At this year's show in Oamaru, last Friday and Saturday, Mrs Clarke only had five entries - all in the miniatures class - but her ''Irresistible'' got the nod from judge Daphne Rissman as champion of champions.
At previous shows, Mrs Clarke has entered lots of roses, but having moved from a large rose garden at Weston to a new property in Saleyards Rd in Oamaru, Mrs Clarke now says she has ''no rose garden, basically''.
''When we shifted, I took cuttings of some of my roses, especially the minis, and I've just got them growing in pots until I find a place to plant them.
''It only takes one rose to win the champion of champions, so anyone can do it You can have someone come in with one bloom and win.''
This year's show, at the Foundation of the Blind Hall on Steward St, had 40 sections, attracting a variety of roses.
However, only three names made it to the champions table: Judith Miller, Alison Ludemann and Mrs Clarke.
Mrs Ludemann, the show secretary, said once again the hybrid tea rose ''Paddy Stephens'' was well represented. ''It does really well here; it grows well and it's healthy,'' she said.
However, the North Otago area, which was ''very good for roses'', offered many options for gardeners who wanted to grow roses, which
this year put on a ''fine display''.
''There are a lot of newer varieties on the market now which are high-health, disease-resistant, and good repeat flowering.
''Just because we've been growing the old `tried and true' roses, there are newer varieties about and people nowadays are all busy and don't have, perhaps, time for their garden - we try to encourage them for the newer varieties.''
