Hungarian Roses by Gergely Márk: 'Szent Erzsébet'

[hannes]

Rose names and what's behind them is an interesting topic and one we've often discussed here. For those of us who don't speak Hungarian, the name of the rose 'Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke' is somewhat of a tongue twister. The English translation provides a much clearer picture after whom the rose is named: 'In the memory of Saint Elisabeth from the house of Árpád' – or in short, 'Saint Elisabeth of Hungary'. An appropriate name for a rose not least because of the legend of the miracle of the roses that is associated with St. Elisabeth.

After Donna's (donna13350) query about the rose, at the end of 2007, we have been briefly talking about Mr. Gergely Márk on the forum, Hungarian rose breeder who will be 86 this year. He can look back to more than 50 years of rose breeding and has introduced more than 600 roses, among them the gorgeous 'Saint Elisabeth of Hungary'. This one and a number of his other creations have received international recognition but in general the breeder and his work of a lifetime still isn't very well known. And sorry to say, his roses are not readily available. This has changed a bit, the interest in Mr. Márk and his roses has been growing in the last few years among rose enthusiasts, especially in Germany.

Much of the growing interest in the rose breeder G. Márk is due to the efforts of Mrs. Éva Kigyóssy-Schmidt, rosarian, retired university professor in Germany and of Hungarian origin. Eva is a close friend of Mr. Márk and his family and an excellent "ambassadress" for his work. She promotes Márk roses with lectures, articles, events and in numerous personal contacts worldwide. Most of all she is a dedicated rose lover, a very lovely and kind lady and generous in many ways. One of her recent endeavours was the promotion of the rose 'Saint Elisabeth of Hungary' on occasion of the saint's 800th birth anniversary in 2007.

As 'Saint Elisabeth' is a particularly gorgeous creation of Mr. Márk I've thought it also might be of interest to hear (and see) a bit more about the rose and the breeder on the forum. So I've asked Éva Kigyóssy-Schmidt for a "guest article" (see following post).

BTW, Eva will also speak at the World Rose Convention in June in Vancouver (Tuesday, June 23, 2009, "Remembering the Roses Hybridized by Hungarian Gergely Márk", 10:30, after Peter Beales' lecture).

Getting back to the rose's name, for those who are interested in the historical figure of the Hungarian princess who became St. Elisabeth – Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet, there's a comprehensive article on Wikipedia: CLICK HERE.

greetings
Hannes

[hannes]

’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ (‘Saint Elisabeth of Hungary’), Gergely Márk’s gold medal-winning rose is on its way to world fame

Éva Kigyóssy-Schmidt, Budapest, May 2008


Gergely Márk’s name is not unknown to the Hungarian public. He was the one to plant Europe’s second largest rosarium at Budatétény in the sixties. In those days, tens of thousands of visitors could take pleasure in this rose garden, which exhibited 2700 rose varieties. Since his retirement in 1981, he had started over and has continued to breed roses on a previously uncultivated area of two hectares at Törökbálint, using his own resources. As a result of his work in rose breeding of over 50 years, the number of new Hungarian rose varieties produced by him has risen to over six hundred. Several awards mark recognition for his work. For instance, this year, the year of his 85th birthday, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences honoured his life’s oeuvre at a special meeting. He was also awarded the Hungarian Heritage Award and his name was listed at the “Invisible Intellectual Museum of the Hungarian People” this year for his internationally renowned work as a rose breeder.

Gergely Márk breeds roses and ensures the conservation of his rose varieties solely under outdoor conditions, without irrigation or winter coverage. Consequently, most Márk roses are particularly well suited to withstanding long draughts and very high or low temperatures characteristic of Hungarian climatic conditions. It is no accident that whenever he has a chance to enter his roses in a competition, they are highly esteemed. Thus, his Tea Hybrid variety named ’Budatétény’ was awarded the gold medal in 1963 at the IGA (Internationale Gartenausstellung – International Garden Exhibition), held regularly in Germany. The fact that this rose was the first rose successfully bred with a peachy pink play of colours had an important role in the award of this prize. Another particularly valuable Márk rose variety is the rose ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ (‘In Memoriam Saint Elisabeth of the House of Árpád’), which won the gold medal in the category of “Climbers and Park Roses” at an international competition held in Rome to commemorate the 2000th anniversary of Christianity and Rome.

The author of these lines has known and respected since November 2004 Gergely Márk, his wife Icuka, who has not only been his worthy companion for almost sixty years, but also his partner professionally, and their cousin, Mogyi (Sarolta Benedek), who was also a fellow at the Horticultural Research Institute. These three people continue to cultivate the rose garden and to carry forward their case for rose breeding with unrelenting stubbornness, in spite of every difficulty and hardship. Someone like me, who cares for roses and is deeply attached to the Triumvirate of the Hungarian Garden of Roses, can’t, but contribute in her own way to the survival of Márk roses. This is how a CD was created about the Hungarian Gergely Márk’s oeuvre and his roses in English and Hungarian in 2006 on the occasion of the World Rose Convention held in Japan. This was followed by a couple of articles and presentations in German and English.

International interest in Gergely Márk rose breeder and his roses is growing. In Germany, rose lovers who sympathise with the breeder of Hungarian roses are particularly numerous. This fact lead to the idea that in 2007, when the 800th anniversary of the birth of Saint Elisabeth of the House of Árpád was commemorated in many places in Europe, Gergely Márk’s gold-medalist rose ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ should be planted throughout Germany. The issue of a German rose periodical (“Rosenbogen” 2008/2, pp. 26-27.) has reported on how widespread the rose ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ (‘Heilige Elisabeth’ for short, in German) is in Germany. The results praise Gergely Márk’s genius and perseverance, because today, in addition to over a hundred private gardens, rose ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ can be found in Germany in every renowned rosarium, in every so-called rose village and rose town, and practically at every holy place related to Saint Elisabeth. We planted with all due solemnity ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ roses in November 2007 at the Castle of Wartburg, where Saint Elisabeth spent her childhood and youth. This living souvenir immediately found its way to the hearts of the castle’s staff and its visitors.

This not only means that an excellent rose is being cultivated with devotion and care in these places. The Hungarian rose breeder, Gergely Márk’s rose truly glorifies the memory of Saint Elisabeth of the House of Árpád, who was of Hungarian origin.

It is reassuring to know that further planting of Márk roses in public places is also under way in Hungary. Márk roses have been present on the remaining grounds of the Budatétény rosarium and the rose garden of Marguerite Island for many years. ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ is also to be found, for instance, in the garden of the Saint Elisabeth of the House of Árpád Society at Sárospatak, (the birth place of Saint Elisabeth of the House of Árpád); in the “Rose Garden of Saint Elisabeth” at Kecskemét; in the garden of the Archbishopric’s Museum at Eger; in the garden of the Bishopric of Pécs at Pécs; and in the rosary of the Bishopric of Pécs, formed of rose bushes, at Pécs-Cserkút. Saving of Márk roses are partly under way and partly planned in other places as well. Further examples are the Rose Garden of Hungarian Saints in the 11th district of Budapest and “Saint Stephen Park”, which will exhibit 200-250 of Gergely Márk’s rose varieties in the shape of 1000-1200 rose bushes. The planting of Márk roses is also included in the plans of the following communities, for example: Bicsérd (Baranya county) - rectory; B?cs (Borsod county); Gödöll? - Grassalkovich Castle; Kalocsa; Keszthely - Festetics Castle; and Nagykör? (Szolnok county).

As the Márk roses’ chances for survival are uncertain to this day, it is good to know that ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’ is very likely to endure for future generations. Another happy event is that Erich Unmuth will introduce in the near future every rose bred by Gergely Márk in his noted rose garden, “Badener Rosenkultivarium”, located near Vienna.

Once, during one of our conversations, Gergely Márk confided to me: “Roses are the love of my life. It gives meaning to my efforts to see my roses making the world more beautiful to the joy of people.” Taking into consideration just one of his roses, the rose ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’, he has already fully accomplished his life’s mission. I wish him from my heart that as many excellent Márk roses may be as successful as the rose ‘Saint Elisabeth of Hungary’.


A short information about the Márk rose ’Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke’

(English name: 'Saint Elisabeth of Hungary', in German: ’Heilige Elisabeth’),
Abbreviation: ’Szent Erzsébet’ or ’ÁSzE’. The Hungarian name means "dedicated to them memory of Elisabeth of the House of Árpád" and refers to the Hungarian princess Elizabeth of Thuringia, also known as ’Saint Elisabeth of Hungary’.

Parentage:’Queen Elisabeth’ x ’Excelsa’

Breeder: Gergely Márk, Hungary, introduced: 1988, recognized by the Hungarian state in 1995. In the year 2000 the rose was awarded a Gold Medal in the category shrub/park/climbing roses in Rome, Italy (Rome Rose Trials).

Shrub rose / Park rose: height of 2-3 m (6.5-10 ft), width of 1.5 - 2.5 m (5-8 ft);
The rose is useful for specimen or group planting, also can be grown as a climber. Bushy, climbing, well-branched growth habit and medium sized, glossy, medium green foliage.

Blooms: vivid purplish-pink, in clusters of 3-5, very double, flowers have a diameter of about 8-10 cm (approx. 3.1-3.9 inches), strong and pleasant moschata like scent. Flowering is continuously from mid May to first frosts in fall. (Flowers also are exceptionally frost resistant and frozen blooms sometimes continue to flower after thawing.) Even spent flowers look still good, the flowers are also good for drying and for the vase.

Resistance: ’Szent Erzsébet’ shows good disease resistance, tolerates dry weather, is exceptionally frost resistant and winter hardy (tolerates temperatures of -32°C/-25°F for quite a long time as well as longer hot periods in summer with temperatures of 35-40°C/95-104°F in the shade).

[hannes]

A few photos of 'Saint Elisabeth of Hungary':
(© E. K.-S., all photos have been taken by Éva Kigyóssy-Schmidt)







Growing habit of 'St. Erzsébet' as a shrub; The breeder in his garden in Törökbálint, HU:




'St. Erzsébet' flowers more or less continously from late spring to winter, also looks good late in the year.
The following photos are from November and October (top row, left to right) and from December (bottom row).

[taddy]

Thank you Hannes!
I was just considering how does it come that I care so much about the accomplishments of the last centuries hybridizers and I do not about "nowdays" ones! Is it a clear sign of me getting old? ... their work, very often, has nothing to envy to the "old" ones' and Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet emléke is a living example

[cyndyp]

It's a beautiful rose and wonderful story. A shame there are no sellers listed on HMF.
Cyndy

[Britta]

Hi Hannes,

Thank you so much for contacting Eva! The story is truely most interesting and brilliant!

It actually shows us that a lot of marketing and funding not always makes quality, and that jewels of rosebreeding may be found well 'off-center'. I wonder, if it wouldnt be cool, if PB actually would check out on some of Marks roses for selling, they seem to be well worth the effort! :)

Britta

[hannes]

Thanks to Éva K.-Schmidt and Martin Weingart 'St. Elisabeth of Hungary' now is available in Germany from Weingart's nursery. Other than that, Márk roses only are available in Hungary from two or three nurseries. I do hope this will change in the next few years.

Admittedly, it is easier for me to get hold of Márk roses as Budapest is only about 250 km off Vienna. So I have planted a few of Mr. Márk's floribundas, polyanthas and miniature roses in spring and autumn 2008. They've done quite well in our garden and hopefully I also will have a few good photos to post this year.

I absolutely agree with Britta, "jewels of rosebreeding may be found well 'off-center'". And I guess this is true for nearly any country.

greetings
Hannes

[Helga]

I've just planted 'Saint Elisabeth of Hungary' and some other Márk-roses. Mrs. Eva K.-Sch. used her connections und managed to send me the plants directly from Hungary. Thanks to you Eva, rose-friend of mine! I'm looking forward to our frist hungrian rose blooming this summer.

See more on this website: http://mark-rosa.extra.hu/b_park.html# Some descriptions are completed with photos.

Helga

[schrammd]

Hannes, Once again I thank you. I've been researching information on Hungarian roses for an article I am writing, and this exchange, along with Eva's article, has helped me immensely. By any chance, do you know who the Muhle Brothers are or were (also Hungarian), and what contribution they made to the rose world?

[hannes]

Originally Posted by schrammd

By any chance, do you know who the Muhle Brothers are or were (also Hungarian), and what contribution they made to the rose world?

An interesting question and I'm sorry to say it is one I can't answer. Also haven't been able to find anything useful on the web or in the few rose books I own. But I will ask Eva K.-Schmidt, she surely will know. I don't know how soon you will need the information for your article, problem is that Eva has been giving a lecture at the World Rose Convention and I'm not sure if she's back already or travelling somewhere in Canada or the USA ... So I'm not sure when I'll be able to reach her. But I will try.

With regard to roses the only men with the name "Mühle" I know of are Wilhelm Mühle, editor/publisher of the German edition of the Hungarian Rose Magazine RÓZSA UJSÁG for the years 1893-1895. As the magazine then was publ. in Temesvár (then in Hungary and part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now Timisoara and part of Romania) this might be the same Wilhelm Mühle who owned a large nursery and seed trading company there. This nurseryman had a son, Árpád Mühle, a horticulturist and rose breeder who took over the business from his father. As of now I have no idea if he also had a brother and if this is the Mühle family Eva K.Schmidt refers to in her articles. Árpád Mühle died in 1930, a few of his rose creations are listed on HMF, apparently none of them are commercially available today.

Perhaps someone else on the forum might have information about the "Mühle brothers". It's a pity we don't have a forum member from Hungary. But we do have "rosarom" from Romania :) Corina, if you read this, do you know anything about these Mühle nurserymen/Árpád Mühle from Timisoara?

greetings
Hannes