Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society May Meeting

Due to scheduling conflicts The Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society meeting has been postponed to

Date: Monday May 27th,

Where: James Island Town Hall,  1122 Dills Bluff Rd. 

Social Time: 6:30 pm 

Meeting: 7:00 pm

Program: Polyantha Rosses by Jan Hillis

Polyanthas and floribundas are the workhorses of the rose garden. Of all the different kinds of roses , Polyanthas and floribundas are the most prolific bloomers, plus they’re useful in the landscape, in perennial borders, and in large group or mass plantings.

Submitted by:

Kathy Woolsey

President, CLRS

Food for Thought About Rose Shows

I have been growing roses since 1971 and have been a member of the American Rose Society way before they moved their headquarters to Shreveport. Over the years of my growing roses and joining the local society, I pride myself of having planted the most beautiful flower in the world. I have been a member of the ARS long before I joined my local society. Only at the behest of a friend of mine who told me I can exhibit my roses did I join a local society and the rest is history. I cut my first bloom and won the novice class and I was hooked.

From then on, I exhibited my roses every year but I never made the Queen of Show. I won blues and silver trophies in other classes. There was one person in our society who always won the top three awards all the time. That discouraged me in showing my roses in the One Bloom Hybrid Tea class. This exhibitor grew 1,100 roses, he told me. Nobody could compete with him for a long time until one member gave him a run for his money. Since I knew I would never win the Queen, I geared myself to exhibiting in other classes. After a while, I tried my hand in exhibiting at the Arrangement Section which I found more fun and interesting.

One year, we introduced Hi-Lo class. The weather was terrible prior to the show and nobody had a good specimen. Since I never exhibited for the Queen, I entered the Hi-Lo class. I knew I would win the first silver trophy in that class and I did. After the show, the other top exhibitor told me I should have entered my roses in the Hybrid Tea class and the Mini class. I had the best specimens. I didn’t even think of it. I lost my only chance of winning the Queen and the Mini Queen!

The reason I’m bringing this up is the rose show always emphasizes Hybrid Teas. Nowadays, unless you are die-hard exhibitors and most of them are the old guard, only a few of the new members want to put that kind of effort to get to the Queen of Show. Most gardeners do not want to spray chemicals anymore. Chemicals are not good for gardeners. I often wonder how much damage those chemicals are doing to the health and well-being of us and our neighbors, not to mention our environment. More and more of our rose friends died of cancer. It’s a bit scary to me.

There is also one thing that bothers me about rose shows. There are very few judges who know about shrubs and Old Garden Roses. Their main focus is Hybrid Teas. Since most of the judges grow mostly Hybrid Teas, they can’t possibly be able to judge OGRs correctly. Since there is a resurgence of OGRs and shrub roses, the ARS should rule that ARS judges should grow more OGRs and not just Hybrid Teas. To grow them is to know them!

I love rose shows. It is an educational tool to show the public that the Rose is truly the Queen of Flowers. But here is an interesting quote that is food for thought for rose societies for their rose shows.

“Rose shows are held to test cultivation, as to who can grow the best roses, rather than decorative powers, as to who can show them the best. A large advantage is held, as it is, by those who are gifted in the power of display. . . but if all the merit were in the showing, there would be small encouragement for the cultivator in his yearly round of work.” Rev. A. Foster Melliar, The Book of the Rose (1894)

I often wonder if this emphasis on having a perfect rose to the detriment of our health is the big issue why people have the notion that roses are difficult to grow. Has anyone noticed that in most of our meetings, the speaker talked so much of chemicals and putting on HazMat gear while spraying their roses? That would definitely scare your neighbors. If I am a prospective member at those meetings, I would definitely find the nearest exit door.

I may be in the minority on this topic but I stopped spraying about 30 years ago. My roses looked awful the first year but by the second year, the roses improved. They had to survive otherwise I yanked them out. Nowadays, I only buy disease-resistant roses. I also like fragrant roses. I don’t care about perfect form if there is no fragrance. It has also been proven that monoculture invites pests and diseases so I do companion plantings. It helps confuse pests and enables me to have continuous color in the garden all season long.

Until next time. Stop and Smell the Roses

Rosalinda

Gardening Hazard - Tetanus

It is a good idea to have a tetanus shot at least every ten years, although for those of us who are always working in the soil, five years is probably preferable. We all work in the garden and sometimes get stuck with thorns. A small cut or scrape is enough to admit tetanus bacteria.

Tetanus bacteria live in the soil and compost. It can have some rather unpleasant symptoms and cause very serious problems and nobody needs those which make having tetanus shots very important.

According to webmd.com, you should suspect tetanus if a cut or wound is followed by one or more of these symptoms:

·        Stiffness of the neck, jaw, and other muscles, often accompanied by a grotesque, grinning expression

·        Difficulty swallowing

·        Irritability

·        Uncontrollable spasms of the jaw, called lockjaw, and neck muscles

·        Painful, involuntary contraction of other muscles.

Since there is not a lot going on in the garden now, please call your doctor and make your appointment.

Until next time. Stop and smell the roses.

Rosalinda Morgan

Suggested Winter Readings

Next to rose gardening, my favorite hobby is reading. I can’t get enough books to read although we have already so many books in our home library. Winter is the best time to indulge myself. Here are some books which you might find helpful in the coming season.

Taylor’s Guides – Roses

Completely Revised and Updated by Nancy J. Ondra. Everything you need to know can be found in this guide. There are almost 400 photographs of roses with description as regards to their growth habit, winter hardiness and fragrance.

Landscape with Roses by Jeff Cox

This is an excellent idea book on new ways of using roses in your landscape; in the mixed border, walkways, arbors, containers, even clambering up a tree and adorning architectural structures. There are over 300 full color photographs and about 100 black and white photos.

Beautiful Roses by Marie-Helene Loaec

Writer and journalist Alphonse Karr (1808-1890) said “A rose without perfume is only half a rose.” This book is about fragrant roses. If you are interested in planning a garden with the most fragrant roses, this is the book you should read. It has pictures of 50 roses arranged by color and chosen for their unforgettable fragrance. Information on their history, characteristics and cultivation are included, together with hints on companion plantings. The last chapter deals with 50 guidelines which are the keys to success in rose growing.

Roses for the Scented Room by Barbara Milo Ohrbach

The book is full of entertaining, gift-giving and decorating ideas celebrating the beauty of roses. Beginning with the basics, Barbara describes the many varieties available, from old-fashioned roses to modern hybrids, and explain how to choose the best roses from a florist or from your own garden. She offers dozens of simple how-to ideas for using them in the home or giving them as gifts.

Stop and Smell the Roses by Rosalinda R Morgan

It is a rose book with motivational twist or rather a motivational book with a rose twist. “Stop and Smell the Roses” includes some of the roses I grow in my garden. There are 33 roses featured in the book. There are almost a hundred rose-related photos all in full color. If you can’t go to a rose garden, this is the next best thing. In addition to all the rose photos, there are 101 motivational tips that will inspire you to make positive changes in your life to make you happy, healthy and successful.

Until next time. Stop and smell the roses.

Rosalinda

"Stop and Smell the Roses" available on pre-order at Amazon Kindle

Feeling stressed out lately? You’re not alone.

In a world buzzing with frenetic activities, we find ourselves as busy as ever. No wonder we are all stressed out. It is time to change our bad habits. Most of our health problems are due to our unhealthy lifestyle. Studies show that stressful living causes health problems. Find out how we can improve our well-being by following simple tips for stress-free living.

Inspire yourself into a healthy lifestyle!

Do you know that roses have curative powers? In the olden days, roses were used to make all sorts of medicinal potions to cure maladies and drive away bad spirits. A bouquet of roses uplifts the spirits any day of the year. Even a single rose in a room will liven it up on dreary days. When we are in distress, a rose will cheer us up.

“Stop and Smell the Roses”, my newest book, includes some of the roses I grow in my garden. Read about those beautiful roses in full color if you can’t go to a rose garden. The book is chock-full of motivational tips that can improve our well-being. They are simple tips that will inspire us to make positive changes in our lives to make us happy, healthy and successful.

So take a break in my garden. I want you to stop and smell the roses.

“Stop and Smell the Roses” is now available on pre-order at Amazon Kindle. Reserve your copy today! Click here.

Until next time. Stop and smell the roses.

Rosalinda

HISTORY OF THE ROSE PARADE

 

By Rosalinda Morgan

           

The annual Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game is an all-American tradition on New Year’s Day.  Long before the radio was invented much less the TV in 1890, members of the Pasadena’s Valley Hunt Club wanted to celebrate the mild winter weather in California where roses were still in bloom in January.  They were eager to tell the world about their paradise.  They were from the East and Midwest who moved to California and discovered the nice mild winter weather in Pasadena.  Dr. Charles Frederick Holder declared at a club meeting that “In New York, people are buried in snow.  Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear.  Let’s hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise.”

 

The first floral festival on New Year’s Day was attended by more than 2000 people and was patterned after the Battle of the Flowers held in Nice, France.  The festival included a modest procession of flower-covered carriages with afternoon games of foot races, tug-of-war contests, bicycle races, ostrich races, polo matches and other contest on the town lot.  There was even a race between a camel and an elephant.  The elephant won.  Eventually, the contest was replaced by the best of college football.  The town lot was then renamed Tournament Park in 1900.  The first football game was played in 1902 between Stanford University and the University of Michigan with Michigan winning 49-0.  Due to such defeat, the Association dropped football in favor of chariot races.

 

Then in 1916, football came back to stay.  In 1920, a new stadium was built which the local newspaper called the Rose Bowl.  On January 1, 1923, the Tournament held the first Rose Bowl game.  Today, the festival starts with a parade that includes matching bands, high-stepping equestrian units and spectacular animated floats covered with million flowers from all over the world.  Volunteers called petal pushers work hand in hand with professional designers to make this event a huge success.  This was followed by the Rose Bowl where the championship collegiate football teams of the Pac-12 and the Big Ten conference meet for the showdown of the Granddaddy of them all.

 

In the early years, few teams arrived in flower decorated carriages which gave Dr. Holder the idea to change the name of the festival to “Tournament of Roses”.  By 1895, the festival had gotten so big that it was difficult for the Valley Hunt Club to handle so the Tournament of Roses Association was formed.  Today the Tournament of Roses Association headquarters is housed at an Italian Renaissance-style house, thanks to the generosity of the famous chewing-gum manufacturer, William Wrigley Jr. whose favorite pastime was watching the parade.  The 18,500 square foot mansion designed by architect G. Lawrence Stimson with a 4-1/2 acres rose garden is located two blocks south of the starting point of the parade and was bequeathed to the city of Pasadena upon Mr. Wrigley’s death in 1958 with the stipulation that it be used as the Tournament’s permanent headquarters.

 

From the humble beginning, the 126^th Rose Parade presented by Honda with the theme, “Inspiring Stories,” will start at 8:00 a.m. (PT) on Thursday, January 1, 2015. The Tournament of Roses has selected Els Hazenberg, Steven Wood Schmader and Eddie Zaratsian to be float judges for the 126th Rose Parade. The Rose Parade expects to be watched by millions on television in more than 100 countries plus a million of spectators along the parade routes.

 

The Rose Parade will be followed by the 101^st Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at 1:30 pm PT (4:30 pm ET) between the No. 2 CFP-ranked Oregon Ducks, champions of the Pac-12 Conference, and the No. 3 CFP-ranked Florida State Seminoles, champions of the ACC Conference. The 101st Rose Bowl Game will mark the first-ever meeting between the Ducks and the Seminoles. The winner of the Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game will earn a spot in the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship, which will take place on January 12, 2015 in North Texas. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN with Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Heather Cox calling the action.

ROSE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

“To remember, lest we forget.”

Today, Sept. 11, let us remember the fallen and celebrate life, liberty and freedom through roses.

 

 

Firefighter, a beautiful dark red hybrid tea hybridized by Orard in 1999, is the first of the eleven roses to be named for the Remember Me Rose Gardens to honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 while trying to save lives in the World Trade Center.  Firefighter also honors those men and women who risk their lives daily to protect ours. 

 

 

Firefighter is a tall hybrid tea about 5-6 ft tall with a perfect flower form, about 4-6 inches and disease resistant.  Petal count is about 40-45 and has a very strong fragrance.  Firefighter won the City of Portland Gold Medal Award for 2007. 

To honor and pay tribute to all the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Sue Casey of Portland, Oregon formed an organization called Remember Me Rose Gardens to create three rose gardens on or near the sites of the terrorist attacks in New York, at the Pentagon and at a field in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County in Pennsylvania.