Residents’ preferences for roses, features of rose plantings and the relations between them in built-up areas of Beijing, China

Abstract

Rose (Rosa spp.), in addition to its commercial importance as a cut flower, forms part of the urban fabric of many cities and contributes to many ecological functions. To increase purchases by consumers and choose appropriate types of roses for urban planning, there is growing interest in understanding differences in residents’ rose preferences, the distribution and features of roses, as well as the relations between them. The present study focuses on well-known ornamental roses, specifically on which cultivars should be chosen to promote their potential for the retail market and in urban planning. To determine the rose preferences of residents in Beijing, we analyzed responses to a questionnaire that required the residents to choose their preferred colors, types, and functions. To address the distribution and features of roses in Beijing, we surveyed 546 sites covering different types of urban green spaces in the built-up areas. The survey showed that roses served a significant ecological function in urban green space. They exhibited high resistance to the influence of environment stress, as well as different growth habits in the built-up areas of Beijing. In terms of residents’ main expectations for roses, the predominant expectation was color, and particularly ecological outcome. The predominant preference for rose color was red. Our results indicated that the rose color, type preferences among residents were consistent with the rose color, type predominantly planted in Beijing. The best way to integrate such civic-led interventions into urban planning and retail markets remains to be determined.