Ooh how’s fragrance for you?

Robert, boy all these new yellow roses had me flummoxed for a bit. I thought your lovely rose was Larger Than Life under a different name. LTL was bred by Bedard and introduced in 2021. It has a Carruth rose in its parentage, Memorial Day, and both LTL and Quest for Zest have larger than average bloom size, and they look very similar. QFZ is a Bedard rose bred in 2020 and has a Carruth rose in its parentage, Julia Child, of course. It took several looks at HMF to (I hope) figure this out. You'll need to grow both and compare them-ha. And then let us know which of the two is the winner in your garden. Diane

Robert that is lovely, I can’t imagine a rose blooming more than JC, mine is near continuous, but if it becomes available in Europe I shall have to try it!

I initially wondered if it was Golden Zest renamed, Diane. I got that last year and it looks very similar too.

What a wonderful yellow!

Do you have bolero? Does it bloom more than bolero? If so I'm sold! I love citrus smells. Online it says the smell it citrusy🤩

Nollie, yesterday I checked on Golden Zest, a totally different rose, sold out on J&P already. It's a limited re-release from their "vault". They've done this a few times and sell out quickly. Ben has Golden Zest and likes it. This rose's parentage is totally different from the other two golden yellows, and is much older. I think Keith Zary was the breeder. Diane

@Diane Brakefield I grow Memorial Day as well, and I would agree that their bloom sizes are similar--although MD has a more traditional HT shape than QFZ. Also, my JC (that I bought and paired with Twilight Zone after seeing it in your garden) is in year 4 and it did not bloom nearly as much as QFZ. Both were still lovely. You get nice hips on QFZ too. Larger than Life does have very similar coloring, and the blooms and petals absolutely look like Memorial Day! Wow!

@SD Shine -Z10a Bay Area the fragrance is great! Citrusy for sure.

@Z10Socal I have FOUR Boleros and love them. My Boleros bloom regularly, but I think QFZ actually bloomed more frequently and the blooms lasted longer. Interestingly, my Boleros are in the ground and the QFZ is in a terracotta pot on a concrete pot on the south side of the house in full sun all day. You'd think the Bolero's would outperform simply by being in the ground, but I think QFZ blooms just a bit more. Toss up though. Bolero is a tough competitor!

Robert,

Good to have you back in the rose forum! I figured Quest for Zest must be a really good rose , coming from Weeks with parents Secret x Julia Child. I’ve resisted it so far, but now really want one. I heard Christian Bedard named the variety himself. There used to be so few really good yellow varieties, but now there are many. I have Larger than Life, Chantilly Cream , and Golden Zest and think all are terrific.

Robert - oh, I need to get Quest for Zest. I love Bedard/Carruth roses and the color, fragrance, and your enticing picture make it a NEED. :) :)

Ben - I'm getting Chantilly Cream this year...hope it does well for me. :)

Diane, I’ve just seen your comment on Golden Zest, yes it’s a Keith Zary rose, new to me last year. GZ grew well but didn’t bloom a tonne in it’s first year, although what I got were lovely - very like Golden Celebration (one of it’s parents) but with far healthier foliage. GC is a black spot magnet in my hot and humid summers, unlike your magnificent specimen.

I look forward to seeing QFZ this year, so please treat us to an update and some more photos, Robert!

OH!!! What a stunner!!! Glorioso!!

Ryan, that is one exquisite photo. What a beauty. Diane

Quest For Zest looks like a great yellow, especially if it has a strong citrus fragrance as you’d expect. Are any of you trying J&P’s new yellow Lemon Burst?

I've ordered Quest for Zest for 2026. Exciting!