New rose for baby Archie by prominent Manawatū rose breeder

Manawatū rose breeder John Ford is propagating the new rose Markle Sparkle in his Palmerston North garden to celebrate the Royal baby Archie.

Markle Sparkle is the name of a new rose being grown in the Manawatū to celebrate baby Archie's birth.

Prominent Manawatū and New Zealand rose breeder John Ford announced the new rose is being grown to celebrate the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's baby boy born on May 6.

The Markle Sparkle, undergoing final trials in Ford's Palmerston North garden will receive PVR (plant variety rights) which trademark the plant.

Details about the colour, habit, fragrance and type of rose will be released shortly and the rose will be available in 2021.

Ford intends it to be sold commercially in New Zealand, England and potentially California, the former home of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Contact has been made with Kensington Palace to inform the Royal family and John is hopeful his connections in England will be able to present a rose bush to the Duke and Duchess and baby Archie.

Ford said Frogmore House, the home of the Duke and Duchess, is surrounded by gardens.

President Emeritus of the New Zealand Rose Society, Peter Elliott, is excited about the new release.

Peter, who's also a Life Member of the Manawatū Rose Society and a former Council member of the World Federation of Rose Societies, predicts the rose will have wide appeal following on from the great success of the Royal tour last year.

The idea to propagate the rose followed a discussion by Ford, Elliott and publicist Malcolm Hopwood, who believed the rose would be an appropriate and original gesture alongside the thousands of gifts bestowed on the family and their baby.