A commentary on what’s happening in the world of roses

Men make many relationship related mistakes but this is one for the ages!

I know “do it yourself’ projects are in and recycling and reusing is the “green thing” to do but somehow making roses from duct tape for a Valentines Day gift is a big faux pas!

Click Here for instructions on how to make these unique “roses.” This link is not for the faint of heart rosarian.

Time to start thinking about planning a trip to Japan. The 12th International Heritage Rose Conference will be held in late May of 2011 in Sakura, Japan. Katsuhiko Maebara and his team is puting together a fantastic program and event. We will have to wait until 1 July to see the registration information and costs.

Click here for link to 12th International Heritage Rose Conference website

Click here for link to The City of Sakura Rose Garden website

Mother Nature Network is reporting that therapists are finding a growing number of families being torn apart by their commitment to going green! Check out Going Green Tearing Your Family Apart?

Seriously, can’t we all just get along?

Why do bare root rose orders always arrive on Friday? You have to get them taken care of before the weekend and that usualy means potting them up and holding them in the nursery before you can get them planted out in the garden.

Any I am excited to report that our order of new Austin roses arrived (of course on Friday last) and there is one I saw in Austin’s nursery that I can’t wait to get into the garden. ‘Munstead Wood’ was blooming in several beds in the nursery while I was there last June. The deep wine purple color was a stand out in the garden! Can’t wait to see how it preforms here under California conditions.

Named for the famed English garden designer, Gerrude Jekyll’s home and garden in Surrey, this lush, bushy rose has the deep red crimson color that ages to deep purple. The fragrance is listed as ‘warm and fruity with blackberry, blueberry and damson.’ It looks to be a wonderful addition to the garden!

Pat Shanley reports:

‘Sadly, the family of Frank Benardella must report his passing on January 30,2010. He died peacefully at his home with his family by his side after a short but gallant battle with cancer. He will be sorely missed by all his friends and loved ones.
We want to thank everyone for their cards, e-mails and especially their prayers, He will always be our “ROSE MAN”. Funeral arrangements are forthcoming. Thanks for your love and support.’ June Benardella and Family

One of the rose gardens to be inducted into the Great Rose Garden Hall of Fame for 2010 was Mottisfont Abbey Rose Garden, located near Romsey, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The award was presented by the GROW executive committee ‘In recognition of its outstanding commitment to the preservation of the National Collection of Old-Fashioned Roses.’

Jill Perry, the curator of one of last years inductees, San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, read the acknowledgement from Mottisfont Abbey Rose Garden’s Head Gardener, David Stone:

‘On behalf of the National Trust and the gardeners of Mottisfont Abbey, I gratefully and gladly accept this presitgious award.

The elevation of our rose garden into the Hall of Fame is an occasion both for celebration and reflection. Since its white door first swung open in 1975, Mottisfont has presented a Midsummer spectacle of colour, form and loveliness unequalled in Britain. From humble beginnings it has grown to be counted among the most precious and popular of the National Trust’s vast treasury of delights, visited and enjoyed by more than 150,000 people per year.

The garden, with its collection of over 600 varieties of roses, is presented not only as a tribute to the timeless glory of this most glorious of flowers, but also to the vision and genius of Mr Graham Thomas, who gathered so many of its treasures together, displaying them to matchless effect within the mellow walls of this most ancient site. This award acknowledges the invaluable contribution that Graham made to our knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the rose, a contribution without which our lives would be the poorer.

For myself, now in my 33rd year as Head Gardener at Mottisfont, I am thrilled beyond measure that this garden which I have tended with care and affection is now receiving its just recognition as a Rose Garden of especial merit. In the text of the Award (from the American Rose magazine) I read that the garden is being recognised for ‘the depth of its collection of roses’ and ‘for ‘the excellence of its horticultural practices.’ Ladies and Gentlemen, as a working gardener I cannot tell you how my this latter accolade means to me! I receive it with a sense of proper pride, and share it with the many, many colleagues who over the years have shared in this work with me.

Thank you, Jill, for receiving this award on our behalf. Thank you, that noble band of past recipients - the Great Rosarians of the World - who have judged us worthy of this honour. Thank you, Clair, for making this all possible. And thanks to all who love the Rose! Today, more than ever, the world needs such devotion to Beauty. The world needs to be brightened by the grace and loveliness that is the Rose - that is this Flower of Love. Davis G Stone.’

On behalf of the executive committee, past honorees, and rose lovers the world over, I congratulate Mottisfont, David Stone, and those men and women who over the years have labored to make this garden a refuge for heritage roses and invite you to leave comments celebrating this garden and its well deserved induction into the Great Rose Garden Hall of Fame.

On Saturday, January 23, 2010 Bill Grant was recognized as a Great Rosarians of the World™ ‘Friend of the Rose’ by the Executive Committee in recognition of his dedication to the Great Rosarians of the World Program.

Bill has been a stalwart friend of our program since its inception, dipping into his experience and sharing his knowledge of the rose world to help us select the best rosarians for this unique honor. Unfortunately Bill had to miss the year’s banquet and program but it was decided to go ahead with the award and Thea Gurns accepted the honor in Bill’s name.

All who know Bill from his years supporting roses around the world and his now famous rose garden tours join in acknowledging Bill at this moment and wish him only the best!

Yesterday we received news from David Austin that health issues have caused him to cancel his trip to the Great Rosarians West. While we are deeply disappointed that he will not be joining us, we wish him a speedy return to good health and we will continue with our plans to honor him.

Representing Mr. Austin and making the presentation in his stead will be Michael Marriott. If you have never attended one of Michael’s previous presentations you are in for a treat. Michael has been one of the chief spokespersons for Austin roses for a number of years. He has traveled the world informing a wide audience about English Roses and designing some of the most beautiful rose gardens anywhere. One of his most recent projects was the replanting of the main rose garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in celebration of their 250th anniversary.

We have expanded the GROW schedule on Sunday, January 24th, since our last update. The registration table will open outside of Friends’ Hall at 9:45 a.m. for participants to sign in and pick up their name badges. Starting at 10:30 we will have our opening comments and a short presentation on two of our Great Rosarian honorees who were lost to us this past year, Miriam Wilkins and Ralph Moore. At 11:00 we will have a presentation by Mike Shoupe from the Antique Rose Emporium, in Brenham, Texas. Mike will be speaking about ‘Lessons From A Rose Rustler and New Organic Approaches to Growing Roses.’ It has been years since Mike has spoken at The Huntington and I am pleased to be able to present him once again.

The presentation of this year’s honorees for the GROW Rose Garden Hall of Fame will be presented at 12:10 in Friends’ Hall.

Our Lunch break will be held between 12:30 to 1:45. Gold Very Important Rosarians will find their lunch in the Overseers Room just to the west of Friends’ Hall. Silver Very Important Rosarian ticket holders and everyone else who has purchased lunch will dine on the Garden Terrace.

At 2:00 we will be a featuring a video presentation “A Conversation With David Austin” which was taped in the Austin Nursery’s Renaissance Garden in June of 2009. This 25-minute conversation between David Austin and Clair Martin covers David’s work and focus on new English Roses in the future.

Michael Marriott will deliver his program, “The David Austin English Roses” at 2:30.

The day’s celebrations will end with a Reception starting at 4:00. The reception will feature our special rose punch and a selection of rose flavored desserts made by our Rose Garden Volunteers.

I look forward to seeing all of you at The Huntington on January 23-24!

Clair Martin

Office Contacts
Email: cmartin@huntington.org
Phone: 626.405.3507

Now is the time to order your Great Rosarians of the World™ West tickets as they are selling out fast! We have totally sold out of the Gold VIR tickets and there are just a few Silver VIR tickets left.

We still have the $40.00 general admission tickets for the event and $20.00 Lunch tickets available but at this rate we will sell out.

Don’t miss this once in a life time opportunity to honor one of the world’s Great Rosarians.

Order your tickets by mailing a check made payable to The Huntington @ 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108 attn Clair Martin or call and pay by credit card @ 626.405.3507.