Website/Catalog  (15 Apr 2014)  
 
Registered Name: 'Sundowner'
Synonyms: 'Maccheup'
ARS Approved Exhibition Name: Sundowner
Photo: Gerri Guerino Gr, ab, 1978, McGredy, Sam IV; flowers golden orange, fading to salmon orange, 4 in., 35-40 petals, classic, borne mostly singly, intense, fruity fragrance; recurrent; foliage large, leathery; prickles medium, pointed; tall (5½ ft.), upright, vigorous growth; hips globular ; PP4309
[Bond Street × Peer Gynt]. Roses in Review: Garden Rating: 6.3 Exhibition Rating:
Introductions: Edmunds Roses. Awards: AARS, 1979

Booklet  (2008)  
 
An Information List of all Varieties. p6
1978. Sundowner - Macche. Nicknamed Check Up

Book  (2004)  Page(s) 238.  Includes photo(s).
 
‘Sundowner’. Hybrid Tea. Syns: MACche, MACcheup. Bred by McGredy and introduced in 1978, this very tall-growing, healthy rose has very long stems, making it good for cutting. They last well on the bush also. The flowers are high-centered and of exhibition form in a strong orange-apricot, tinged with pink on the petal edges. Flower production is high and the repeat is excellent. Foliage is dark green and abundant. (‘Bond Street’ x ‘Peer Gynt’). Zones 6-9.

Book  (Dec 1998)  Page(s) 572-573.  Includes photo(s).
 
Sundowner (MACche, MACcheup)... very long-stemmed flowers that are apricot-orange with yellow bases to the petals...

Book  (1993)  Page(s) 389.  Includes photo(s).

Book  (1988)  Page(s) 76.  
 
Rona and Peter Pettit share their favourites with us. ‘Sundowner’. HT. McGredy, 1979. A very vigorous, upright grower that repeats well. Blooms hold well on the bush and are wonderful for picking. Unfortunately, it is prone to powdery mildew later in the season.

Book  (1986)  Page(s) 50.  Includes photo(s).
 
When ‘Sundowner’ was a seedling it had the nickname of “Check-up”. That was to remind me to check it out in the autumn for powdery mildew. I did – and it did, making me not too enthusiastic. Before autumn, however, I had sent eyes to Fred Edmunds in Oregon. It didn’t mildew so badly there, he entered it in All-American, and two years later I had a winner. That was lucky. Actually, our modern mildew sprays are so good that it isn’t all that much of a problem any more, and it doesn’t bother ‘Sundowner’ until well on in the season. The only other fault is a tendency to reach for the sky, living up to its American grandiflora classification. All the rest is good news. The blooms are big and sturdy, of perfect HT form, with thick overlapping petals. The colour holds well in the sun and doesn’t care a hoot about rain. There is a fragrance without it being of ‘Double Delight’s proportions. I have no complaints of winter-hardiness, and it is most free-flowering.

p51. Illustration: ‘Sundowner’. HT Raised by Sam McGredy, New Zealand in 1978. Bred from ‘Bond Street’ x ‘Peer Gynt’. Big and lusty, unusual in this colour.

Book  (1986)  Page(s) 135.  
 
Don Sheppard. Final Analysis 1985-86 ‘Sundowner’ McGredy, 1978. (‘Bond Street’ x ‘Peer Gynt’). Golden orange. 35 petals. 40 reports. 1.5 – 2m. 7.3 rating. First reports were all quite glowing, except for Rotorua – too few blooms, and Southland – the worst rose for powdery mildew that the reporter had every grown! Elsewhere in N.Z. its colour, petal texture, fragrance, and good even growth were appreciated – even though it grew somewhat tall. Blenheim, Gisborne and Manawatu spoke highly of it, even though they reported powdery mildew. The long lasting, well shaped blooms repeat quickly. Several reporters mentioned the perfume, and that it usually blooms in clusters, rather than single blooms. No one mentioned fading, which is a big bonus in a rose of this colour. Apart from powdery mildew, it appears to be a good, tall growing rose.

Book  (1985)  Page(s) 40.  
 
Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses for 1984-85 Season.
'Sundowner'. McGredy 1978 ('Bond Street' x 'Peer Gynt') 35 petals, Amber blend. 8 reports on 8 bushes over 2-4 years, 1.5 to 2 metres in height, 7.1 rating. Grown quite widely evident in New Zealand and reporters are well scattered too. Gisborne, two reports feel it grows rather too tall to be a good garden rose, but O.K. for back row. The colour is attractive, plenty of bloom is produced, but they open fast, are often of good shape. Southland gets some good blooms, but not enough for the amount of wood produced, mildew is taken a little too easily. West Otago find it to be a strong grower. North Otago say the foliage is very poor and brittle, the blooms are fragrant. Christchurch say it is very vigorous and healthy but too tall growing. Golden Bay fmds it beautiful, but too few blooms. Rotorua reports beautiful colour and bloom, but again not enough and those are rather fleeting. A good back-of-the-bed rose, but one a little shy with bloom.

Book  (1984)  Page(s) 35.  
 
Don Sheppard. Review of Newer Roses in 1983-84 Season.
'Sundowner'. McGredy 1978 ('Bond Street' x 'Peer Gynt') - 12 reports, 12 bushes, 4 years, 1.6 metres, 7.1 rating. Golden orange. Growth of this rose varies quite a bit throughout the country, from a metre in Takaka to two and a half in Christchurch, so its best for a back row. Christchurch advises to starve it. The blooms have perfume and generally good form, but Takaka and Rotorua say it does not give half enough bloom for such a big bush. Oamaru like it - good texture and shape and fragrant, but scruffy foliage. Blenheim, Oamaru, Southland and Hastings complain of mildew. One Southland reporter is discarding because of the mildew problem. But most like the rose so try it and see for yourself.