A Rose Connoisseur's Odyssey

A Rose Connoisseur's Odyssey through Petals and Thorns @neosciencehub #MSViraraghavan #RoseHybridization #IndianRosarians #TropicalRoseSpecies #HorticulturalInnovation #rosebreeding #TropicalRosevarieties #horticulture #neosciencheub #NSH #Rosagigantea

Through Petals and Thorns In the lush terrains of horticulture, where beauty and science coalesce, M.S. Viraraghavan, fondly known as ‘Viru,’ has etched an indelible mark with his pioneering work in rose hybridization. His story, akin to a meticulously nurtured garden, is replete with vibrant hues, fragrant tales, and the pursuit of blossoming perfection. A Palette of Roses Viru’s journey in…

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Unveiling the Enigmatic World of the Rose Whisperer: A Tale of Surprises in Chennai

Renowned journalist M.S ‘Viru’ Viraraghavan made an unconventional career move at the age of 41, leaving the Indian Administrative Service to pursue his passion for growing roses in the picturesque hill station of Kodaikanal. Supported by his wife, Girija, the couple relocated to Kodaikanal with their children and dedicated the next four decades to cultivating and creating hybrid varieties of…

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Unveiling the Enigmatic World of the Rose Whisperer: A Tale of Surprises in Chennai

Renowned journalist M.S ‘Viru’ Viraraghavan made an unconventional career move at the age of 41, leaving the Indian Administrative Service to pursue his passion for growing roses in the picturesque hill station of Kodaikanal. Supported by his wife, Girija, the couple relocated to Kodaikanal with their children and dedicated the next four decades to cultivating and creating hybrid varieties of…

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Unveiling the Enigmatic World of the Rose Whisperer: A Tale of Surprises in Chennai

Renowned journalist M.S ‘Viru’ Viraraghavan made an unconventional career move at the age of 41, leaving the Indian Administrative Service to pursue his passion for growing roses in the picturesque hill station of Kodaikanal. Supported by his wife, Girija, the couple relocated to Kodaikanal with their children and dedicated the next four decades to cultivating and creating hybrid varieties of…

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Late last year I decided to branch out and get some roses hybridized outside of Europe and North America. This is Naga Belle ('VIRcarefree'), hybridized by M.S. Viraraghavan of India, who, along with his wife Girija, has been breeding roses for tropical climates. He is doing this in part by incorporating species roses. One of Naga Belle's grandparents is Rosa gigantea, specifically from seeds Viraraghavan collected himself in the state of Manipur. Naga Belle's non-gigantea parent was Carefree Beauty, one of the most popular of Buck roses. Dr. Griffith Buck was a horticulturalist whose approach to hybridization was to plant 2nd year seedlings out in a field in Iowa and see how they fared without spraying. Subsequently they have a reputation for hardiness and good health.

This genetic combination should all prove very interesting through the rest of the year. It's interesting enough that it came together to produce this perfect hot pink hybrid tea-type flower! R. gigantea hybrids seem to have a reputation for blackspot and heat resistance, both valuable traits here. Alas, this plant came to me leafless and slept through the worst of our blackspot epidemic, so I can't really comment on that yet. I also got another hybrid gigantea, the Australian ‘Lorraine Lee’, so we’ll see how they both fare.

Obituary: M.S. Viraraghavan

Obituary: M.S. Viraraghavan, and alone ROSE has within it all flowers @neosciencehub #MSViraraghavan #RoseHybridization #IndianRosarians #TropicalRoseSpecies #HorticulturalInnovation #rosebreeding #TropicalRosevarieties #horticulture #neosciencheub

…and alone ROSE has within it all flowers In the serene landscapes of Herman Hesse’s ‘Siddhartha’, where the protagonist embarks on a journey of self-discovery, abandoning the comfort of the known for the allure of spiritual and natural beauty, we find a parallel in the life of M.S. Viraraghavan, fondly known as ‘Viru’. Like Siddhartha, Viru left a prestigious position in the Indian…

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