June 12, 2008:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, June 12, 2008. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
How healthy is the soil in which your roses are planted? With the free fertilizer sample you will receive at our June meeting, you can judge the results for yourself in your own garden.
Founded in 1980, Natural Resources Group specializes in organic fertilizer with mycorrhizal fungi and organic pest control. NRG has striven to introduce the “conventional fertilizer of tomorrow” – highly efficient organic based products that preserve nutrient availability, reduce leaching, and build soil vitality and increase blooms. Their Texas representative, Isaac Smuin will be the speaker at our June meeting. Come to the meeting to learn how to build healthy soil using organic methods. Besides the free samples there will also be a chance to win full size containers of some of his products.
Consulting Rosarian for June is Gaye Hammond. The summer heat always causes problems. Bring your questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix continues. Bring your best blooms and participate in the competition. Novices: Don’t forget to bring your entries for the Novice class.
Feature of the Month: Matched Pair: Two Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, or Floribunda, same variety, one bloom per stem, no side buds, shown in separate containers.
Special: 7:00 pm, Beginner’s Corner - Shirley Morgan will tell us about the Bermuda Mystery Roses and their adventure in the EarthKind trials.
May 8, 2008:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, May 8, 2008. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Baxter Williams has been a member of the Houston Rose Society for 36 years, having served on the Board of Directors for most of that time. He currently serves as Director of the HRS, and as the Director of the South Central District of the ARS, which encompasses rose societies in Texas and Oklahoma, and all but one of the local societies in Arkansas. He and Patsy are American Rose Society Master Rosarians, and Horticulture Judges. Their rose garden has almost 600 bushes of all types.
Baxter is a retired Professional Engineer whose specialty is measurements and remote control, so it is natural to imagine him creating an automated watering system for his and Patsy’s rose garden. Having 28 rose beds, he has automated 21 of them. But what about the other seven beds? And did those beds start out as automated in the beginning? Follow his discussion of how their watering began as a simple one-hose system, and grew into a multi-zone automated system.
He will show you how to “grow” a system in stages. Beginning with simple inexpensive equipment, and modifying it over the years, it is possible to save yourself a lot of work by judicious planning. He will show you many of the pieces necessary to build do-it-yourself watering pipe.
Consulting Rosarian for May is Robin Hough. Come prepared to ask questions.
Grand Prix continues. Bring your best blooms. James and Debbie Laperouse need some competition. Novices - Bring your best blooms.
Feature of the Month: Matched Pair: Two Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, or Floribunda, same variety, one bloom per stem, no side buds, shown in separate containers.
April 10, 2008:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, April 10, 2008. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
How does ancestry affect today's roses? Matthew J. Orwat (Texas A&M University) has just completed a study of the vast genetic diversity that exists in the genus Rosa. We are used to hearing about human genes that are responsible for blue eyes or susceptibility to certain cancers. The same thing is true of roses. There is a rose gene responsible for susceptibility to blackspot. Matt Orwat, our speaker at the April meeting, will explain the results of the Rose Genetics Study and how this knowledge is being used to breed beautiful, carefree roses that gardeners in all climates can enjoy.
Consulting Rosarian for April is Robin Hough. This time of year always brings many questions. Bring yours to the meeting.
Grand Prix begins: Bring your best blooms and enter them in the Grand Prix. Remember that we have a special class for novices. The best Novice entry for the evening wins twenty dollars!
Feature of the Month: Old Garden Rose Bouquet, 5 or more stems of one bloom or multiple blooms, in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
SPECIAL: 7:00pm, Beginner’s Corner by Mary Fulgham. She will give us the how-to on amateur hybridizing. Join Mary for this informative topic.
ghg March 13, 2008:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, March 13, 2008. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
When one thinks of rose hybridizing the first things that come to mind are laboratories, greenhouses and scientists in white coats. The laboratory of Ray Ponton is a pasture in Taylor, Texas, and he works magic creating new roses in jeans and a baseball cap. Ray is one of the early members of the Texas Rose Rustlers, and his interest in hybridizing began in 1992, after reading an article on the uniqueness of Griffith Buck roses. "My objective was to create new and interesting varieties of roses to plant in my pasture." To date, Ray has created 20 roses that have been registered and about half of them are commercially available. We are honored that he chose to name one of those roses, Deanna, after one of our members, Deanna Krause. Deanna and Earl Krause have many of the roses hybridized by Ray in their garden in Pasadena.
Ray Ponton will be our speaker at the March meeting, and his program will showcase the fabulous roses that he has created. This is an excellent program for anyone wishing to add beautiful hardy roses to their landscapes. We will also have several of Ray's roses to give away as door prizes.
Consulting Rosarian for March is Mary Fulgham. Bring your rose questions. There are always a lot of questions as the roses begin to grow.
SPECIAL: 7:00 pm, Beginner’s Corner by Robin Hough - Come early, and get the rules and helpful hints for entering the HRS Arrangement Competition at the April Home and Garden Show. ARS Arrangements Judge Robin Hough will walk you through the dos and don’ts.
February 14, 2008:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, February 14, 2008. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Valentine’s Day (February 14th) is when those of us in Houston start pruning our roses. Therefore, we are having a Pruning Party at our meeting on February 14th. The event will begin at 7:30 pm with a short PowerPoint program, Pruning 101, by John Jons. Then, a crew of our experienced pruners will demonstrate pruning techniques on actual bushes of all types of roses. You can move around as you like to see as many techniques as possible. Questions are encouraged.
As an added bonus, all of the pruned bushes will be given away as door prizes. Be sure to get a free ticket when you arrive, in order to be eligible to receive one of the bushes. If your number is drawn, you may choose among the bushes that have been pruned. This meeting is loads of fun, so bring a friend.
We Need Your Roses!
We’ve all had several months to think about our gardens and make plans for the new varieties we want to add this year. If you plan to eliminate existing bushes this growing season, don’t give them to the trash man – DONATE THEM TO THE HRS. We desperately need bushes to use in our February 14th pruning demonstration. Simply dig up the bushes, wrap the roots/soil ball in damp newspaper, and put the wrapped root ball in a plastic bag or pot. Be sure to label your bush with the type of rose (Hybrid Tea, Climber, Floribunda, Miniature, or Antique) and the rose name, if you know it. If you don’t know the name of the rose, list its color. Bring the roses you want to donate to the February meeting. Please arrive at the Garden Center by 7:00 pm, if you are donating more than one or two bushes, so that we will have adequate time to get the bushes unloaded and into their respective pruning stations by the time the meeting starts.
Master Gardeners Please contact Baxter Williams, who is compiling a list of Master Gardeners who are HRS members. 713-944-3437
There will be no Beginner’s Corner this month.
January 10, 2008:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, January 10, 2008. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Dr. George will discuss the principles of constructing a bed in our native clay in such a manner that it can properly drain during our rainy seasons, and so that beneficial organisms can also flourish.
We are fortunate to have this research specialist with us for the evening. Be ready to ask soil questions, and to hear how our Houston-sponsored Trials are advancing through the program.
Consulting Rosarian for January will be Gaye Hammond. The new year is beginning. Bring your questions, get answers, and get the year started right.
SPECIAL: 7:00 pm, Beginner’s Corner - Types of soil that we have in the Houston area, by Gaye Hammond.
December, 2007:
We will have the annual awards presentation, door prizes, the installation of our 2008 officers, and of course - our holiday gift raffle!
Bring a wrapped rose-related gift ($5 - $10) to put under the tree for the raffle. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each or 6 for $5. We always have fun drawing for gifts from fellow rosarians.
Tickets for the dinner are $25 each, and pre-paid reservations are required. Send your check, payable to Houston Rose Society to:
Your pre-paid reservation must be received no later than December 5, 2007, or you can charge your reservations below.
November, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, November 8, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Chilli thrips, the country's newest exotic pest, entered Texas and Florida in 2005. In less than 2 years the Florida population exploded and colonies of these pests are now found in every county in that state. We expect the Texas experience to mirror that of Florida. While the favorite food of chilli thrips is roses, more than 34 other Texas crops, ornamentals, shrubs and trees are host plants for this exotic pest. Unlike the western flower thrips that we are familiar with, chilli thrips feed on foliage and tender new growth - weakening the overall health of the bush. Left uncontrolled, chilli thrips can ultimately kill roses and no roses appear to be immune to their devastation. Experts agree that correct identification and treatment are critical in the management of this pest.
Our speaker for the November meeting is Dr. Scott Ludwig from the Texas Cooperative Extension's Research & Experiment Station in Overton, Texas. Besides being a specialist in integrated pest management, Dr. Ludwig sits on the National Chilli Thrips Task Force and is our State's leading researcher on chilli thrips.
This is probably our most important program of the year. Everyone who loves gardening needs to attend to learn to identify the damage from this pest and how to treat them. Many members have reported unusual leaf drop and other plant symptoms not previously seen in the garden. If you are currently experiencing this symptom in your garden, remove 20 leaflets from the plant along with a bloom and put them in a plastic ziploc bag. Label the bag with your name, phone number, e-mail address and date the samples were taken and bring the bag with you to the meeting.
Consulting Rosarian for November is Earl Krause.Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix continues. Feature of the Month: Miniature Bouquet, 12 mini roses, any variety or combination of varieties, one bloom per stem, no side bud(s), in container furnished by exhibitor.
SPECIAL: 7:00 pm, Beginners Corner - How to order roses from catalogues, by John Jons.
October, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, October 11, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Our speaker for the October meeting will be John C. (Jack) Walter, owner of Kimbrew-Walter Roses. Jack gained his love of roses at an early age from his father in his home town of Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in chemistry.
Living in the North, and working with many rose societies, he finally became sensible and moved to the South in 1960. (his words) Wanting to be more involved in roses, he purchased Kimbrew Roses in 1972 which then became Kimbrew-Walter Roses. Jack began field growing large budded roses for retail mail order, later adding miniature roses. In recent years, he has started grafting and budding large and mini roses on Fortuniana understock.
Jack attends all rose conventions, workshops, and seminars for continuing education. Jack’s company sells roses, chemicals, and rose related products (he has furnished miniature roses for our rose shows for years). Jack is serving his third term as Region 7 Director for the American Rose Society, and even though he is in his 80’s, he still travels to many areas to give programs and lectures. Jack claims to have roses in his blood that he’ll never get out.
Consulting Rosarian for October is Deanna Krause. Bring your rose questions. We all want beautiful roses this month.
Feature of the Month: Hybrid Tea/Grandiflora Bouquet, 7 or more roses, any variety or combination of varieties, one bloom per stem, no side bud(s), in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
Simplifying the Products List for Beginners, by Jim Boden. Find out what all those strange-sounding products on our Chemical Sale are all about. This talk will make it easier for you to order products. Bring your own list from the September newsletter--and learn all about it.
September, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, September 13, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Our speaker for this month is Dennis Jones, the Rose Gardener at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens and also the President of the Fort Worth Rose Society. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington with over 20 years experience in residential and commercial landscaping.
His earth-friendly approach to gardening includes all facets of integrated pest management. Dennis is also an instructor with Extended Education at TCU focusing on roses with the courses “Roses Made Easy” and “Roses and Champagne”. Dennis will discuss the history of the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens and also what is currently going on with the gardens. He will tell us how he handles the really warm weather while he cares for the 2,000 roses grown in the gardens! Hopefully, we’ll also get a peek at his personal rose garden. Dennis’s wife, Van will also be coming. Her father (Van) owned and operated “Van’s Ballroom,” formerly located on the Gulf Freeway south. Some of us veteran rosarians may recall it! Please come and welcome our guests to Houston.
Consulting Rosarian for September is Jeniver Lauran. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Feature of the Month: Stages of Bloom, 3 Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, Miniatures or Mini-Floras of the same variety, showing the three stages of development. Displayed in separate containers.
BEGINNER'S CORNER - 7:00 pm. Exhibiting for the Beginner, by Deanna Krause.
There are simple ways to make your blooms look better and last longer after cutting. Join Deanna before the meeting to learn her special methods.
August, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, August 8, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
This month’s program will feature Horticulturist Bill Abetz, Jr., who will discuss how new chemistries, such as “bio-rationales”, can stimulate the plant’s immune system. The result is a plant that can defend itself from natural predators, therefore increasing overall plant health while reducing reliance on traditional pesticides. The presentation will be free of any advertising or brand names and will be 100% science based.
Bill’s love of horticulture sprouted at the age of 12 when he began work as a grounds keeper at a local golf course (in return for a membership), back in his home state of Connecticut. Bill left Connecticut after high school to pursue his Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture from the University of Florida. Add to that an MBA in Finance and fifteen years in the industry and you’ve got a lean, mean problem-solving machine!
When the opportunity to grow a business in Texas was presented to him, he couldn’t resist the challenge. His goals are to (1) clear up the “mystery of chemicals and fertilizers,” and (2) design programs that reduce the use of chemicals, provide better control, and move to a more environmentally friendly atmosphere for customers and workers. In addition, with proceeds from his company, he is working towards developing fertilizers specifically designed for different areas throughout Texas.
Consulting Rosarian for August is Patsy Williams.
Feature of the Month: Arrangement: A Standard or Miniature-Miniflora arrangement. Names of roses and type of arrangement (Line, Mass, Abstract, Moribana, etc.) must be on entry tag.
BEGINNER'S CORNER - 7:00 pm. Gadgets for the Garden, by Donald Burger. Come early for this informative session. Many of our members have been enjoying these early presentations.
July, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, July 12, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Deanna Krause, Program Chair
Every year the society sponsors an "old fashioned" ice cream social, and this year's social will bring us a respite from the sweltering heat and humidity that has been plaguing us for weeks. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. so that we have plenty of time to visit and eat lots of ice cream and visit the rose garden.
Summer is a time for having fun with family and friends, and we are looking forward to having you join us.
The society provides the ice cream, and everyone is encouraged to bring his or her favorite topping (fruit, nuts, sauces, candy, sprinkles, whipped cream, etc.), or cookies or brownies. Ultimately, we create the largest ice cream sundae bar in the City.
There will be NO Grand Prix this month, but bring some roses for a “Wacky Competition.”
1. The most mismatched pair of roses
2. Smallest hybrid tea rose bloom
3. Largest bloom of any kind of rose
4. Most fragrant rose
5. Most unusual bloom
Bring your wackiest specimens and join in the fun.
Come a little early for parking purposes because of Miller Theater.
FEATURED TABLES
Buchanan’s Native Plants - garden accents and native Texas plants.
Maria’s Designs - selections of rose-decorated clothing and other “rosy” items.
Nature’s Way Resources - HRS formulated Rose Soil Blend and other organic composts and mulches.
Teas Nursery - garden supplies and roses
Wabash Antiques & Feed - organic rose products
Rendez-Vous Quebec - Travel Agency
June, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, June 14, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Deanna Krause, Program Chair
Join us for an evening with Calvin Boutte, from Martinville, Louisiana. After 25 years of working in the oilfield and offshore, Calvin needed a hobby to, as he says, “keep me out of trouble”, so he planted a few roses. Later that year, he met four guys from the Golden Triangle Rose Society and heard about “showing roses,” which really got his attention. He started building rose beds and, six months later, had over 100 roses! He started exhibiting his roses, but knew next to nothing about how to do it. Even so, when he went to a rose show in New Orleans he managed to win the Best Novice Trophy, and that was where he first met Johnny Becnel. He visited Johnny’s garden about a month later and made a decision to learn all he could from “that guy”, because it was obvious Becnel was very gifted at growing roses. Throughout that time of trying to learn how to grow roses, Johnny and Calvin became the best of friends as Calvin soaked up as much knowledge as possible from his mentor.
Please help us welcome Calvin and his wife, Anita, to Houston as he shares his insights on how to grow roses grown on Fortuniana rootstock.
Consulting Rosarian for June is Mary Fulgham. Summer’s heat always brings concerns for the roses. Bring your questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix continues. Bring your roses.
Feature of the Month: Matched Pair, 2 Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, or Miniatures of the same variety, with no side buds, displayed in separate containers.
New this month: There will be a special prize for the NOVICE who wins "Best Novice" for this month's Grand Prix. A novice is anyone who has never won a blue ribbon in a ARS sanctioned rose show. The prize is a copy of Robert Martin's wonderful book, Showing Good Roses. We are giving this prize to encourage novices, so bring your roses and have a chance to win this book. And, as an added benefit, you will learn techniques about how to show your roses.
SPECIAL - 7:00 pm. Earl Krause will address simple irrigation anyone can do. Come early to be a part of this. Our pre-meeting basic training session will focus on the basics for watering roses and keeping them happy.
May, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, May 10, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Deanna Krause, Program Chair
Mary Fulgham and her daughter, Ivy Keen, will demonstrate how to hybridize roses. This involves transferring pollen from one plant to another, which results in the formation of seed hips, leading to unique new plants.
They will show slides of the process, and pictures of the roses they have created. Ivy is 13, and is an honor student at Trafton Academy in the 7th grade. She also plays the flute and dances ballet. Mary is a Master Rosarian and longtime amateur hybridizer.
Come, and see how something that sounds complicated is really fun. They will show you that it is easy enough to be done by children!
FYI: Did you see the nice article about Ivy in the March American Rose?
Consulting Rosarian for May is Robin Hough. The roses are in full bloom. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Feature of the Month: Floribunda Bouquet, 5 or more stems (one bloom per stem or sprays), any variety or combination of varieties, displayed in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
SPECIAL - 7:00 pm. Baxter Williams will address “Beginners’ Understanding of Insects.” Come early to be a part of this. "Our pre-meeting basic training session will focus this time on the insects that you are likely to see in your rose garden. Not every "bug" is a bad one, and you need to be able to tell the good ones from those which will damage your rose bushes. Come at 7:00 pm to see pictures and hear a discussion of the creatures on our roses.
April, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, April 12, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Deanna Krause, Program Chair
Dr. Griffith Buck (1915-1991) is credited with creating more disease-resistant hardy roses than any other rose hybridizer in this country. Even though Dr. Buck's roses were especially created to survive the blistering cold winters (down to 28 degrees zero) of Iowa and the far northern states, we are finding that a large number of his roses do extremely well in our heat and humidity. The disease resistance and hardiness of Dr. Buck's roses have even attracted the attention of scientists at Texas A&M University and they are now studying 17 of Dr. Buck's roses in the National EarthKind trials funded by the Houston Rose Society.
While a couple of our members have grown Buck roses for many years most members have never experienced the beauty and grace that they bring to the landscape. With a few exceptions, most Buck roses are shrubs that bear fragrant blooms with hybrid tea form. In fact, it was the Dr. Buck that created the ARS classification of roses known as "shrubs". Our April meeting will showcase the work of Dr. Buck and the fabulous roses that he created.
Our speaker in April will be Gaye Hammond. Besides being our President, for several years Gaye has been working with Texas Cooperative Extension, Chamblee's Rose Nursery (Tyler) and local nurserymen to reintroduce and/or prevent Buck roses from being lost to commerce. She is an instructor for Texas Cooperative Extension in their EarthKind Rose Research Program and gives lectures throughout the country. In her spare time she is an avid writer, and her articles have received local, national and international publication.
Two special Buck roses will be given away as door prizes at the meeting.
Consulting Rosarian for April is Robin Hough. Bring your rose questions.
Grand Prix begins - Bring your best blooms and enter the competition.
Feature of the Month: Old Garden Rose Bouquet, 5 or more stems of one bloom or multiple blooms, in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
SPECIAL - 7:00 pm. Beginners’ Guide to Fertilizing Your Roses, by Donald Burger. Come early for a special presentation. This is a time for beginners to get questions answered.
March, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, March 8, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Deanna Krause, Program Chair
Join us for an evening with Sandra Smith as she talks about her garden, how she propagates her roses and how she ended up in New Orleans on a restoration project.
She is a fifth generation Houstonian, whose ancestors have always loved gardening. Among her proudest achievements are being a founding member and the first newsletter editor of the Polish Genealogical Society of Texas. In 2001, she discovered the historical and mystifying, similarities between genealogy and antique roses, which turned into a passion that has driven her to become an avid rosarian. Sandra is currently a member of the Houston Rose Society and the Texas Rose Rustlers, whose mission is to collect, identify and preserve old roses found in cemeteries and older communities. The Rustlers have contributed immensely to a revival of carefree roses in home and commercial landscapes, as well as encouraging and sharing organic gardening techniques. Sandra’s job with an oil field equipment company in Houston limits her to weekend gardening. Therefore, she has focused on native plants and Old Garden Roses due to their low maintenance requirements.
Consulting Rosarian for March is Donald Burger. With the beginning of spring there are a lot of concerns. Bring your questions to the meeting.
Note: For a written version of this talk, click here.
February, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, February 8, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Deanna Krause, Program Chair
Pruning our roses is a very important part of preparing the bushes for a new growing season. Come to our meeting on February 8th and let our experienced rosarians show you how they prune their roses to get the best results. February 14th is normally the time to cut roses back in this area. The meeting will be a hands-on pruning demonstration of all types of roses, starting with a short Power Point program by John Jons. We will then move about the room, observing the demonstrations. Feel free to ask questions.
Rose Pruners:
Hybrid Teas: Mary Fulgham and Randy Keen,
Debbie and James Laperouse,
Dan and Patti Lawlor
Floribundas: Robin Hough and Earl Krause
Miniatures: Jeniver Lauran and John Jons
Antiques: Donald Burger and Maria Trevino
Climbers and Shrubs: Doug Mitchell
All the bushes pruned will be given away during the evening. You will receive a free ticket as you enter, numbers will drawn, and check the blackboard for your number to come up.
Bring your rose bush discards.
If you have bushes that did not come up to your expectations, dig them up, put them either in a plastic bag or a pot and bring them...we will find new homes! We need bushes of all types, please help.
January, 2007:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, Janauary 11, 2007. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Everyone who has grown more than a couple of roses has spent time pouring over those fantastic rose catalogs published by Jackson & Perkins. In addition to tried and true standards, they always have enticing new roses, just waiting for the planting.
The Houston Rose Society is pleased to bring you Kevin Marshall, direct from Jackson & Perkins,as our speaker on January 11, 2007. He will tell us all about this year's newest offerings from J & P. This is your chance to see slides of their upcoming roses, and learn about the history of how they were selected, how they do, and why you must be the first rose grower on your block to have them.
We will also hear about how J & P grows its roses and learn about the fascinating history of this long-time rose supplier. Come get the inside information of the roses everyone will be talking about in 2007. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. on January 11th. See you there.
December, 2006
Instead of the normal monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society, we will have a "Reservations Required" holiday party on Thursday, December 14, 2006. The party begins at 6:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Reservations are required.
The December meeting of the Houston Rose Society is our Annual Holiday Party. The meeting is on Thursday, December 14, 2006. This year's HRS Annual Holiday Party will be at our regular meeting place of the Houston Garden Center. The dinner will be catered by Pappas Catering. Check the December Rose Ette for the delicious menu. Pre-dinner festivities begin at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served at 7:30 pm.
In a repeat of a new tradition established at the 2002 celebration, Mary Rains and several of our members will be turning each of the tables into works of art, as each table will be decorated in an individual "theme" for the party.
We are privileged to have a special guest for the evening. We will also have the annual awards presentation, door prizes, the installation of our 2007 officers, and of course - our holiday gift raffle!
Bring a wrapped rose-related gift ($5 - $10) to put under the tree for the raffle. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each or 6 for $5. We always have fun drawing for gifts from fellow rosarians.
Tickets for the dinner are $20 each, and pre-paid reservations are required. Send your check, payable to Houston Rose Society to:
Your pre-paid reservation must be received no later than December 8, 2006, or you can charge your reservations on VISA or MASTERCARD by calling Galt Morgan at the above phone number by the deadline.
November, 2006
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, November 9, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Rosarians are fond of saying there is always room for one more rose. That is sometimes not the case with a full-sized hybrid tea or gigantic old garden roses. But, no matter how crowded your garden, it is easy to fit in another miniature rose. Even so, they have their own care requirement if they are going to flourish in our heat and humidity.
For our October program Patsy Williams will discuss these small beauties of our hobby and will give you ideas as to how to successfully grow them in your own garden. Patsy is an American Rose Society Master Rosarian and a Horticulture Judge. She grows almost 600 rose bushes in her garden, and many of them are miniatures.
Miniatures need somewhat different growing techniques and care from their full-sized cousins, and Patsy will discuss these special requirements in detail. And miniatures are easy to make into attractive bouquets for indoors. Patsy brings a wealth of knowledge to this subject. Bring your questions with you, and be ready to go home with a new appreciation for these tiny jewels of the garden.
October, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, October 12, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Lack of space is a constant problem for gardeners of all types, including rosarians. We know, in our heads, that a well appointed garden includes many elements. And water--as in ponds and fountains--is one of the most important aspects of garden design. Still, few of us have the space required for a koi or goldfish pond. Of course, that's because that space is planted with roses! But our speaker for October has a solution.
John Howell runs Countryside Water Gardens in Needville. Countryside is just across the street from the Vintage Rosery. You may have met John at our July 4th Ice Cream Social. Now is your chance to hear him speak about Container Water Gardening.
Water features come in all sizes, and John will show us how to incorporate such features into our existing gardens and patios with minimal use of space. When the sound of water is added to the color and scent of roses, garden perfection is achieved. Container water gardens are easily within the skill level of all "do it yourselfers." Join us on October 12, 2006, to learn how to add both the sound and beauty of a small water feature to your garden. Both you and visitors to your garden will appreciate the added dimensions water can give even when space is limited.
September, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, September 14, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
All good rosarians understand the value of compost when it comes to growing healthy roses. And it is also well known that a healthy rose bush is better able to fight off diseases like blackspot.
Liquid composts make it easier to apply this wonder product to your roses. Now, our speaker for the September meeting is taking this entire area to the next level.
Betsy Ross, of Sustainable Growth Texas, will be our speaker for the September 14th meeting. She has trained under Elaine Ingham, the acknowledged leader in the promotion of liquid composts.
Ms. Ross will explain to us that the science of composting has advanced to the point of designer liquid composts. Different composts have differing ratios of bacteria to fungi, and what works for one type of plant is not necessarily ideal for another class. She will go over the latest information on the best liquid compost for roses, and the extra benefits one obtains when using the right bacteria/fungi ratios on your bushes.
This information takes the "Soil Foodweb" to the next level. Come to our September meeting and learn how you can use this new technology to take your roses to the next level too.
August, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, August 10, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Internationally recognized author and landscape designer, Stephen Scanniello, former curator of the Cranford Rose Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, will speak on The Magic of Old Garden Roses at the August meeting, Thursday, August 10th, at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center, 1500 Hermann Drive. Mr. Scaniello is credited with transforming the Cranford Rose Garden into an internationally acclaimed rose garden. He has just published a new book, A Year of Roses. His other books include Climbing Roses; Rose Companions: Growing Annuals, Perennials, Bulbs, Shrubs, Vines with Roses; and Easy Care Roses: Low-Maintenance Charmers. He is an engaging and popular speaker.
We will have copies of the new book for sale at the meeting and Scanniello will be glad to autograph them.
Spread the word about this meeting and invite a friend or two. We have a flier that you can mail or post at a local nursery in the back of the newsletter. Scanniello is a speaker who you will not generally see except at a convention. The public is invited and there is no charge to attend. For more information, call Gaye Hammond at 713-292-2760.
The Grand Prix resumes this month. The feature of the month is a Standard or Miniature arrangement. Names of roses and type of arrangement (Line, Mass, Abstract, Moribana, etc.) must be on entry tag. If want to try exhibiting, this is a good baby step. You can show three times before our big show in October. There is a special class for novices and if you arrive at 6:30 someone will be glad to help you get your roses ready.
July, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, July 13, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
In our annual tradition, this month's meeting is our special ice cream social. In the main hall we will have a great collection of local vendor who will be displaying their rose related wares. And, as always, we will have ice cream provided by the HRS. Everyone is encouraged to bring their favorite topping (fruit, nuts, sauces, candy, whipped cream, etc.), or cookies, or brownies. This is a great chance to browse the offerings of local businesses that make life easier for rosarians, eat some ice cream and talk to consulting rosarians about your roses. For those with restricted dietary requirements, we will even feature sugar-free ice cream and sorbet.
There will be NO Grand Prix this month, but bring some roses for a "Wacky Competition":
1. Arrangement with the most mismatched pair of roses
2. Smallest hybrid tea rose bloom
3. Largest bloom of any kind
4. Most fragrant rose-winner determined by vote of those attending
5. Most unusual bloom-winner determined by vote of those attending
Also, various vendors that support HRS will have tables of their wares or information for you, or will be available to answer questions. There will be door prizes galore! Here is a partial listing of vendors that will be at our July meeting:
Arbor Gate Nursery - garden supplies and more
Aluma Photo-Plate Co. - Fade-proof rose labels. Very popular with our members. Visit their website at www.alumaphoto-plateco.com and bring your order
Buchanan's Native Plants - Roses, native plants and garden accessories
Countryside Water Gardens - water gardens, fish, supplies and more
Houston Rose Society - Baxter Williams has arranged for over 20 roses to sold for $20 each. These roses are from Robertson's Nursery, and are top notch. Come early for the best selection.
Maria's Designs - rose-themed, hand painted and embroidered clothing, jewelry
and accessories
Nature's Way Resources - HRS formulated Rose Soil Blend and other organic composts and mulches
Southern Living at Home - interior home decorations
Southwest Fertilizer - host of our fall chemical sale
Teas Nursery - garden supplies and roses
Vintage Rosery - OGR's and organic products
June, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, June 8, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
It's not that hard to throw a few roses in a vase--but the overall effect may look like that is all you did. Most of us, on the other hand, want our floral displays to showcase our roses and our creative talents. But where do you start, and how do you do it?
Impressive, eye-catching arrangements are easy to do, even with garden roses, if you know and implement a few tricks utilized by Houston's leading florists.
For our June program, Mimi Lee and Dion Mauk, from Albert Miller's Florists & Gifts, will create stunning rose arrangements. Mimi and Dion will be using roses provided from our member's gardens, so you will be able to replicate their results on your own.
They will also demonstrate the techniques they use to condition roses to last a week or more.
At the end of the program, we will raffle the arrangements. Raffle tickets are $l each, or six for $5. It's a great bargain.
We need your help for this demonstration to be a success. Mimi and Dion need a bunch of roses to use in the arrangements--about 150--so please bring lots of freshly cut roses from your garden to help us out. And come prepared to learn valuable insider tricks of the trade.
The HRS Grand Prix continues. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have folk to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which began at the April meeting and continues till October.
Feature of the Month: Matched Pair--Two Hybrid Teas, Grandiforas or Miniatures of the same variety, with no side buds, displayed in separate containers.
May, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, May 11, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Creating new rose bushes from cuttings is a practice that is thousands of years old. Most gardeners are only marginally successful in getting their cuttings to root. Join us on May 11th and learn from a real pro how you can improve your success with getting your cuttings to flourish.
Our speaker at the May meeting will be Candy Fite, from the Texas Rose Rustlers. She will demonstrate the "baggie" technique for rooting cuttings (a smiliar method is used at the Antique Rose Emporium) and share her secrets to success.
In conjunction with Candy's presentation, we will also have an Old-Fashioned Cutting Exchange and Plant Raffle. We need your help to make the exchange the best that it can be. Please help by bringing cuttings and/or pass-along plants from your garden to the meeting.
To take a cutting: Cut a section of the rose cane the diameter of a pencil (or smaller) that has just finished blooming. The cutting should have four sets of leaflets. Wrap the cutting in a wet paper towel and put it in a gallon plastic bag. Put cuttings from each different cultivar in a different bag and label the bag with the name of the rose. A permanent black marker works well. Keep the bags refrigerated until the meeting. If you bring plants or seeds, please label them too. Please honor plant patent laws and do not bring any rose (or other plant) that is still under patent. In general, plant patents last for twenty years.
If you plan to participate in the exchange, bring some empty one gallon plastic food bags, a permanent marker, and some paper towels so you have a way to get the cuttings home.
We will raffle the pass-along plants at the end of the meeting.
The HRS Grand Prix continues. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have folk to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which began at the April meeting and continues till October.
Feature of the Month: The Challenge for May is a Floribunda Bouquet, five or more stems (one bloom per stem or sprays), any variety or combination of varieties, displayed in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
April, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, April 13, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
To hear some people talk, top grade compost is the answer to almost every problem in the garden, including the rose garden. In fact, there is good science that this is indeed the case. The key is to know what it takes to make a top grade compost and what uses you can make of the product once you get it into your garden.
Fortunately, we are privileged to have the premier compost maker in this area as our speaker for April. John Ferguson is the president of Nature's Way Resources. Nature's Way makes what many garden societies consider the best compost and mulches available on the Gulf Coast. Nature's Way also makes a Rose Soil Blend that is endorsed by the Houston Rose Society. This rose soil blend was formulated to take your newly planted rose through its first year in your garden without additional fertilizers or amendments. It is so complete, that Dan Lawlor says, "All you add is water."
Mr. Ferguson will talk about how to use compost in your garden and why compost is referred to as Black Gold. He will share the latest research on the benefits of compost for growing roses, and provide tips on new ways to use it in the garden. Learn how compost cuts water use, provides nutrients as well as trace minerals to your roses, breaks down our hard gumbo clay and feeds the beneficial microorganisms in the soil web.
Please attend this important meeting. You will go away convinced that the single most important thing you can do to get better performance out of your rose bushes is to apply the right kind of compost in the right way.
March, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, March 9, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
It's been a mild winter and many of our garden plants, including roses, have continued to grow without stopping for their annual winter rest. This also means that the pests (insects, disease and viruses) that prevent our garden plants and roses from achieving their best, have also not rested, and that they may return in greater numbers than last year. An old garden rhyme states "One for the black bird, one for the mouse, one for the rabbit and one for the house" - the poet forgot to mention that an insect or disease (pest) may also takes one - leaving none for the house. And in regards to pest control, we have all heard someone state "the only good bug is a dead bug" and "if a little pesticide is good, a lot is better." This garden practice can eliminate both the bad and the good insects, and in the long run, favors the bad insects. It can also be quite expensive and it may negatively impact the garden, the health of the gardener and those that enjoy the garden.
Our speaker for March will be John Jons. John is a Galveston County Master Gardener and a member of the American and the Houston Rose Societies. He is currently leading the Galveston County Master Gardener National Earthkind rose test trials. He speaks and writes on a variety of gardening topics from growing roses to square foot gardening. His articles have been reprinted in a number of gardening newsletters and his presentations have won Texas State Master Gardener Awards. His articles and presentations focus on making gardening, simple, enjoyable and successful.
John will introduce us to a gardening best practice for managing garden pests called Integrated Pest Management - IPM. IPM is an environmentally sound integration of all garden pest control methods to control pest populations. IPM is not a new concept. Its use is growing in commercial agriculture, as IPM uses methods that are proven to be effective, economical and the least harmful to the environment.
To learn about this exciting approach to gardening, don't miss our March program.
February, 2006:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, February 9, 2006. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
One of the most frequent questions we hear is, "When and how do I prune my roses?" Come to our meeting on Thursday, February 9th and learn from our experts how and where to make those cuts.
The meeting will start with a short Powerpoint program on Pruning 101 by John Jons. Then, a crew of our experienced pruners will demonstrate pruning techniques on actual bushes. Tables will be placed all around the room so you can get a close-up view of how to make those cuts. Questions are encouraged. By Valentine's Day (the recommended pruning date in Houston), you will be able to prune with confidence.
The Pruning Crew includes:
Elizabeth Geppert and John Jons on Miniature Roses.
John Patterson and Baxter Williams on Hybrid Tea Roses.
Robin Hough and Donald Burger on Floribundas.
Earl and Deanna Krause on Old Garden Roses.
Doug Mitchell and James Laperouse on Climbers.
Donate your rose bushes! We need your rose bushes for the demonstrations. If you are making room for new roses, simply dig up the old bush and wrap the roots in plastic or put the rose in a pot, label the bush and bring it to the meeting. The pruned bushes will be given away as door prizes.
This is the most popular meeting of the year. Don't miss it!
January, 2006:
Steve Chaney, with the Tarrant County Cooperative Extension, will be our speaker for the January meeting. He talk will be on the EarthKind Soil Management Program.
Steve is presently the Horticulture Specialist for Tarrant County Cooperative Extension, a division of Texas A&M University. He was formerly the County Extension Agent for Wichita Falls, Texas, and developed the EarthKind Soil Management Program through his service in Wichita Falls. He is a radio and television celebrity in North Texas and does weekly broadcasts on horticulture and landscape management.
Wichita Falls gets only 18 inches of rain per year and water in that part of the state is a precious commodity. On a bet, he took a section of desert near the Extension Office and turned it into a lush landscape which has had no supplemental watering in 4 years. That landscape includes roses! The city of Wichita Falls was so impressed with the results of the Soil Management Program that they implemented it for all city property.
What this program will show to our members is the importance of good bed preparation and how the right bed preparation will sustain landscape plantings for years with almost no care and very little supplemental watering after the first year. Steve's Landscape Management Program has been adopted by the cities of Wichita Falls, Addison and Dallas.
Consulting Rosarian for January will be a local consulting rosarian. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
December, 2005:
Instead of the normal monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society, we will have a "Reservations Required" holiday party on Thursday, December 8, 2005. The party begins at 6:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Reservations are required.
The December meeting of the Houston Rose Society is our Annual Holiday Party. The meeting is on Thursday, December 8, 2004. This year's HRS Annual Holiday Party will be at our regular meeting place of the Houston Garden Center. The dinner will be catered by Pappasito's Restaurant. Check the December Rose Ette for the delicious menu. Pre-dinner festivities begin at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served at 7:30 pm.
In a repeat of a new tradition established at the 2002 celebration, Mary Rains and several of our members will be turning each of the tables into works of art, as each table will be decorated in an individual "theme" for the party.
We are privileged to have Dr. Steve George as our special guest for the evening. Dr. George is the originator of the EarthKind rose program out of Texas A&M We will also have the annual awards presentation, door prizes, the installation of our 2006 officers, and of course - our holiday gift raffle!
Bring a wrapped rose-related gift ($5 - $10) to put under the tree for the raffle. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each or 6 for $5. We always have fun drawing for gifts from fellow rosarians.
Tickets for the dinner are $20 each, and pre-paid reservations are required. Send your check, payable to Houston Rose Society to:
Galt Morgan
12335 Kingsride #109
Houston,Texas 77024
Phone-713-463-6719
Your pre-paid reservation must be received no later than Friday, December 2, 2005.
November, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, November 10, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Winter protection is the practice of doing something to help your roses through the ravages of winter cold. Of course, this is definitely not an issue for rose growers in the Houston area. However, there are certain gardening practices to follow over our winter months to ensure that your bushes will be healthy and ready to jump start the spring growth season.
Our speaker this month will be John Teas from Teas Nursery. Teas Nursery is a landmark nursery in the Houston area and a generous supporter of the Houston Rose Society. Teas Nursery began in Houston in the early 1900's and was instrumental in the "greening" of Houston over the years, bringing new plant varieties to the area. They have one of the largest offerings of roses at their nursery.
Mr. Teas will talk to us about the care we should give our roses during the winter months, how to get our beds ready for spring and new roses for 2006. Come hear his tips and tricks for growing great roses.
Election of Officers: The vote for the 2006 officers will take place at the November Meeting.
The Grand Prix finishes up. This is the last chance to enter this year. Feature of the Month: Miniature Bouquet. 12 Mini roses, any variety or combination of varieties, one bloom per stem, no side bud(s), in container furnished by exhibitor.
October, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, October 13, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Do you wish your garden could have that picture perfect look that you see in some garden magazines? Then you need to attend our October meeting. Paige Phillips will be our speaker. He is with McDugald Steele Landscape Architects & Contractors, one of Houston's top landscaping companies. This is the same company that provided the basic design of the new HRS garden at the American Rose Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.
You will get ideas from some of the gardens McDugald Steele has designed around Houston including one of the gardens on our Spring, 2005, garden tour. The presentation will include garden design plans for small to large gardens, tips on plant placement, the impact color and color combinations in gardens and much more. Whether you have a few roses or hundreds, you will have a better understanding of how to scale and plan your garden to make it more appealing.
Consulting Rosarian for October will be a local consulting rosarian. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix October is the last time to enter roses in the Grand Prix for 2004. Bring your blooms and enter them in the competition.
Feature of the Month: Hybrid Tea/Grandiflora Bouquet Seven or more roses, any variety or combination of varieties, one bloom per stem, no side bud(s), in a container furnished by exhibitor.
September, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, September 8, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Minature rose bushes come in all sizes, from extra small to as big as a hybrid tea. And while the bushes are usually around two feet high, it is the size of the bloom that distinguishes a miniature rose. There are hundreds of miniature rose bushes for sale. The trick is to find a mini that does well in the heat and humidity of Houston.
Our September speaker is long-time Houston Rose Society member Deanna Krause. Her garden is often on tour, and she is a well known exhibitor and Master Consulting Rosarian. Deanna grows all kinds of roses, but she is a specialist in miniature roses. In fact, she started in the hobby by keeping over a hundred miniature roses in pots on her porch. She has tried almost every miniature rose that does well in Houston, and has found out from hard experience which ones don't. Come get the benefit of her expertise, and learn her special techniques for growing outstanding miniature roses.
Consulting Rosarian for September is Donald Burger. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Feature of the Month: Stages of Bloom: Three Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, or Miniatures of the same variety showing the three stages of development. Displayed in separate containers.
August, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, August 11, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
When you join the American Rose Society you get its excellent monthly magazine, the American Rose. Each month in that magazine there appears a two-page ad for Rosemania. Rosemania sells state-of-the-art chemicals and organics for your roses.
The man behind Rosemania is Robbie Tucker, our speaker for our August llth meeting.
But Robbie is more than just a purveyor of rose potions. He is also a consulting rosarian, horticulture judge and an amateur rose hybridizer who introduced such famous miniature roses as Miss Flippins, Cachet, Amy Grant, Checkmate and Standing Ovation. He has won mini queen at national rose shows four times. He has also served as a past president of the Nashville Rose Society.
Most importantly, Robbie Tucker is one of the most exciting speakers in the rose world.
Come to our August meeting prepared to learn about new miniature roses on the horizon. Come prepared to learn about the latest chemicals on the horizon. And come prepared to hear one of the most entertaining speakers in the rose world. Don't miss this meeting.
The HRS Grand Prix continues. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have classes to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which began at the April meeting and continues till October.
Feature of the Month: Arrangement: A standard or Miniature arrangement. Names of roses and type of arrangement (Line, Mass, Abstract, Oriental, etc.) must be on entry tag.
July, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, July 14, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
This month's meeting is our special ice cream social. We will have lots of vendors on hand to present their wares and, of course, ice cream!
The Society provides the ice cream, and everyone is encouraged to bring their favorite topping (fruit, nuts, sauces, candy, whipped cream, etc.), or cookies, or brownies. Ultimately, together, we create the largest ice cream sundae bar in Houston. For those with restricted dietary requirements, we will even feature sugar-free ice cream and sorbet.
There will be NO Grand Prix this month, but bring some roses for a "Wacky Competition":
1. Arrangement with the most mismatched pair of roses
2. Smallest hybrid tea rose bloom
3. Largest bloom of any kind
4. Most fragrant rose-winner determined by vote of those attending
5. Most unusual bloom-winner determined by vote of those attending
Also, various vendors that support HRS will have tables of their wares or information for you, or will be available to answer questions. There will be door prizes galore! Here is a partial listing of vendors that will be at our July meeting:
Aluma Photo-Plate Co. - Fade-proof rose labels. Very popular with our members. Visit their website at www.alumaphoto-plateco.com and bring your order
Maria's Designs - rose-themed, hand painted and embroidered clothing, jewelry
and accessories
Nature's Way Resources - HRS formulated Rose Soil Blend and other organic composts and mulches
Southern Living at Home - interior home decorations
Southwest Fertilizer - host of our fall chemical sale
Teas Nursery - garden supplies and roses
Vintage Rosery - OGR's and organic products
Wabash Antiques and Feed - organic rose products
June, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, June 9, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
June, 2005:
It’s not enough to decide you want to grow antique roses. Sure, OGR’s have the reputation for being disease resistant, impossible to kill and heavily scented. But not all antique roses are alike. You will do best if you plant the OGR’s suitable for our heat and humidity.
Fortunately, just outside Houston is one of the nation’s newest nurseries devoted to growing the kind of OGR’s that will turn you into a master rosarian. Marcia & Bob Roenigk own the Vintage Rosery at 16630 Highway 36 in Needville, which is about 25 miles from Sugar Land.
Come hear their valuable tips on how to select OGR’s for shady areas, for wet ones, and for limited spaces. Find out which OGR’s do well in containers; which are most fragrant and which are good as cut flowers. Hear how Vintage Rosery is able to control blackspot through an entirely organic program. Learn about the special watering system they use on their beds. Discover all the beneficial insects they have for sale and how such insects can improve your soil, control aphids, and even deal with thrips.
This is sure to be one of the most helpful talks of the year. When you operate a commercial garden your ideas have got to work. Come to the June meeting and hear a bushel full of tips and tricks used at the Vintage Rosery.
The HRS Grand Prix continues. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have classes to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which began at the April meeting and continues till October.
Feature of the Month: Matched Pair--Two Hybrid Teas, Grandiforas or Miniatures of the same variety, with no side buds, displayed in separate containers.
New Exhibitor's Corner: Come early (at 6:30 pm) bring your blooms and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix.
May, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, May 12, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
A special resource of rose growers living inside the Loop is Wabash Antiques & Feed at 5701 Washington Avenue. This old-time feed store is packed with organic products for your gardening needs (in addition to all the feeds you would expect for your chickens, rabbits and goats). In the back is a great selection of fruit trees, berries and other plants suitable for the Houston area. Wabash is also the prime source for bags of Nature's Way products, including the just released (and Houston Rose Society endorsed) Rose Soil Blend. Wabash offers great plant lectures during the year, and is blessed with its own very knowledgeable staff of gardeners.
This month the Houston Rose Society is fortunate to have Donna Faye Hilliard and Diana Norman of Wabash speak to us on companion plants for roses. While many rosarians stick to just roses in their rose beds, many of us like to mix in other plants. Sometimes we are looking for low-growing plants that are always in bloom. Sometimes we want something a little higher to cover up the rangy trunks of some of the taller hybrid tea roses. Sometimes we are just looking for a complementary plant to grow next to a rose.
If you have ever wanted to know the pluses and minuses of planting companion plants with your roses, come to our May meeting and learn what these experts have to say.
The consulting rosarian for May is Maria Trevino. Bring her your rose questions and take advantage of her rose growing experience.
The HRS Grand Prix continues. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have classes to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which began at the April meeting and continues till October.
Feature of the Month: Floribunda Bouquet, 5 or more stems (one bloom per stem or sprays), any variety or combination of varieties displayed in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
Don't miss this meeting. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
April, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, April 14, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
For many of us, flower arrangement means picking out which size vase will hold the roses we have cut. Maybe we will sometimes get brave and throw in a sprig of fern if the blackspot has forced us to remove all of the rose leaves.
But there is much more to the art of flower arrangements. And, like any other art, there are tricks and tips you can learn that will make you shine.
Our speaker in April will be Robin Hough and he is ready to lead you step by step through the flower arrangement process. Robin will discuss line, mass and modern design arrangements, the do’s and don’ts of each, and show us lots of examples of great arrangements of roses. His special tips and tricks will allow even those of us with two left thumbs to master the art of flower arranging. Or at least fool our neighbors.
Robin is our South Central District Director of Arrangement Judges, Consulting Rosarian and has made many award-winning arrangements. Don’t miss this chance to hear an expert talk on a subject all rose growers need to master.
Don't miss this meeting. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
The consulting rosarian for April is Mary Fulgham. Bring her your rose questions and take advantage of her rose growing experience.
March, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, March 10, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
From time-to-time a favorite rose bush starts to decline and there is no good source to purchase a new one. Or your grandmother has a beautiful rose that is getting very old, and the thought of it dying because you moved it makes you shudder. What to do? Consider making a "new" rose from a cutting or by grafting.
Roses that have not been patented, and roses whose patents have expired, can be propagated by cuttings or by grafting. Currently, rose patents last 20 years and can be extended an additional five years under certain circumstances. That means that roses patented before 1980 are fair game for propagation by cuttings or by grafting.
How to successfully raise a rose from a cutting is both an art and a science. Come to our March meeting and learn the tips and secrets from Houston Rose Society member and Master Consulting Rosarian, Patsy Williams.
There are many ways to propagate a rose from a cutting, and Patsy will share her experiences and reveal her special method.
She will also share her techniques for grafting roses onto Fortuniana root stock. Most of the roses we purchase are budded onto rootstock, but many of our members are beginning to buy roses grafted onto Fortuniana rootstock because of its superior performance in our area. A simple and effective way to graft will be explained. It takes only a little effort, but you will be rewarded many times over when you successfully duplicate that favorite plant.
Patsy has the largest private rose garden in Houston, and her experiences will be valuable to anyone who ever wanted to propagate a favorite rose from a cutting or raise a rose on Fortuniana root stock.
Don't miss this meeting. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
The consulting rosarian for March is Baxter Williams. Bring him your rose questions and take advantage of his vast experience in growing roses in Houston.
February, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, February 10, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
In Houston, the best time to prune your roses is Valentine's Day. If you have ever been nervous about how to prune your roses, we have the solution. Come to our meeting on Thursday, February 10th and watch experts demonstrate how and where to make those cuts so you will have the finest roses in your neighborhood. We will have actual bushes to demonstrate on. You can stand inches away from the pruners. Watch them. Talk to them. As them questions. Go home knowing how to prune your roses for maximun blooms. Tables will be set up around the room and you can go from table to table observing pruning techniques.
Pruning demonstrations will be done by:
Theresa Anderson and Jim Boden on Miniature Roses.
John Patterson and Malcolm Perdue on Hybrid Tea Roses.
Robin Hough and Donald Burger on Floribundas.
Earl and Deanna Krause on Old Garden Roses.
Doug Mitchell and Dan Lawlor on Climbers.
Donate your rose bushes! We need your rose bushes for the demonstrations. If you are making room for new roses, simply dig up the old bush and wrap the roots in plastic or put the rose in a pot, label the bush and bring it to the meeting. The pruned bushes will be given away as door prizes.
This is the most popular meeting of the year. Don't miss it!
January, 2005:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, January 13, 2005. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Our January program, on Thursday, January 13th, will focus on how and where to plant your roses. Our soil conditions and plentiful rainfall create challenges for roses, and giving them a good home is essential to their sucess.
Gaye Hammond, a consulting rosarian, will discuss where to put beds, what size to make them and how to build them. She will talk about soil mixes and then demonstrate the proper way to plant a new bush and move an established one.
Gaye will also be showing off our newest Houston Rose Society endorsed product--an enriched soil blend produced by Nature's Way Resources. The company's president, John Ferguson, is a highly regarded expert on composting. Our own soil expert, Dan Lawler, declares that this product is so good that "all you add is water."
We are looking forward to seeing everyone after a two-month break from meetings.
Consulting Rosarian for January is T. B. A. Bring your questions to the meeting. The first meeting of the year always brings many questions.
December, 2004:
December, 2004:
The December meeting of the Houston Rose Society is our Annual Holiday Party. The meeting is on Thursday, December 9, 2004. This year's HRS Annual Holiday Party will be at our regular meeting place of the Houston Garden Center. The dinner will be catered by Treebeard's Restaurant. Check the December Rose Ette for the delicious menu. Pre-dinner festivities begin at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served at 7:30 pm.
In a repeat of a new tradition established at the 2002 celebration, Mary Rains and several of our members will be turning each of the tables into works of art, as each table will be decorated in an individual "theme" for the party.
We are privileged to have Mr. Benny Ellerby as our special guest for the evening. Mr. Ellerby is the Executive Director of the American Rose Center in Shreveport. We will also have the annual awards presentation, door prizes, the installation of our 2005 officers, and of course - our holiday gift raffle!
Bring a wrapped rose-related gift ($5 - $10) to put under the tree for the raffle. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each or 6 for $5. We always have fun drawing for gifts from fellow rosarians.
Tickets for the dinner are $20 each, and pre-paid reservations are required. Send your check, payable to Houston Rose Society to:
Charles Ham
1610 Meadowlark
Deer Park, Texas 77536
Phone-281-479-9849
Your pre-paid reservation must be received no later than Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004.
November, 2004:
Because the Houston Garden Center is closed for the City Holiday of Veteran's Day, there will be no meeting in November. The December Meeting is the Holiday Party. This year it will be at the Houston Garden Center. See you in December!
November, 2004:
October, 2004: The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, October 14, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
A great debate has raged for decades between growers of modern and antique roses concerning the effect that the grafting process has on the vigor of rose bushes. On the one hand, own-root roses will regenerate from the root after a hard freeze, whereas a grafted rose of the same variety would not survive. Proponents of grafted roses favor the position that it is the grafting process that allows hybridizers to maximize a rose's potential by combining the best aboveground characteristics with a choice selection of rootstocks. There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to both sides of the argument.
In the last two years, commercial growers have started including own-root modern roses in their offerings. While this is not the first time we have seen own-root modern roses appear on the market, it does appear that the growers are committed to continuing their own-root modern line. In 2005, some growers will only be offering some of our favorite cultivars as own-root roses--eliminating their grafted counterparts entirely from the product line.
We invite you to join us in October to hear Mark Chamblee's presentation on own-root roses. Mark is a third generation rose grower and owner of Chamblee's Nursery in Tyler, Texas. Mark and his family have done much research on own-root roses through their own growing operation, as well as with other large-scale commercial growers. He is Texas' foremost authority on the cultivation of modern roses growing on their own roots!
Election of the 2005 Board of Directors will take place, since there is no November meeting this year because the City has closed the Garden Center for Veteran's Day.
Consulting Rosarian for October is Mary Fulgham. October brings beautiful blooms Beautiful blooms bring rose questions. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix October is the last time to enter roses in the Grand Prix for 2004. Bring your best blooms and enter them in the competition.
Feature of the Month: Hybrid Tea/Grandiflora Bouquet Seven or more roses, any variety or combination of varieties, one bloom per stem, no side bud(s), in a container furnished by exhibitor.
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, September 9, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
September, 2004:
Roses have been appreciated for their fragrance for millennia. Ancient entrepreneurs commercialized the rose's fragrance through the development of perfumes and by extracting essential oils. Famous women of history, including Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I, had signature fragrances created especially for them, using roses as one of the key ingredients. Come travel back to ancient times at our September meeting, and smell representations of the perfumes used by these famous women.
Our September program will focus on the development of perfume from medieval to modern times. It will also feature the cultivation of roses for the perfume industry, how essential oils are extracted and the important role that roses play in perfumes.
Mike Becker, former President of the Tucson Rose Society, will present this fascinating program. Mike has grown roses all over the world and in all types of climates and environments and his gardens averaged between 150 to 350 roses. He will also share with us perfume formulas for those who might want to develop their own fragrances.
Consulting Rosarian for September is William Groth. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Feature of the Month: Stages of Bloom: Three Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, or Miniatures of the same variety showing the three stages of development. Displayed in separate containers.
August, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, August 12, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
With the Nation's rose garden almost at our back door, it is amazing that so many people have never been to see it. The gardens of the American Rose Center (ARC) in Shreveport, Louisiana, cover 42 acres nestled among piney woods. Unlike other gardens, the ARC is really many, many individual gardens that have been built and/or sponsored by local societies, just like ours. Collectively, the gardens contain more than 20,000 roses!
These gardens are the reflection of the creative talents of rosarians all across the country, working toward the common goal of making the world a more beautiful place through roses. The ARC is more than rows and rows of bushes--visitors find everything from a wedding chapel surrounded by white roses, to roses planted among towering sculptures. The ARC has Greek proticos, a Japanese garden, a miniature Statute of Liberty garden and the Houston Garden.
We are honored that Marilyn Wellan, President of the American Rose Society, will be our featured speaker at the August meeting. Marilyn will present a visual tour of the gardens at the ARC and will also talk about some of the latest developments within the American Rose Society, including the expansion projects that are currently underway at the gardens.
Consulting Rosarian for August is Deanna Krause. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Feature of the Month: Arrangement: A standard or Miniature arrangement. Names of roses and type of arrangement (Line, Mass, Abstract, Oriental, etc.) must be on entry tag.
July, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, July 8, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:00 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Every year the society sponsors an "old fashioned" ice cream social and this year's social will bring us a respite from the sweltering heat and humidity that has been plaguing us for weeks. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. (30 minutes earlier than normal) so that we have plenty of time to visit and eat lots of ice cream.
Summer is a time for having fun with family and friends and we are looking forward to having you join us.
The society provides the ice cream and everyone is encouraged to bring his or her favorite topping (fruit, nuts, sauces, candy, sprinkles, whipped cream, etc.) or cookies or brownies. Ultimately, we create the largest ice cream sundae bar in the City. For those with restricted dietary requirements we will even feature sugar-free ice cream and sorbet.
As an added attraction, we have invited our friends from RCW Nurseries - long time sponsors of the society - to make a presentation on new gardening products that are on the market and demonstrate some new tools that make our gardening tasks much easier. Bring a friend and join us for a really fun evening!
This is also the month when we have the Wacky Rose Show. Categories for this year's competition are:
1. Thorniest Rose
The top winner in each category will receive a prize, so bring your wackiest specimens and join in the fun.
Come a little early for parking purposes because of Miller Theater.
The Story of Perfumes:
Roses & Other Fragrances
America's Rose Garden & Other Good Rose News
Annual Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social--Y'all Come
2. Most Dead Blooms on a Single Cane
3. Worst Case of Black Spot
4. Worst Case of Insect Damage
June, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, June 10, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Spring is the time when roses are susceptible to infestation of a variety of insects. Just as we think we have aphids and spider mites under control, we are hit with leafcutter bees, caterpillars, and cucumber beetles. The problem with chemical pesticides is that they kill good bugs as well as target insects; which can upset the garden's ecological balance.
Our speaker for the June meeting is one of this area's top experts on the bio control of insects. Eddie Holik is the Chief Horticulturalist for the Cockrell Butterfly Center and will help us with recognizing and treating our pesticide problems. Eddie has a fascinating program and one that is educational for all gardeners. Bring a friend and enjoy the evening.
Consulting Rosarian is tba Bring your questions when you come.
The HRS Grand Prix continues. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have classes to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which began at the April meeting and continues till October.
Feature of the Month: Matched Pair--Two Hybrid Teas, Grandiforas or Miniatures of the same variety, with no side buds, displayed in separate containers.
New Exhibitor's Corner: Come early (at 6:30 pm) bring your blooms and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix.
May, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, May 13, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
We all know roses don't like wet feet, so we plant them in raised beds. But rosarians don't like wet feet either. And standing on a mushy garden path or fighting off mosquitoes is no way to enjoy our roses. Keeping the "wet" where it is needed and the" dry" where it is supposed to be is the goal of a good drainage plan. And if your garden is plagued with wet spots or marshes that never seem to dry, you will enjoy our May speaker and program.
Ron Thompson, of Thompson's Landscape Services, is one of the most requested garden speakers in Houston. Mr. Thompson is skilled in landscape design, and the installation of paths, waterfalls, ponds, outdoor lighting and sprinkler systems. He has faced drainage problems many times in his work around Houston, and he is ready to share his tips and techniques with us.
Mr. Thompson will talk about the proper way to install French drains, how to refurbish an existing drainage system that is no longer working and how to use catch basins and solid pipe to help with drainage problems. He will discuss the role of sump pumps for severe problems and how to reshape the yard with swales to develop collection points for all that extra water that inundates us from time to time.
If you have ever wondered what to do with that area of standing water in your back yard, come to our May meeting and hear tips from an expert.
Consulting Rosarian is Earl Krause. Bring your questions when you come.
The HRS Grand Prix continues. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have classes to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which began at the April meeting and continues till October.
Feature of the Month: Floribunda Bouquet, 5 or more stems (one bloom per stem or sprays), any variety or combination of varieties displayed in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
New Exhibitor's Corner: Come early (at 6:30 pm) bring your blooms and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix.
April, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, April 8, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Most of us use compost and mulches in our gardens. But there is much more to the best use of compost and mulches than just going to the nursery and buying whatever is on sale. The type and quality of compost depends on the source material, the composting technology used and the aging or curing the compost receives. Composts and mulches can vary widely in both nutrient content and disease fighting ability. Professional composters control the final product by the mixing rations of source materials, the temperature and structure of the piles and the time the compost stays at certain temperatures.
John Ferguson, of Nature's Way Resources, is our speaker for April. Nature's Way compost and mulches are considered among the best in Houston. Mr. Ferguson will explain composting techniques and the advantages of various types of composts and mulches. Come learn about the fertilizers, rock powders and trace minerals in various composts and the advantages of various mixes for maximum rose production. The soil food web is a key aspect of growing good roses. Come learn the advanced techniques that will give you a green(er) thumb.
Consulting Rosarian for March is Robin Hough. Robin is knowledgeable in both growing roses and arranging them for the home. Bring him your rose questions and take advantage of his experience.
The HRS Grand Prix begins in April. Each year we have a Grand Prix to give our members a chance to enter their roses in competition at the monthly meetings. Winners are announced each month and overall winners for the year are announced at the December meeting. We also have classes to help first-timers with their entries. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. Plan now to enter the competition, which begins at the April meeting and continues till October.
March, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, March 11, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Old Garden Roses make perfect sense as a wonderful addition to any landscape in our hot, humid Gulf Coast area. Antique roses have been found in old cemeteries and abandoned homesteads dating from the 1800's. Settlers from Europe brought many of their best roses with them to remind them of home. The amazing thing is that these roses are still alive and blooming. They have withstood droughts, floods, hurricanes and insect infestations. Having been abandoned for the most part, they have not been fertilized, sprayed, watered or pampered. Thus, we are confident that anyone can grow antique roses!
Marcia & Bob Roenigk own the Vintage Rosery - a specialty garden center and rose farm, situated in Needville in Fort Bend County. Over 150 varieties of fragrant, old roses are grown on their property with more than 800 roses in the ground throughout the many gardens. The Roenigks will talk about the many types of Old Garden Roses and share their tips on how they maintain their low-maintenance gardens ORGANICALLY!
Consulting Rosarian for March is Baxter Williams. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
February, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, February 12, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
The number one question posed to rosarians is "How and when should I prune my roses"? Valentines' Day (February 14th) is when those of us along the Gulf Coast start pruning our gardens. Pruning is the most valuable service we give our roses. As such it is critical that pruning be done correctly and efficiently. Come let us show you how!
Our February meeting will be a hands-on pruning demonstration of all types of rose varieties. This is, by far, the most popular meeting of the Houston Rose Society - so don't miss your chance to see, up close, how expert rosarians prune actual rose bushes.
As an added bonus, all of the pruned bushes will be given away as door prizes at the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting is loads of fun so bring a friend.
We've all had several months to contemplate our gardens and make plans for the new varieties we want to add this year. If you plan to eliminate existing bushes this growing season, don't give them to the trash man - DONATE THEM TO THE HRS. We desperately need bushes to use in our February 12th pruning demonstration. For the bushes you want to donate, (1) dig up the bushes, (2) wrap the roots/soil ball in damp newspaper and, (3) put the wrapped root ball in a plastic bag. You can also pot the bush in a plastic pot. Be sure and label your bush with the type of rose (Hybrid Tea, Climber, Floribunda, etc) and the rose name, if you know it. If you don't know the name of the rose, list the color of the rose. Bring the bushes you want to donate to the February meeting. We would ask that you arrive at the garden center by 7:00 if you are donating more than one or two bushes so that we have adequate time to get the bushes unloaded and into their respective pruning stations by the time the meeting starts.
January, 2004:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, January 8, 2004. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Each January tens of thousands of roses are received at nurseries in and around Houston. Getting these newly potted bushes off on the right start will go a long way toward creating dynamic blooms throughout the growing season. Because of Houston's heat and rain, there are specific techniques for both building rose beds and planting those new bushes. What works up north doesn't always work here.
Rob Mock, consulting rosarian, American Rose Society Horticulture Judge and past president of the Houston Rose Society, will be our speaker for the January meeting. His talk will be an comprehensive presentation on how to build rose beds in Houston and the correct techniques to be used for planting new bushes--and moving established bushes into new spots in the garden.
So, whether you need to build a new bed, or just move some of your old bushes around, do not miss this program by an experienced Houston rose grower.
We will also have books on rose horticulture for sale at ridiculously low prices.
Consulting Rosarian for January is Mary Fulgham. Bring your questions to the meeting. The first meeting of the year always brings many questions.
December, 2003:
This year's HRS Annual Holiday Party will be at Treebeards' Restaurant, a Houston tradition for 23 years. Gather with us at 6:30 for cocktails and other liquid libations from the cash bar. Dinner will be served at 7:30.
In a repeat of a new tradition established at last year's celebration, Mary Rains and several of our members will be turning each of the tables into works of art, as each table will be decorated in an individual "theme" for the party. We are privileged to have Mr. Tommy Hebert as our special guest for the evening. Mr. Hebert is from Beaumont, and one of the top exhibitors in the nation. We will also have the annual awards presentation, door prizes, the installation of our 2004 officers, and of course - our holiday gift raffle!
Bring a wrapped rose-related gift ($5 - $10) to put under the tree for the raffle. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each or 6 for $5. We always have fun drawing for gifts from fellow rosarians.
Tickets are $20, and pre-paid reservations are required. Send your check, payable to Houston Rose Society to:
Charles Ham
1610 Meadowlark
Deer Park, Texas 77536
Phone-281-479-9849
Your pre-paid reservation must be received no later than Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2003.
There are plenty of parking lots around Treebeard's. Parking rates vary. For directions to Treebeard's, click here.
November, 2003:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, November 13, 2003. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
With the change in the seasons, rosarians find themselves wanting to use the last of the season's roses in their holiday decorations. Some of us may find that the mechanics of introducing roses into holiday decorations, or simply coming up with unique ideas for those decorations a daunting proposition.
Mimi Lee and Deon Mauk of Albert Miller Florist & Gifts have been creating fabulous floral designs for Houston homes for more than 20 years. They will present our November program and actually teach us how to create a number of different arrangements, including a holiday table centerpiece.
For a sneak preview of their holiday arrangements (and great gift ideas), visit Mimi and Deon at Albert Miller Florist & Gifts located at 544 Waugh Drive, Monday - Friday from 8:00 - 5:00 or on Saturday from 8:00 - 4:00. Albert Miller's is more than your typical florist shop.
Consulting Rosarian for November is Patsy Williams. Bring your questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix Continues. Bring your best blooms, and enter the competition. This will be our last Grand Prix for 2003.
Feature of the Month: Miniature Bouquet. 12 mini roses, any variety or combination of varieties, one bloom per stem, no side bud(s), in container furnished by exhibitor.
October, 2003:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, October 9, 2003. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
From time to time, all of us have had problem areas in our gardens that "just aren't quite right" or areas that don't "feel" right - but, try as we might, our efforts to cure these problem areas only make the problems worse. This happened in my own garden. For years, the area out of my back door aggravated me. Things just never looked right or grew right in this area, but I could never identify the basic problem.
When someone suggested employing a Feng Shui master, I admit I was skeptical (Feng Shui, is a 3,000 year old Chinese art of directing rhythm and energy for personal health and well being). Within minutes of the Feng Shui master entering my backyard, he immediately identified the problem, and within the week it was solved. He also made fabulous suggestions on the use of shapes, color and sound throughout the yard. Now, no matter where you are in my yard, it is restful and peaceful.
Tafi Cole, one of the City's top Feng Shui garden consultants, will be our speaker for the October meeting. Tafi will talk about the most common garden problems and how to overcome these problems by using colors, textures, shapes and sounds and other Feng Shui techniques. Regardless of whether your garden covers an acre or is confined to a patio, employing Feng Shui techniques will help you find peace in your private paradise.
Bring a friend to the October meeting, and enjoy hearing tips and tidbits from Houston's premier Feng Shui consultant.
Consulting Rosarian for October is Denise Cope. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix continues - Bring a few blooms, and enter the competition.
New Exhibitor’s Corner - Come at 7:00 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn about how to make your blooms more beautiful.
September, 2003:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, September 11, 2003. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
One of the questions most frequently posed to consulting rosarians is "How Do You Root Rose Cuttings?" Almost everyone has tried to create new bushes from discarded cuttings. Some times those cuttings root successfully, other times they do not. Invariably, the cuttings most important to you are the ones which fail, leaving you wondering what went wrong.
Patsy Williams, a consulting rosarian and horticulture judge, has probably rooted more rose cuttings than any rosarian in Texas. Over the years, Patsy has developed a technique for rooting rose cuttings that has resulted in successful rootings 90% of the time, and she will share that technique with us at the September meeting.
Since many of us groom bushes in the fall to promote fall bloom, the September meeting is the perfect time to start a few cuttings.
September Cutting Exchange
At our September meeting we will feature a cutting exchange. This is a great opportunity for rosarians to try their hands at rooting cuttings and we will need several hundred cuttings donated to ensure that everyone goes home with at least one cutting to try.
To donate cuttings: A day or two before the September meeting, take cuttings from the roses in your yard. The diameter of the cuttings should be no thicker than a No. 2 pencil and ideally should be from a cane that has flowered. Cuttings should be no longer than 12". Wrap 6-12 rose cuttings in wet paper towel and place the cuttings in a gallon Zip Loc bag. Using a black felt tip permanent marker, write the name of the rose on the bag. Do not out more than one variety of rose in each bag. Keep bagged cuttings in a cool, place and bring them in their Zip-Loc bags to the meeting.
To participate in the cutting exchange:
Bring to the September meeting - your clippers, some gallon Zip Loc bags (you will want at least one gallon bag for each variety you select), a permanent black felt marker, some paper towels.
If anyone has rooted cuttings that they would like to donate, we would be happy to accept those, to be given away as door prizes.
Consulting Rosarian for September is Baxter Williams. Bring your rose questions.
Grand Prix continues - Bring your best blooms, and enter the competition.
Feature of the month: Stages of Bloom, 3 Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, or Miniatures of the same variety, showing the three stages of development, displayed in separate containers.
August, 2003:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, August 14, 2003. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Gardeners are becoming more and more attuned to including organic horticultural practices in their home gardens. Whether this comes from a national awareness toward preservation of the environment, a physical sensitivity toward chemical products or just wanting to do things "naturally," organic products have now entered the gardening market in a big way. The questions then become: (1) how do you start a successful organic program, and (2) to what extent will your garden be managed organically?
Helen Grivich, our speaker for the August meeting, is an organic gardening consultant who has taken on some high profile areas of the City and made them totally organic with overwhelming results. One of her gardens was recently featured in Parade Magazine.
Helen is going to teach us how to set up a garden for an organic management approach; how to introduce plants and beneficial insects for disease and pest control; and when and how to use organic treatments, if the garden requires more help than Mother Nature can give.
Regardless of the management practices you presently employ in your gardens, everyone will benefit from this pro's experience. Bring a friend, and join us for this educational program.
Consulting Rosarian for August is Earl Krause. August is a month full of questions, especially for anyone just getting started in roses. Bring your questions and receive an answer.
Grand Prix continues. Bring your best blooms, and enter the competition.
New Exhibitor Corner - Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn more about how to make your blooms more beautiful.
July, 2003:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, July 10, 2003. The meeting begins at 7:00 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
Every year the Society sponsors an "old fashioned" ice cream social and this year's social will bring us a respite from the sweltering heat and humidity that has been plaguing us for weeks. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. (30 minutes earlier than normal) so that we will have plenty of time to visit and eat lots of ice cream.
Summer is a time for having fun with family and friends, and we are looking forward to having you join us.
The Society provides the ice cream, and everyone is encouraged to bring their favorite topping (fruit, nuts, sauces, candy, sprinkles, whipped cream, etc.) or cookies or brownies. Ultimately, we create the largest ice cream sundae bar in the City. For those with restricted dietary requirements we will even feature sugar-free ice cream and sorbet.
As an added attraction, our friend, Mike James, from Southwest Fertilizer will give a presentation on new gardening products that are on the market and demonstrate some new tools to make our gardening tasks much easier.
Bring a friend, and join us for a really fun evening!
There will be NO Grand Prix this month, but bring some roses for a Wacky Competition:
1. Exhibition rose having the thorniest stem
2. Ugliest Rose
3. Rose with the most black spots on its foliage
4. Rose with the most intricate bug damage on its foliage
5. Rose with droopiest stem
June, 2003:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, June 12, 2003. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
By combining organic and chemical fertilizers, we in South Texas can grow some of the best roses in the United States. Through the practice of trial and error - and sharing the results of those trials, it is believed that a formula has now been found to grow those superior blooms.
Even if you are a casual rose lover, you too can triple the bloom production on your bushes and double your bloom size. For those who enjoy the competition of rose shows, a maintenance plan will be described which will increase your chances in the race to the trophy tables. No "secrets" will be withheld.
Art Davis, a retired teacher and member of the San Antonio Rose Society, will be our speaker at the June meeting. Art has grown competition roses for nineteen years and has won National, District and local awards for his outstanding blooms. Bring another rose lover to the meeting as this will be a night to share information on how to grow really good roses.
Consulting Rosarian for June is Robin Hough. Summer weather has already arrived. Questions about summer’s heat are sure to be asked. Bring your rose related questions.
Grand Prix continues. Bring your best blooms, and enter the competition.
Feature of the Month: Matched Pair: 2 Hybrid Teas, Grandifloras, Floribundas, or Miniatures, of the same variety, with no side buds, displayed in separate containers.
New Exhibitor Corner - Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn more about how to make your blooms more beautiful.
May, 2003:
The monthly meeting of the Houston Rose Society this month is on Thursday, May 8, 2003. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Houston Garden Center in Hermann Park. Admission is free. The public is welcome.
If you have ever looked in envy at gardens featured in magazines and wished that your yard was as welcoming, you will not want to miss hearing our May speaker.
Ron Thompson, Thompson's Landscape Services, has had a successful landscape business in Houston for many years. He is a very popular speaker because he is happy to share the tricks of his trade to teach others the principles of landscaping that they may then use at their own homes.
The presentation will include (1) creating a garden design plan, (2) tips on plant placement, (2) rose varieties that are most successfully incorporated into a design by professional landscapers, and (4) the impact that color combinations have in the garden. Ron is even bringing with him a special door prize that will be given away at the meeting.
Regardless of whether you have one or one hundred roses, everyone will leave the May meeting with a better understanding of how to make your yard more appealing.
Consulting Rosarian for May is Mary Fulgham. Beautiful bloms and insects do not mix. Bring your rose questions to the meeting.
Grand Prix continues. We have had plenty of beautiful blooms. Bring some to the May meeting and enter the competition.
New Exhibitors’ Corner. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. These same methods can also be used to make the blooms that you bring into your home look better.
April, 2003:
If you are out of room in your garden, or live in an apartment or patio home, growing roses in containers is a viable option. Miniature roses are ideal for container gardening, as long as you employ some specific techniques to sustain the roses during extreme weather.
Our speaker for the April meeting is Deanna Krause. Deanna has been raising miniature roses for more than 20 years, and started her hobby with 100 mini roses in pots on her porch. Today, Deanna has more than 400 roses of all varieties and is an avid exhibitor. She is going to share with us techniques for growing miniature roses in containers, and show us some of the varieties with which she had the most success.
We will have a very special raffle item at the meeting. Tickets are $1 each, or 6 tickets for $5.
Consulting Rosarian for April is Denise Cope. With the first blooms, come many questions. Bring those questions to the meeting, and you will find an answer.
Grand Prix begins. Roses are very large and beautiful at this time of year. Bring your best 10 roses, and enter the Grand Prix. Competition is April through November, except July.
Feature of the month: Old Garden Rose Bouquet, 5 or more stems of one bloom or multiple blooms, in a container furnished by the exhibitor.
New Exhibitors’ Corner. Come at 6:30 pm, bring a few blooms, and learn how to groom them to enter the Grand Prix. These same methods can also be used to make the blooms that you bring into your home look better.
March, 2003:
We have all heard about the benefits of incorporating compost in our rose gardens. Not surprisingly, there is a right way and a wrong way to compost. Join us in March and hear John Ferguson of Nature's Way Resources talk about how to build a compost bed, what garden and household wastes can be composted, how to maintain the compost bed. He will give us an overview of how the composting process works. No matter what you grow, finished compost is the ultimate soil amendment for your gardening needs.
Consulting Rosarian for March is Deanna Krause. As rose season really begins, and roses begin to grow, so do the questions. Bring your questions to the meeting or call a Consulting Rosarian listed on the back of every Rose-Ette. We will try to find answers to your questions.
Grand Prix begins in April. Plan now to enter the competition beginning at the April meeting.
February, 2003:
The number one question posed to rosarians is "How and when should I prune my roses"? Valentines' Day (February 14th) is when those of us along the Gulf Coast start pruning our gardens. Pruning is the most valuable service we give our roses. As such it is critical that pruning be done correctly and efficiently. Come let us show you how!
Our February meeting will be a hands-on pruning demonstration of all types of rose varieties. This is, by far, the most popular meeting of the Houston Rose Society - so don't miss your chance to see, up close, how expert rosarians prune actual bushes.
As an added bonus, all of the pruned bushes will be given away as door prizes at the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting is loads of fun so bring a friend.
We've all had several months to contemplate our gardens and make plans to make room for the new varieties we want to add this year. If you are going to eliminate existing bushes, don't give them to the trash man - DONATE THEM TO THE HRS. We desperately need bushes to use in our February 13th pruning demonstration. Simply dig up the bushes, put roots/soil in a plastic bag or pot and bring them with you to the meeting. PLEASE include a tag on the bush or on the pot identifying the rose (if you know it) or at least whether it is a hybrid tea, miniature, climber, etc. If you cannot come to the meeting, but have bushes you want to donate, contact Gaye Hammond 713/236-2600, 281/458-6116 or gayeh@oqlaw.com and she will make arrangements to pick up your bushes.
Reminder: 2003 dues are due.
January, 2003:
A debate has raged for decades among rosarians concerning growing companio