Book  (2012)  Page(s) 109.  Includes photo(s).
 
'The Active'. A seedling fromR. chinensis 'Mutabilis' and a sister seedling to 'Elizabeth Colenso'. Ken describes this rose in his registration form as having single sulphur-yellow blooms. Our experience is different and is of a rose with golden buds opening to pale apricot blooms which rapidly fade to white. 'The Active' was one of our favourites when we lived at the Trinity Farm Rose Museum. It is a strong shrub which will grow to 1.5 metres and flower prolifically over a long season. it is very healthy and robust in the Otaki climate. It was one of the 100 roses we took with us to our new home where it continues to charm us with her free-flowering ways.....

Magazine  (2007)  Page(s) 46. Vol 21, No. 3.  Includes photo(s).
 
p44. Photo 'The Active'.

p46. Lloyd Chapman. The Best of Ken Nobbs Roses.
'The Active' is one of the stars of our garden. A strong shrub that will achieve 1.5m tall and wide, it has golden-pointed buds that open to single pale apricot blooms (5cm) that rapidly fade to white. Named after Samuel Marsden's first sailing ship, it is a healthy repeat-flowering rose. Its seed parent is claimed as Rosa chinensis mutabilis'

Newsletter  (1991)  Page(s) 24-25. Vol 12, No. 2.  
 
I have raised a number of seedling roses from 'Mutabilis'......Most of these have single blooms of yellow or blush pink, and some are under consideration as memorial roses. To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the first Pakeha settlers in New Zealand in the brig Active in 1817, one with single yellow blooms is named 'The Active'.

Book  (1978)  Page(s) 57.  
 
K. J. Nobbs. The brig "Active" under the command of Capt. Thomas Hansen arrived from New South Wales with a party of the Church Missionary Society in December 1814. Under the leadership of Rev. Samuel Marsden they landed at Matauri Bay.....