The story of "Poulsen Roser" is like a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen

- like the little grey duckling, that had to go through so much adversity before it could reveal itself as a beautiful white swan. The Poulsen dynasty was founded in 1878, and in 1911 launched the roses RødhætteT and Ellen Poulsen® on the market. More Poulsen roses followed, and for many decades the Floribunda hybrids were synonymous with "Poulsen roser" worldwide. In this review we will focus on the most recent three to four decades..

'A Fairy Tale of Roses' is the logo for WRC2018. It is born out of Hans Christian andersen's fairy tales. The rose features prominently i the works of Hans Christian Andersen. Early on, Poulsen Roses decided to name their new roses after famous people, who could be associated with the rose in an emotional and senduous way. H.C. Andersen was a natural choice, together with actors, (Ingrid Bergman), ro)yalty (Dronning Margrethe II), musicians/comedians (Victor Borge), as well as palaces (Fredensborg, Gråsten, Marselisborg, and Rosenborg Castle) etc. That could best promote Poulsen Roses locally and globally.

Torben Thim on the 'raison d'etre' of the rose. To bloom with delight, because that is all it is capable of, except to drink the dew, feel the nourishment of the soil, bring joy, accompanied by a scent which makes even the strongest of men swoon. The rose is a contrast to science, which tries to explain the forces and order of Nature. Neither philosophers nor physicists have succeeded in penetrating the inscrutable nature of the rose by tampering with its mental life - why is the rose the fairest flower of all? It just is. Over two millennia ago, a student of the Greek philosopher Epicurus asked, "What is beauty?" and Epicurus answered, "Get up and go into the garden. To the left is a rose bush. There you will find the answer."

This is quite true! The rose is the fairest of flowers. The fact that Poulsen Roses have succeeded in breaking the code by creating unique, healthy, durable and fragrant roses has greatly contributed to secure the popularity of the rose in future.

It is now four decades since Pernille (born Poulsen, the eldest daughter of Niels Dines Poulsen) and Mogens Nyegaard Olesen started afresh on the remains of D.T. Poulsen's nursery, creating Poulsen Roses. This they carried on the rose dynasty. Great changes were necessary in the midst of the energy crisis of the 70's. Poulsen Roses was divided into profit centres to optimise operational development and achieve satisfactory profitability. Every aspect was scrutinised.

Poulsen Roser was divided into profit centers in order to optimize the development of the operation and achieve satisfactory profitability. Everything was turned and turned.

Rose breeding is a lengthy process that is based on the desire for beauty, fragrance, colour, hardiness and durability. Early on, the couple decided to breed roses on their own roots, rather than using the well-known method of grafting on to rootstocks of wild roses. It can take up to eight years to breed a new garden rose. This is partly owing to the extensive trials carried out to make sure that only the very best roses come onto the market.

The young couple decided to take a time-out in early 1974. They acquired a second-handVolkswagen camper van and drove through the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and, not least, France, which they criss-crossed from February to November. Often they had to make do with grouel to make ends meet. They learned a great deal, which has been immense value to their life's work : Poulsen Roses. They also managed to establish strong neworks with plant breeders and rose growers. These all welcomed the couple and provided them with a great deal of know-how, which, together with the ingenuity for which the couple have since become known, is the basis for their success.

The dream became a reality from a tiny beginning in the early 1980's and the following decades, when the couple became front-runners in the developent of pot roses. Today pot roses form the backbone of the company. Paradoxically, we all focus on the historic and modern garden roses, at a time when pot roses are gaining popularity with the population as a whole. You find them in every home, both indoors and outdoors, in the wake of well-known garden roses - now in the fast track. Pot rose are sold in all pot sizes for use indoors as well as outdoors and are sold in garden centres, as well as in DIY-stores and supermarkets. In the trade, pot roses are easier to handle than garden roses. They do not requir the same tender care as garden roses. And then they are cheaper to nuy - and consequently fill the space in balcony boxes and on patios, thus appealing to a wider and younger group of customers.

Mogens foresaw the potential of this trend way back in 1971, and today Poulsen Roses promotes the sale of more than 30 million pot roses worldwide. The competition in this market is tough. Mogens expresses it quite clearly, "Our life's mission is to breed new, beautiful, fragrant, and robust roses for growing in all pot sizes. In this way we appeal to the many customers who will love roses much earlier than their parents did back in the 70s and before."

In a parallel with the introduction of pot roses, several new garden roses were introduced. In 1983, the dark red, divinely beautiful Ingrid Bergman® came on the market. It is without a doubt one of the best roses ever bred. It has achieved contless medals for hardiness, beauty and fragrance. It has beenadmitted to the WFRS Hall of Fame for roses. This rose has been produced in its millions over the years and it is still one of the best selling red roses in the world.

"The success of our roses is the foundation for wverything else we would like to do in our lives", say Pernille and Mogens. Their roses have become the springboard for investments in a vineyard in France, in breeding clematis, lavender oil, truffles and running a livestock farm in Sourh Africa - "whatever next?" add Pernille and mogens with a subtle smile. Everything is built on the combined competences of the couple.

It has not always been a "bed of roses". They went through a very hard and stressful period in the late 70's and early 80's. But the couple's unbeatable energy, wisdom and tenacity brought them through the energy crisis. In contrast to many other companies at the time, they also survived the extremely high interest rates in the 80's through hard work and due diligence. Little by little, Pernille and Mogens built the foundation of the Poulsen Roses, which for so long has belonged to the world elite of rose breeders.

From 1981 the company created great international interest, when the rose Teeny Weeny® was introduced as the first miniature rose, which could be propagated by cuttings, and which could be grown as an ordinary pot plant. Growing roses as pot plants was completely new ways of thinking and had been like royal thourhts by Pernille and mogens already from the start of their company. Teeny Weeny® was the first PARADE® rose. Today PARADE® roses are wellknown all over the world as the best pot roses on the market. The PARADE® roses are hardy plants med lots of flowers, healthy foliage and an even growth. In the years to come a lot more PARADE® roses were introduced, and the quality and the durability of these roses became better and better. The longivity from the production, through the transport, on the shelves by the shops and at home by the end customer are improved year after year, and the PARADE® roses are now considered as some of the roses with the best longivity. The market was now extended to North America, Japan and other large countries.

In 1984 the production of PATIOHIT® roses started. These roses were the 'missing link' between PARADE® roses and the polyantha hybrids. This type of roses were quickly popular throughout the world, produced in 12-13 cm pots and very abundant with healthy foliage. This culture soon became one of the most important with over 100.000 produced plants every week in Europe. The plants are used as gift items and for decorating indoor, but can also be used outdoors.

In 1996 Poulsen Roser introduced a new product line, the PARTY® collection, which are small roses of approx. 10 cm high. They were produced in 6 cm pots and are miniature editions of the PARADE® roses.

Even though the end consumers do not know Poulsen Roser directly, then Pernille and Mogens as well as their staff of competent employers have a demanding and very professional contact with their producers (growers) and their dealers, who sell Poulsen Roser under one of many licensees, which Poulsen roser own and protect very carefully.

Facts-History about "Poulsen Roser": Purveyor to the Royal Danish Court Poulsen Roser A/S is Purveyor to the Royal Danish Court and has introduced several 'royal' roses over the years. In 2005, the company introduced among others the CASTLE® rose 'Kronprinsesse MaryT'. It was named by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary in the same year. In 1998, the RENAISSANCE® rose 'Princess AlexandraT' was named by HRH Princess Alexandra (now Countess Alexandra) and, in 2010, HRH Princess Marie named the HYBRID TEA POULSEN® rose 'Prinsesse MarieT'

Poulsen Roser now and in the future Poulsen Roser A/S has developed into a highly efficient rose and clematis breeding company since the company was taken over by Pernille and Mogens in 1976. The company neither produces nor sells plants as they are produced exclusively on licence. Currently, approx. 30 million roses and 2 million clematis are produced annually all over the world. The plants are sold in more than 60 countries. Poulsen Roser A/S continues the expansion of its rose and clematis empire. Eastern Europe, South America and China are just some of the markets that the company has moved into .

Château Lecusse In 1994, Pernille and Mogens purchased the wine estate Château Lecusse in the Gaillac region of France. The chateau produces more than 450,000 bottles of wine annually as well as lavender oil, olive oil, safran and truffles. The wines are sold in France, Denmark, Canada, China, Corea and many other countries and are gaining wide recognition for their taste.

Farm in Africa In 2005, Pernille and Mogens bought a farm in South Africa which breeds wild animals for sale.

Company history Poulsen Roser Dynasty - From 1878-1976 - 1st - 3rd generation. In 1878, Dorus Theus Poulsen started a nursery where he grew and sold asparagus, strawberries and seeds. Later he started to breed radishes, cucumbers, fruit trees, perennials and roses.

D.T. Poulsen's son Dines Poulsen was sent abroad and for several years worked for Peter Lambert, the largest rose breeder of the day, in Trier in Germany. Here he acquired great knowledge about rose breeding and brought his first hybrids back to Denmark. These were the Ellen Poulsen and Rødhætte roses which won gold medals in Hamburg in 1911 and quickly became great popular successes in Denmark and abroad. These very robust varieties became the predecessors for what we now know as Floribunda roses.

Floribunda roses Dines Poulsen now handed over the breeding work to his brother Svend Poulsen. In 1923, the Else Poulsen and Kirsten Poulsen roses were introduced. They were the first actual Floribunda roses as we know them today - i.e. roses with many flowers and a particular hardiness and resistance to diseases. These varieties were marketed as Poulsen Roser.

Then came a string of award-winning Floribunda roses: the red D.T. Poulsen, Karen Poulsen in 1933 and Poulsen's Yellow. The latter was launched in 1938 and was the very first true yellow Floribunda rose that had ever been seen. Danish Gold came out in 1950 and Rumba and Toni Lander in 1958. The world-class Nina Weibull® rose was launched in 1962. It is still one of the most important and most popular Floribunda roses in Northern Europe.

Svend Poulsen's son Niels Dines started work in the company in 1954. The first rose he bred was the fragrant yellow Chinatown (Floribunda/climbing rose). The rose won innumerable international awards for its hardiness. In 1965, the famous Pernille Poulsen and Western Sun roses were introduced.

In 1967, the first Poulsen cut rose came onto the market. This was NordiaT . NordiaT quickly became popular in the Netherlands and Israel where it was grown in large numbers. Nordia was the forerunner of the Floribunda roses used in the cut flower industry today.

The next breakthrough for Niels Dines came in 1972 with the large-flowered Troika and Gissenfeld roses. These two varieties meant a breakthrough on the European market where the Poulsen Roser name became established. The success continued with the ShalomT , NitoucheT , DollyT and BellevueT roses which are roses still grown today. These roses contributed to Niels Dines in 1994 receiving the greatest honour for a rose breeder: the Dean Hole Medal which is awarded by The Royal National Rose Society in the United Kingdom.