Dr. Griffith Buck was an Iowa State University professor and a prolific rose breeder – naming over 100 cultivars between the late 1950s and the 1990s. Dr. Buck was one of the earliest rose breeders to emphasize disease-resistance and cold hardiness in roses, and his plants have been used extensively in breeding newer shrub roses.
Reiman Gardens aims to preserve his legacy with The Buck Rose Collection, which contains over 90 cultivars and 350 plants. Reiman Gardens has also partnered with the Ada Hayden Herbarium at Iowa State University to create a collection of vouchers to preserve Dr. Bucks work. The Garden seeks to expand the number of plants every year to ensure that Dr. Buck’s work can be enjoyed, and his roses can be used to breed and develop the next generation of landscape roses.
Institutions
Reiman Gardens, Iowa State University
