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A rose by any other name ... ... could be your own for a big hunk of cash By DAVID PRESZLER Jackson & Perkins is offering rose fanatics a personalized piece of its flower kingdom -- for the low, low price of $75,000. The world-famous rose producer will name a one-of-kind rose after the person, place or company of the buyer's choice. Good taste and a name that's not already taken are the only limits, the Medford-based company says. The client will pick from new roses that are at the end of a hybridizing process that can last up to a decade. The company says about 35 roses are available now. "After an average of seven years of growth and evaluation, we select a handful of varieties to grow over a two-year period," says Leslie Freytag, the senior vice president of marketing and merchandise who came up with the idea. "Then it's time to name them." When the big day arrives, Jackson & Perkins intends to make it a high-class affair. "This is for someone who really appreciates the finer things in life, and that includes Jackson & Perkins roses," says company spokesman Bill Ihle. "We want this to be a memorable occasion for a memorable rose." The rose-naming package includes airfare from anywhere in the United States to Los Angeles and two nights in a five-star hotel, complete with fine dining. A limousine will take clients to the research center outside Camarillo, Calif., to pick their rose from the company's new hybrids. When spring arrives, 300 of the roses -- the only 300 that will ever be grown -- will be delivered to the buyer or recipients of the buyer's choosing. The buyer will get a case of Dom Perignon champagne to mark the arrival. Though the price tag is high, it works out to only $250 per rose -- and that doesn't take into account all the travel and extras. So far, no one has taken the company up on the offer, which is detailed in this year's catalog, but there has been at least one inquiry. Today's Business Index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA