Website/Catalog  (20 Jan 2013)  
 
'Anniversary' (Mattlace) A fantastic porcelain pink, covering the bush with an abundance of blooms. Strong healthy plants of medium height and good disease resistance, with glossy darker green foliage. A seedling of 'Sexy Rexy', this rose is one of the first from Matthews Nurseries breeding programme, and aptly named for our anniversary. Gold Star of the South Pacific.

Book  (2007)  Page(s) 133.  
 
Doug Grant. Final Analysis 2007
'Anniversary' (MATtlace) Matthews 1997. FI. 45 reports, 65 plants. Garden: 7.7, Exhibition: 7.3, height medium, light fragrance. Porcelain pink blooms. A nice garden rose with large clusters of flowers, repeat is a little slow. Blooms are OK in the rain. PN Trial Grounds Gold Star 1997.

Book  (2006)  Page(s) 59.  
 
Hayden Foulds. Rose Breeding in New Zealand. His first rose is his best so far, 'Anniversary' (MATTlace) is a seedling of 'Sexy Rexy' and a very good one at that. It is a very healthy floribunda with masses of porcelain pink blooms; it was named to celebrate 50 years of Matthews Nurseries in 1997 and won the Gold Star at the Palmerston North trial that year which capped the celebrations off very nicely.

Book  (2005)  Page(s) 26.  
 
Eileen Wilcox. Five Favourite Small Roses. 'Anniversary' I just love this neat little floribunda from Matthews. The bushes have healthy clean foliage with a glossy sheen and stems of pale pink creamy blooms. Growth is under a metre in height and width making this ideal for a small garden. Several bushes planted together make a wonderful display and it could be used as a tidy hedge bordering a pathway. The only fault is the lack of perfume, however robust health and sheer "flower power" more than compensate for lack of this.

Book  (2003)  
 
p31. Eileen Wilcox. Five Favourite Roses. 'Anniversary' A recent floribunda. I just love this little rose which produces stems of pretty pink / cream blooms that can make good large stems for the show bench too. The foliage is healthy and glossy and this rose is almost disease free. The bushes are low growing and are great at the front of a border and make good subjects for smaller gardens.

p116 Peter Bamber. Review of the Newer Roses for the 2002-2003 Season. Floribundas.
'Anniversary (MATtlace). Matthews 1991. Garden rating 8.0. Exhibition rating 7.3. Disease resistant. Light fragrance. Porcelain pink flowers. Waikato - makes good large stems. Some weather damage. Canterbury: 1 grower rates this rose one of the best from NZ. First flush fantastic sight. Bay of Plenty comments on dark green foliage. Manawatu: this rose very highly rated and fully deserves top Trial Ground Award. If you want a rose for bedding in the front of the bed this is the one to plant.

Book  (2002)  Page(s) 109.  
 
Gerard Williams. Review of the Newer Roses for the 2001-2002 Season. Floribundas.
'Anniversary'. (MATTlace) Matthews 1997; 11 reports on 18 bushes; 1-4 years; 1 metre; 7.6 rating. Porcelain pink flowers. Palmerston North Gold Star Winner. Bay of Plenty report good first flush, slight fragrance. Very healthy. Average repeat and flower trusses can need support. Waikato likes it. Lovely colourful bush but repeat is slow. North Otago say huge clusters of buds and nice foliage. Central Taranaki find it makes a lovely garden display. Petals hold. Otago says a lovely rose always in flower. Southland has vigorous growth with many blooms. Some black spot. Gisborne says good in front of the border. Healthy and pretty. Canterbury likes the contrast of the pale flowers and the deep green healthy foliage.

Book  (2001)  Page(s) 112.  
 
Gerard Williams. Review of the Newer Roses for the 2000-2001 Season. Floribundas.
'Anniversary' (MATTlace) Matthews 1997; porcelain pink flowers; 8 reports on 13 bushes; 2-4 years; 1 metre; 7.7 rating. Palmerston North Gold Star Winner. Bay of Plenty report the flowers cover the bush. Repeat can be average and moderate vigour. Manawatu find this a great garden display rose, always in bloom and very bushy. North Harbour says wonderful first flush but slow repeat. Very healthy. Waikato likes it. Healthy with good repeat and masses of flowers. Blooms can discolour in the hot sun. North Otago like the buds and the bush has lots of blooms. Best if you dead head early. The flowers don't like the rain. Kapiti find the bush healthy and strong and their flowers don't damage in the rain. Always a picture but repeat is a little slow.

Book  (2000)  Page(s) 109.  
 
Gerard Williams. Review of the Newer Roses for the 1999-2000 Season. Floribundas.
'Anniversary' (Mattlace); Matthews 1997; porcelain pink flowers; 11 reports on 14 bushes; 1-3 years; 1 metre; 7.6 rating. Palmerston North Gold Star Winner. Gisborne says pretty delicate colour and it holds its shape. Bay of Plenty report the flowers cover the bush. Repeat can be slow and moderate vigour. Manawatu find this a great garden display rose, always in bloom and very bushy, but not one for showing. North Harbour says wonderful first flush, but slow repeat. Another Manawatu reporter says splendid garden display rose in a special colour. Southland report healthy and strong, profuse first flowering and laden again in the autumn.

Book  (1999)  Page(s) 105.  
 
Gerard Williams. Review of the Newer Roses for the 1998-1999 Season.
Anniversary' (MATTlace); Matthews 1997; porcelain pink; 5 reports on 6 bushes; 1-2 years; 1.2 metres; 7.6 rating. Bay of Plenty finds this has one good flush. Slow repeat. Healthy. Kaitaia says health plus. Pearly glow blooms. Wonderful addition to garden and a plant for the future. Otago finds it eye catching in full bloom. Slow to repeat with healthy even growth. Flowers last longer in the cool. Rain resistant. Manawatu thinks it is an excellent bedding, rose. Creamy pink. Flowers fade quickly and self clean. Healthy and always tidy. Gisborne was disappointed with their bush and felt that the flowers flop. Looks like a very good rose for the border or in a mixed flower bed.

Book  (1998)  
 
p44. Peter Elliott. New Zealand International Rose Trial Ground. Trial 27. 1995-1997.
The major award of the trial and big prize of the day, the Gold Star of the south Pacific for the highest pointed rose on trial went to a delighted Bob and Cath Matthews, from Matthews Nurseries in Wanganui, for their floribunda 'Anniversary'. This rose features on the cover of their latest catalogue. Always in flower, healthy growth and delightful trusses of palest pink - this rose deserved its award. the use of 'Sexy Rexy' as a breeding parent was notable and this probably accounted for the large, well formed flowers heads on .... and 'Anniversary'.

p46. Variety No. 95.3015. 74.3 points. Floribunda. 'Anniversary (Mattlace), Breeder: Matthews. Agent: Matthews. Colour porcelain pink.

p48. Gold Star of the South Pacific for the highest pointed rose on trial and Certificate of Merit. 95/3015 'Anniversary' (MATTlace) Floribunda. Bob and Cath Matthews, New Zealand.