LUDWIG’S ROSES

Ludwig’s Roses was established in March 1971. The farm is managed by a family team, known for their expertise at Ludwig’s Roses. They currently employ more than 130 people. We grow the largest selection of rose varieties available anywhere in the world.

We are proud to have released top garden roses since they first opened their doors to the public in 1971. Varieties like Just Joey, Burning Sky, Casanova, Esther Geldenhuys, Archbishop Tutu, Walter & Albertina Sisulu and South Africa are to name but a few of the “rose celebrities” introduced by Ludwig’s Roses.

Ludwig Taschner

Ludwig Taschner, after whom the business is named, was born in Germany during the Second World War. He trained as a nurseryman and subsequently escaped from East Germany in 1960. He gained invaluable experience by working in nurseries in West Germany, Switzerland, and England. There, he started specializing in rose growing. His passion for roses eventually led to the establishment of Ludwig’s Roses.

He arrived in Pretoria in 1962 and worked for Buss Nurseries until he founded Ludwig’s Roses north of Pretoria. From small beginnings, the nursery has grown world renowned, as the premier rose nursery in South Africa.

Ludwig’s has developed strong relationships with over 25 breeders from all over the world. They annually test thousands of new varieties according to their performance in the South African climate. The team at Ludwig’s Roses meticulously selects from these, naming and releasing 10 to 20 novel cultivars annually. This selection process may take up to 8 years.

Ludwig pioneered the propagation of roses in containers. Previously, roses could only be purchased in winter as pruned, bare-rooted plants. The effect containerized rose plants had on South Africa was that gardeners could select roses by their flowers, fragrance and growth habit for most of the year. This obviously facilitated popularizing roses in every South African garden even more and highlighted the significance of Ludwig’s Roses in the industry.