification, color, number of petals, and date of introduction.

Every rose which has a current Garden performance rating, easily the majority of the varieties in this listing, has been included. In addition, any rose that received some reports in the latest Triennial Survey, but less than the 10 reports required to establish a credible score, has been included. Finally, new introductions that have not yet had an opportunity to earn a rating are shown, including more than 200 varieties listed for the first time.

The primary listing is a simple alphabetical listing, which should assist the reader in finding a particular variety.

The American Rose Society acknowledges and thanks Peter Schneider for use of the Combined Rose List in compiling this year’s Handbook.

The absence of ™ or ® symbols in this publication should not be regarded as an indication that these words, designations, or names are not trademarks.