(1974)  Page(s) 106.  
 
World achievements have been honoured. .... the other intrepid sailor, Sir Alec Rose, who also took on the oceans and won. He had a rose named for himself and for his yacht, Lively lady. 'Alec Rose' was bred by Sam McGredy and is a vigorous red floribunda, strong and healthy. "Sam McGredy contacted my wife while I was on voyage for permission to name this rose," says Sir Alec. "Mrs. McGredy was at Portsmouth Guildhall when I got back and presented my wife with a bouquet of them. They also presented the city with a gift of 200 bushes for their rose gardens."

(1974)  Page(s) 117.  
 
....If there is one thing that Sam McGredy will be remembered for, it is the fact that he made roses pay their way by naming them for commercial concerns - at a consideration. ....There was Arthur Bell for a whisky company - his payment comes in the form of whisky each year.

(1974)  Page(s) 37.  
 
When McGredy's 'Bridal Robe' was awarded the Clay Cup for fragrance, even the raisers were astounded. To them, it did not really measure up to the standard required.

(1974)  Page(s) 98.  
 
If stories told about all royal roses were really true then there is a third rose on the market that is identified with Princess Margaret. The story goes that Sam McGredy IV wanted to name a very fine bicolour in honour of the Princess but royal approval was not forthcoming. Sam, never at a loss for words, is said to have replied: "Right then, she's Charlie's aunt isn't she? So 'Charlie's Aunt' it will be". The truth is different. "Princess Margaret would have to pay to have a rose named after her by me," Sam told me. "I did not volunteer. I had a series of seedlings named Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, etc after the naval alphabet. 'Charlie's Aunt' was simply an aunt of Charlie - it was sold under that code name and the purchasers kept it!" Had it received a bigger commercial push or a royal name 'Charlies Aunt' would be better known today. Occasionally it is seen in show exhibits; and only in 1972, seven years after its introduction, did it deservedly make its way into the popularity charts of the RNRS.

(1974)  Page(s) 21.  
 
The rose Paul offered was called Cheshunt Hybrid named after the place where his nursery was.  It was a dark red variety and he intimated that the parentage was Mme. de Tartas (a tea rose) crossed by Prince Camille de Rohan (another race - the hybrid perpetuals).  But Paul only suggested its breeding.  Under questioning he admitted it was surmise;  he hadn't really kept the records.    

(1974)  Page(s) 70.  
 
Living close to the Le Grice nurseries in Norfolk at the time was the noted floral arranger, Mrs. Jocelyn Stewart who had shown a great interest in the brown-coloured roses being produced there. For that reason Mr. Le Grice immediately spoke to Mrs. Stewart when the first of the new roses came into bloom in his nurseries. "I told her the colour in a phone conversation," he said, "and my wife delivered the flower. When she arrived in the house Mrs. Stewart had RHS Colour Chart open on the exact colour shade of the rose!". The coincidence was too much - the rose had to be named 'Jocelyn' in her honour. It is another of the roses that brings delight or despair. The colour is a deep mahogany with touches of purple, and it is very definitely an arranger's rose.

(1974)  Page(s) 53.  
 
.... another Lydia. a bright orange rose introduced by Verschuren in 1933.

(1974)  Page(s) 53.  
 
....the basis of them all being 'Phyllis Gold', with the line taken up by Lydia, an intense saffron yellow rose

(1974)  Page(s) 38.  
 
Such comment seems to give the lie to the cry so often heard that the modern rose has lost its fragrance. The truth is more likely that the modern nose has lost its ability and that dreams of the past are sweeter. It could well be due, too, to the fact that for a number of years in the early part of this century the most popular garden roses 'Mme. Caroline Testout' and 'Frau Karl Druschki', were both scentless.

(1974)  Page(s) 77.  
 
Through the century there have been other white roses with good selling names - there was Margaret Dickson from the Irish growers but this one would not grow away from home.