Dr. Walter E. Lammerts was an American horticulturist, plant researcher, and rose breeder whose work helped shape mid-twentieth-century American roses. Trained at the University of California, Berkeley, he established the plant research facility at Armstrong Nurseries in 1935 and brought a scientifically grounded approach to plant genetics and hybridization. His papers and lectures on the science and art of rose breeding are preserved by the University of California, Davis.
Two roses in particular give Lammerts an important place in rose history. He bred Charlotte Armstrong, which became an influential parent in later breeding programs, and later created Queen Elizabeth from Charlotte Armstrong and the Floribunda Floradora. Queen Elizabeth combined Hybrid Tea-style flowers with tall growth and clustered blooming so distinctly that it became the model for the newly recognized Grandiflora class.
