Each year, the All-American Rose Selections announces the winners of its rose competition. The plants are judged on fifteen criteria, and are grown in test gardens throughout the country for several years.

For 2005, they have selected four roses, all of which would make wonderful cut flowers.

About Face rose is a tall grandiflora. The unique thing about this plant is the way this bicolor presents its true colors, which is the opposite of what one usually sees in roses. The light color is on the inside of the petals, while the darker one appears on the backside of the blossom. The deep, golden yellow petals are a dark, almost bronzy orange-red on the outside. These are long-stemmed blooms with an old-fashioned look. They have plump, pointed buds. As the blooms begin to age, they blush and become a blend of colors. This plant is super-vigorous. It was hybridized by Tom Carruth.

DayDream rose is a marvelous landscape shrub rose. This low-growing, compact plant has a neat, round habit. It only reaches about two feet in height. It produces masses of wide and flat fuchsia-pink blooms throughout the summer months. The dark green, glossy foliage is very disease resistant. DayDream is hardy to zone 4. DayDream was created by rose breeder Ping Lim.

Elle rose will be especially suitable for cutting. The classic rose buds are high-centered. This is a hybrid tea. The lovely shell pink blooms have a hint of deep yellow coloring. Elle is noted for its wonderfully strong, spicy citrus fragrance. This rose was bred by the world-famous French rose company, Meilland.

Lady Elsie May rose is a spreading, upright shrub rose. This vigorous plant has a uniform growth habit. Because of its disease tolerance, it is suitable for organic gardens. This produces coral pink blooms in large clusters. The sturdy stems are over a foot long. This repeat bloomer always seems to be in bloom throughout the season. Its glossy green foliage is resistant to disease. This was hybridized by Reinhard Noack.