I am a proud Australian. My profile illustrates that I am also a keen rosarian. Since visiting Mornington Botanical Rose Garden yesterday, it came again to me the sad conclusion that our "Cultural Cringe" is alive and well. I spotted two beds of Rosa 'Dame Elisabeth Murdoch', enclosed in two bays dedicated to and sponsored by that illustrious Australian lady. In view of her reputation and the great esteem with which she is held in Australia, I wondered just who chose this particular rose that was given the honour of her name. Be that as it may, it is an unremarkable rose bred in Germany, Rosa 'Speelwark', and to it second hand is given the name of a great Australian lady. The question needs to be asked as to why not an Australian bred rose? It is my opinion that that would be a much more appropriate option.

But then, "they" have been recklessly indifferent to recognising Australian bred roses since Alister Clark's roses were exported to America 80 years ago, resulting in the creation there of the "mystery virus" from Australia because of which we are still prohibited from exporting roses to USA. Recently the wheel has turned full circle, and we now don't accept roses directly from America. How in the past we have escaped "Witches Broom" and other "nasties" they have over there I don't know, and I expect that we can be very thankful for the protection of quarantine protocols.

During that period of time, it has been the practice of several Australian rose distributors from time to time, to bypass Australian roses and give a new name to an introduced rose, no doubt for commercial advantage. I will not name names. It is a historical fact, and it has happened with Rosa 'Speelwark'. Why is not an Australian bred rose chosen? Australian bred roses have been named for early explorers, and various religious centres of learning, but very few living Australians or significant national occasions. The centenary of Australian Federation was such an occasion, and rather than adopt an Australian rose for that celebration, "they" chose a rose with the name of a crazy cartoon-strip character, "Betty Boop"!!! In its gaudiness it may be attractive to many, but where is the innate Australian character befitting such an occasion? Australian roses were suggested, a very appropriate rose amongst them, but they were overlooked. Why? I am completely unaware how this rose was marketed with the new name Rosa 'Centenary of Federation'.

And now I see Rosa 'Rebell' has been renamed Rosa 'Australian Centenary of Federation'. Bred by Kordes of Germany in 2006, the connection with our federation, and how we got and why we need a second token of recognition of that occasion escapes me.

Australian bred roses are very good indeed, and compare favourably with those selected from overseas stock. In competition with roses submitted from overseas, Australian bred roses have performed very well at the Australian Rose Trial Garden in Adelaide for many years. A problem exists whereby growers and distributers in Australia dedicate their annual production to roses from their overseas principals in order to maintain the agency, to the almost total denial that Australian bred roses exist.

One brave Australian distributor is the exception, but it requires that the large rose interests and the general public seriously look at the quality roses available at home, and that are not generally made available to the general public.