Magazine  (Dec 2020)  Page(s) 39. Vol 42, No. 4.  
 
David Clarke.  The Rumsey Granddaughter Roses. 
As a sequel to my article on pp. 52-53 of the winter 2020 HRIA Journal, I was delighted to take the two Rumsey ‘Granddaughter’ roses, Marie Christina and Stella Elisabeth to be planted at the Roy Rumsey Heritage Rose Gardens at Parramatta Park, Sydney, on July 11, 2020. Under the supervision of Parramatta Park/Western Parklands Trust Gardener and Sydney HRIA member Tiffany Bignold, Stella planted her rose Stella Elisabeth and Stella’s daughter (Roy and Heather’s great-granddaughter) Daphne, planted her aunt’s rose Marie Christina.
Sincere thanks to the Sydney HRIA Group, especially Glennis Clark and her enthusiastic bunch of prickle huggers.

Magazine  (Jun 2020)  Page(s) 52. Vol 42, No. 2.  Includes photo(s).
 
David Clark.  Two Rumsey Roses - Lost and Found. 
David Rumsey, son of foundation members of HRIA Roy and Heather Rumsey, was a long-time musical colleague of mine. After an absence of many years, we met in 2012 in Basel, Switzerland, where David was living, teaching and researching historical pipe organ performances. So we shared the delightful common interests of music and roses.
Most years he returned to Australia to visit his family, and we would meet up for coffee and a chat, as his daughter Stella lives nearby in Lake Macquarie, NSW. David used to talk about his parents and their roses and how he used to help out at their large nursery in Dural. One day he casually mentioned that Heather and Roy had named two roses after their grand-daughters, Stella Elisabeth and Marie Christina.
Unfortunately the roses had disappeared from the Rumsey family gardens over time and David wondered if I might be interested in finding out if they still existed, as he would love the plants for his home in Switzerland and of course to return them to Stella and Marie. Sadly, David passed away in 2017, in Basel, before my search began. But the challenge persisted in the back of my mind.
A chance mention to the girls’ mother Christa, about the roses, led her to a friend's place in Sydney, where she found the rose Stella Elisabeth still growing. I let Glennis Clark know and she kindly paid a visit to the garden and took some photos, which identified it as the miniature rose Stella Elisabeth in HelpMeFind. Originally, the plant was a Ralph Moore (1983) unnamed rose that the Rumseys had for many years. It did well for them and Ralph Moore gave them naming rights for the rose. It is presumed the same occurred with the Kordes rose Marie Christina......
Glennis and I talked about the possibility of planting them in the Rumsey Garden in Parramatta Park, Sydney, a beautiful heritage rose garden cared for by volunteer members of the Sydney HRIA region and the Western Parklands Trust, who are in charge of the garden.
At the same time, I began a search for the other missing rose, the mini-flora Marie Christina (Kordes, 1988). I discovered it was only known in Western Australia, and I was able to source one plant from there, with kind assistance and advice from Billy West and Patricia Routley. The roses are now potted up at my place and we will eventually plant Marie Christina and Stella Elisabeth in the Rumsey Rose Garden. We can propagate both bushes from there and return them to the Rumsey families as soon as we are allowed to get together after the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
So - when finally returned to their original namesakes, Stella Elisabeth and Marie Christina - these "lost and found" roses will bloom again where they belong! I'm sure David Rumsey would be pleased.

Book  (2007)  Page(s) 314.  
 
Marie Christina  MinFl, lp; int in 1988.

Website/Catalog  (2004)  Page(s) 45.  
 
Rose Collection 2003-2004. 
Marie Christina.  Floribunda.  Medium pink.  Kordes.  1988. 

Book  (2002)  Page(s) 142.  
 
Marie Christina  MinFl. lp. 1988.  MR11 gives no introducer.  MM8. [Melville Nurseries Pty. Ltd., Carmel, W.A.]

Website/Catalog  (2001)  Page(s) 16.  
 
Floribundas.  Marie Christina  small bush with lovely mid pink flowers.  Very free flowering with shiny green foliage.  6.5m.   Suitable for growing in a pot.

Book  (1999)  Page(s) 58.  
 
Marie Christina  Kordes.  Germany 1988.  Floribunda.  Pink.  [Available from:] Cottage, Melville.

Website/Catalog  (1998)  Page(s) 14.  
 
General Floribunda List.   
Marie Christina  1988 Semi-double blooms of medium pink with a hint of salmon.  Attractive small dark foliage on a low bush.  An excellent rose. Suitable for growing in a pot.

Website/Catalog  (1997)  Page(s) 7.  
 
General Floribunda List.   Marie Christina  Semi-double pale to medium pink flowers on a low bush.  Suitable for patio rose. 

Book  (1996)  Page(s) 85.  
 
Marie Christina  Kordes Germany. 1988.  Floribunda. pink.  [available from:] Cottage, Melville.