NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF
Official Publication of The Nashville Rose Society Serving Rose Enthusiasts Throughout Middle Tennessee
February 7th NRS Meeting at Cheekwood 6:30 PM Refreshments & 7:00 PM Dr. David Cook - Rose Diseases February 17-19 Tenarky Winter Workshop Affiliated with the American Rose Society - www.ars.org
2011 Rose Review
Keith Zary – Acclaimed Rose Hybridizer Speaks at TENARKY Winter Banquet
Now is a good time to evaluate your garden. Do you have roses that you are planning to replace? If so, what will you be planting in their places? There are several good sources you can use to determine what rose you might want to purchase. These include the annual Roses In Review program conducted by the American Rose Society. The results for the Tenarky District are available on the website at www.chattanoogarose.org Another good source is the “Horizon Roses” publication. The focus of this 100 page booklet is on newer exhibition type roses. It can be ordered for $10 from Johnny Premeaux, 700 Westbury, Orange, Texas, 77630.
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone! Before you know it we’ll be back in the garden pruning our roses. In the meantime, we can only dream of all the great blooms yet to come.
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
by Jeff Garrett
‘Colorific’
‘Pumkin Patch’
‘Dick Clark’
Photo courtesy of Dave Bang
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
(Cont’d on page 5)
‘Mahona’
Keith Zary, acclaimed hybridizer for 25 years with Jackson & Perkins, now at Gardens Alive! in Tipp City, Ohio, will speak at the TENARKY Winter Awards Banquet on February 18th, concerning “The EverChanging (And Shrinking!) World of Roses.” Zary’s latest and last hybrid tea phenomenon from J&P is ‘Crescendo,’ honoring the renowned Nashville Symphony Orchestra and displayed prominently in the Nashville Music Garden. The 2012 TENARKY District Winter Workshop will begin Friday evening, February 17th, and end after noon Sunday, February 19th, 2012, held at the Marriott Hotel–Cool Springs in Franklin, Tennessee. Weekend events include an informative gardening talk Friday evening, seminars and lectures on Saturday, Zary’s talk on Saturday evening, (Cont’d on page 4)
Keith & Debbie Zary
Photo courtesy of Katherine Bomboy
february 2012 Volume 45, Issue 1
President’s Column Hello fellow NRS members. This is my first President’s Column, so please bear with me. I will strive to improve with every column. I want to thank everyone for having confidence in me as I accept this prestigious position. I take this honor very seriously and will work hard at it. My first order of business is to thank Larry Baird, our outgoing president, for the wonderful job that he did as our president over the past two years. His enthusiasm and obvious love of roses and our society was a joy to see. Please continue to bring roses to the meetings whenever you have them, in the “Larry Baird bud vases”. This practice was initiated by Larry and has become increasingly popular. I thank him for his leadership and his continued support. It has been rumored that I am from Northern Kentucky. This is false. I actually hail from Boston, MA. After twenty-two years in Nashville, Boston is just too cold and too crowded to ever go back. I’m afraid you are stuck with me. As long as you understand that the delicious crustacean you call lobster, is a lobstuh where I come from, we should have no problems communicating. On Saturday, January 7, I had the pleasure of attending a Nashville Rose Leaf Advisory Committee Meeting at the home of Marty Reich. Also in attendance were Jim Harding, Sam and Nancy Jones and Charles Lott. It is impressive to watch this group tackle the numerous tasks involved in putting the newsletter together. One thing that I learned is that their lives would be made easier if our members would submit an occasional article. Anything related to roses, their care or a funny anecdote is fair game. Jim will be discussing the newsletter at our monthly meetings. It seems that the most daunting challenges that have presented themselves is securing our meeting place at Cheekwood and filling officer and committee positions. Cheekwood has 2
a new director and I will be meeting with her to discuss our arrangements. After the committee chairs are filled, we can have a serious discussion about scheduling the many events that we hold during the year. This brings me to my vision for the Nashville Rose Society. I would like to see more participation from our members, in every way. A more active role from our membership during the meetings means you’ll listen to me a little less. Every cloud has a silver lining, as they say. Of course we also want to bring in new members; the younger the better. Youth is the future of every organization and the older members, who’ve done it all, understandably want to sit back and enjoy what they’ve built. Let’s make those who have gone before us proud. Help me build a more vibrant membership as we promote roses, our society and the American Rose Society. —— Tom Beath
Editor’s Desk Several weeks ago as Jim and I winterized our roses, I felt an edge of iciness in the air that I do not recall feeling in years past. I could not associate this specific chill with the unseasonably warm temperature outside and I finally determined the coldness was coming from within. The very act of putting our roses to rest was, for many reasons, particularly hard for me this year. I well know by now that each year I must say goodbye to the bountiful blooms of our roses and, in all earnestness, last year I even joked about looking forward to putting our roses down. But this year, much had changed for me and my annual rose parting felt painfully swift and harsh. I felt a similar sadness the first year Jim and I began growing roses. Having become so quickly enamored with them, I was simply not ready to say goodbye as winter insisted the time had come. Having failed to capture our first roses
nashville rose leaf, February 2012
in pictures, the only thing to sustain me that first winter was my memories and a little thing called faith. I have come to believe that faith is as critical an element to the successful rose grower as sun, water and good soil. Every winter, the dormancy of our roses portrays a certain appearance of death, but it is our faith that tells us that life remains beneath the frozen ground, even when we see no evidence of it. This rose-growing faith, in one manner or another, lies in the heart of every rose gardener. Some rose-growers place the fate of their roses solely in the hands of our Creator, while the faith of others relies strictly on the knowledge and replication of science. There are even rose-growers, such as I, who do not find God and science to be mutually exclusive of one another in the rose garden. Irrespective of what belief system a rose grower chooses to embrace, however, we are all united in one belief, faith and oftentimes hope that just beneath the surface of those cold, craggly canes, lies the source that renews and restores the life force to our roses each and every spring. Without this faith, would we not view each winter as a final goodbye to our roses rather than the temporary absence we know it to be? No matter how diverse our other beliefs, those of us who grow roses would certainly not tend to them with such love and commitment if we held no faith in the promise of tomorrow’s roses. Although I cannot yet see the bursting of baby leaves, the tender basil breaks and those first tiny bud formations, faith promises me that our winter- withered roses are not at all dead, but only asleep. Their beauty will return with the mere passage of time. So when you find the quiet still of winter leaving you wistful and somber, I encourage you to “keep the faith” my rose friends, for it allows us to believe in roses yet unseen. —— Starla & Jim Harding
NRS News Vendor Night
The NRS vendor night is one the best events of the year. There is nothing else like this available to rosarians in middle Tennessee where you can gather literally everything you need for a years worth of rose care all in one night. It is easy. 1. Take inventory of last years supplies. 2. Replace old chemicals or restock if you are running low. 3. Determine what soil amendments you need. 4. Need new gloves, new pruners, replacement blades? It is all there. Our 2012 vendors include Beaty’s Fertilizer, The Compost Farm, Dickens Turf & Landscape Supply, Dirt Dawg Nursery and Dirt Dawg Bakery (aka NRS members Jeff and Jennifer Harvey), bare root roses from Ken Correll via Outdoor Basics, and Wendy Tilley’s rose supply company, The Rose Gardener. Order forms are included in this newsletter and are available online at the NRS website. Questions? Contact Gary Spencer at
gspencer1@bellsouth.net
2012 NRS Fortuniana Rose Sale LAST CHANCE!
February Beginner’s Rose Tips
In an effort to return the rose tips feature ‘back to its roots’, so to speak, the focus is being placed on tips that will benefit the beginning rosarian. 2012 will be the sixth year that Starla and I have been members of the Nashville Rose Society and ever since the first newsletter showed up in our mailbox the rose tips have always been a great source of rose growing information. It is great to see our members come forward once again to share the wealth of rose knowledge. If you are a beginning rose grower the time honored proverb “Rome was not built in a day” is a good one to pay homage to. When you go to visit successful rosarians and see the beautiful display of blooms on their many plants (100-400+), the temptation is to hurry home, start digging new beds and try to duplicate what you just observed. My counsel is to remember this proverb before you are seduced into such a trap. Instead make you bed a manageable size. Become an expert at growing a few roses (perhaps 1012) and let the size of your garden grow with your expertise. - Charles Lott, Consulting Rosarian
Contact Charles Lott now to order roses for the 2012 Nashville Rose Society Fortuniana Rose sale. Our supplier (K & M Roses, a.k.a. James Mills) has added new cultivars to the list of more than 300 roses, which are all grafted on Fortuniana root stock, and are available in the sale. Only a limited number of growers provide roses on Fortuniana root stock, and K&M is one of the most popular. The order form is available on the NRS website www.nashvillerosesociety.com
You should check the Ph of your garden soil. Roses like 6.5. If you use chemical fertilizers your soil can get too acidic and lime needs to be added to get the Ph back to 6.5. The weather has been all over the place and time is running out if you plan to spray your garden with lime sulpher to kill any lingering black spot spores. This should be done before the bushes start to leaf out.
Remember that all proceeds from the rose sale go to support publication of Nashville Rose Leaf. Contact Charles Lott at (615) 824-5614 or crlott@bellsouth.net with any questions.
LET HER BLOW - Wintry winds will surely visit us soon. Insulate against it since it does more damage than ice or snow. Be sure tree rose-
- Gene Meyer
supports are secure. Remove dead and weak growth to make March pruning easier. Wintry winds loosen the root system. Make sure sufficient soil is present around the bush base ( but not packed down to the point that water and air is curtailed). Keep mound of winter mulch moist (not drenched) all through the winter when rainfall is insufficient. Visit your roses and they will know that their welfare is being monitored during off-season. - Ted Mills, Master Rosarian Be sure to spray fungicide as soon as leaves appear on your roses. If you wait until signs of blackspot appear, it will be much harder to control. - Marty Reich, Master Rosarian When buying bare root roses at local nurseries its tempting to buy the ones with the most new shoots and leaves but what we should look for is the most dormant ones with at least 3 strong undamaged canes. And after planting cover the whole thing up with mulch to keep the canes from drying out before the roots get established. Uncover slowly after danger of a hard freeze is over. Don’t fertilize until the first flush of blooms fade. - Doyle Clark The 2012 Combined Rose List will be available in March. Reserve a copy now by sending a check for $24 to: Peter Schneider, P.O. Box 677, Mantua, OH 44255. The Combined Rose List contains all roses in commerce, where to find them, up to date rose registrations, and all North American and overseas nursery sources. This book is a must for any rose enthusiast. - Annie Owen, Master Rosarian
nashville rose leaf, February 2012
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2012 TENARKY Winter Workshop By: Sam Jones (Cont’d from page 1) and a Sunday morning Consulting Rosarian School. A fundraising auction of classic varieties of two-year old, bareroot roses will continue throughout the weekend. Among the featured speakers on Saturday are Richard Anthony and Kristine Vance from the ARS Buckeye District in Ohio. Dedicated rosarians, the pair will share their extensive experience, enthusiasm, and knowledge of growing and showing roses in the sometimes difficult northern Ohio locale. Carol Shockley, noted rosarian and speaker from Conway, Arkansas, will show slide pictures and discuss new roses available from amateur and professional hybridizers. Shockley’s annually assembled program on new introductions of roses is a popular feature at ARS District meetings for assisting rosarians in anticipating their garden plans for the upcoming season. Whit Wells, a widely successful breeder of roses from Brighton, Tennessee, will speak about his creations, prominent among which are named for Nashville celebrities such as Brenda Lee, the Mandrell Family, Kitty Wells, and Manuel Cuevas. Wells’ celebrity roses are featured
Anthony & Vance Buckeye District-Ohio 4
in the Nashville Music Garden. He will have multiple varieties of roses available for sale during the weekend. Robbie Tucker, Nashville’s award-winning hybridizer of miniflora and miniature roses (mid-size and smaller blooms) will share the latest innovations, products, and roses which are available on his popular rosemania.com website. Tucker consistently produces winning show roses, introducing new color combinations, vigor, and strength in his popular varieties. Garden designer and writer Cindy Shapton will present an informative and entertaining talk on Friday evening about roses as one of many useful and tasty garden plants. From her extensive gardening experience, she will describe how “A Rose Isn’t Just a Rose,” but also is “an herb that is often overlooked for its medicinal, aromatic and culinary properties.” On Sunday morning, a Consulting Rosarian School will be held featuring lectures on ARS approved rose-cultivation topics leading to certification and updating of CR Credentials. All workshop attendees are invited to attend the school; however, individuals may become certified rose consultants after a
Carol Shockley Conway, AR
nashville rose leaf, February 2012
Whit Wells Brighton, TN
minimum of three years of continuous membership in the American Rose Society, attending a CR school, and taking an open-book test on the required subjects. Ongoing during the workshop, 200 classic and time-honored rose bushes (20 varieties of 10 plants each) will be auctioned for sale as a fundraiser for the TENARKY District. They have been graciously donated by Certified Roses, Inc. of Tyler, Texas, one of the nation’s largest distributors of roses that are in demand among the American public. Many of these timeless varieties are standards in ARS members’ gardens and their blooms consistently win prizes in rose shows. Thanks to Ted Mills for arranging this bountiful gift, and to Shirley Staples, President of Certified Roses for her generous contribution. The public is welcomed to register and attend the workshop events, which involve members of the American Rose Society’s local affiliates in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky. The workshop schedule and registration form, including hotel information and the special convention room rate, may be downloaded from the TENARKY website: www.tenarky.org
Cindy Shapton Garden Designer
Robbie Tucker Rosemania
2011 Roses In Review By: Jeff Garrett (Cont’d from page 1) With each passing season, we like to take time to evaluate the roses in our garden. We particularly enjoy evaluating our newer roses which we have been growing for three years or less. Many rosarians tend to make a quick judgment on new roses, which can be a mistake as sometimes it takes a plant a little time to get established and growing well. Therefore, we evaluate our newer rose varieties over a three year time span before we make a final judgment. Following are some of our observations. Always and Forever – is a medium red hybrid tea from J&P Roses. Our 2nd year plant continued to grow and bloom well. The bush handles our summer heat fairly well. The blooms are not huge and sometimes the form is a little flat. But still a pretty nice variety for the garden. Blackout – is a very dark red hybrid tea from Eddie Edwards. The vigorous plant provides lots of dark velvety blooms with good substance, however, the form is just too flat. We are seriously considering shovel pruning this variety even though I love red roses. Brother Jack – is a new pink blend hybrid tea from Fred Wright. Our first year plant really caught our eye with some very nice exhibition form blooms. The own-root plant is vigorous and blooms well. This fall I put a few on multiflora rootstock and we are looking forward to seeing how they perform in the coming season. Cajun Signature - is a hybrid tea sport of Signature found by Larry Meyer. Our maiden on multiflora rootstock was slow to grow in the first year. Perhaps our summer heat is not to its liking. We are hoping for improvement in the second season. Colorific – is a beautiful orange blend floribunda from Tom Carruth and Weeks Roses. The bright and colorful blooms have lots of petals and good substance. Our container plant has giv-
en us lots of nice blooms on a somewhat compact plant. We think this is a very nice floribunda.
next season. (Ed. note - ‘Fairest One’ is now being sold as ‘Merlot’ by Jackson & Perkins)
Crescendo - is a pink blend hybrid tea from Keith Zary. Our first year plant was a little slow to grow, but we did see some promising blooms. It reminds us a little of Gemini, so we are hoping it gets better in the 2nd season.
Forty Heroes - is a medium yellow floribunda from Bailey Nurseries. Named in honor of the forty brave men and women who perished in the plane crash in Pennsylvania in 2011, our first year plant was slow to grow and bloom. We are told it will improve with time. It is also advertised to be very disease resistant. We will continue to carefully watch this variety.
Dayna Sawyer - is a pink blend hybrid tea from Eddie Edwards. It has very nice creamy white blooms that are blushed with pink. However, this variety does not like our climate and is blackspot prone. We have the shovel ready to remove it! Diane’s Delight - is a nice red blend hybrid tea from Eddie Edwards. Our first year plant on fortuniana rootstock produced some very nice blooms with good form. However, the color was more deep pink than red. Dick Clark – is a red blend grandiflora from Tom Carruth and Christian Bedard. The creamy white blooms are edged with a nice deep cherry red color. Typically the bloom size and form is best in spring and fall. Our potted plant continued to grow and bloom well. Dream Come True – is an AARS award winning yellow blend grandiflora hybridized by Dr. John Pottschmidt. We almost gave up on this variety as it took time to get established. Like most roses, the blooms are not nearly as nice in hot weather, however they are beautiful in the spring and fall. Ethan Phelps – is a deep pink hybrid tea from Eddie Edwards that is named for Eddie’s grandson. Our 2nd year plant was somewhat disappointing as it lacked vigor. We’ll give it one more year and go from there.
Grande Dame - is a fragrant deep pink hybrid tea from Tom Carruth. Blooms have old garden form and are nice in the vase. Out first year plant did not like our summer heat. Great Rosarians of the World - is an apricot blend hybrid tea hybridized by Eddie Edwards. The ruffled blooms are best when fully open. The blooms are not very attractive once the weather heats up. Harold’s Pride – is an orange blend floribunda from the late Vernon Rickard. Our 2nd year own-root plant has just not grown well. In the fall, the blooms are a beautiful creamy white with orange. Hope vigor improves. Howard & Sara – is a medium red hybrid tea hybridized by John Smith. Our 2nd year plant is proving to be a very nice red variety. Impulse - is a brilliant orange hybrid tea from the florist industry. This variety continues to produce some very nice brightly colored blooms with good form and size. You can get it from Steve Singer at Wisconsin Roses.
JoAnn Edwards – is an orange blend hybrid tea from hybridizer Eddie Edwards. Given that Eddie named this vaFairest One - is a red and white bicol- riety for his wife, you would expect it to or hybrid tea from J&P roses. Our first be one of his best varieties. However, it year plant in a container gave us some just hasn’t lived up to expectations. Our very pretty blooms, but they were a lit- plants are not vigorous and the blooms tle on the small side. The plant tended tend to be a little small. Not giving up to sprawl also. Looking forward to the yet. nashville rose leaf, February 2012 5
2011 Roses In Review By: Jeff Garrett
Lovely Layla - was hybridized by Eddie Edwards. The blooms are a nice soft creamy white to light yellow with a pink edge. The blooms can be great in the fall, however, the plant just doesn’t give many of them.
‘Koko Loco’
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
‘Grand Dame’
‘Pink Promise’ ‘Sugar Moon’
Photo courtesy of Sam Jones
‘Crescendo’
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nashville rose leaf, February 2012
‘Snuffy’
Photo courtesy of Kitty Belendez
‘The Fairest One’
Photo courtesy of Tirzah Lowe
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
‘Red Intuition’
Photo courtesy of Dave Bang
‘White Licorice’
Photo courtesy of AARS
Koko Loco - is a new mauve floribunda from Christian Bedard and Weeks Roses. Our first year plant grew well and produced nice blooms. If you like muddy mauve blooms, this variety just might be for you.
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
(Cont’d on page 8)
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
(Cont’d from page 1)
Highlights from the 2011 NRS Christmas Party By: Larry Baird Once again, if you missed the 2011 Nashville Rose Society Christmas party, you deprived yourself of an enjoyable and exciting time as well as missing some fantastic food.
It was great to see the ARS Bronze Medal being presented to Cecil & Bessie Ward by President Larry Baird for their long standing service to the Nashville Rose Society. Cecil is a master rosarian and was NRS President in 1992. Bessie Ward has served as the NRS historin for 20+ years. We all agree with Larry Baird who said this award was both long over due and well deserved. Congratulations Cecil and Bessie!
Rose Naeser and Margaret Devine are all smiles during the gift exchange.
We met at Cheekwood in a beautifully decorated room, thanks to the Middle Tennessee Horticultural Society having held their party the day before. Kudos to Lynne Wallman and the ladies who did such a wonderful job with the decorating. Adding to those decorations were wonderful table arrangements from the designers of Nashville Rose Society. We had a great party from start to finish! If you have ever attended an NRS function where a covered dish meal was involved, you know what you missed in the way of food. If you have not, there is no way to explain it other than there is a lot of good eating going on. The quantity and quality of the food provided by our members is not to be believed. Bottom line - you do not want to miss the next opportunity to enjoy the delicous cooking. Add to the food an evening of fellowship with rose lovers from the area, what more could you ask? How about door prizes, fun and a gift exchange involving near chaos? Remember, we will do it again next December, so you certainly don’t want to miss it again.
Each table was decorated with beautiful one of kind arrangements created by NRS members who donated their time and talent. Party goers were asked to vote for their favorite. Who knew Don Gill not only grows great roses but also designs wonderful rose arrangements! Don graciously agreed to have his winning arrangement auctioned with the proceeds going to support the Nashville Rose Leaf. Thank you Ginny Russel for bidding high and often !
Table arrangement by Denise Thorne
All photos courtesy of Ken Wood
The only business conducted was the opportunity to thank Cecil and Bessie Ward for the years of devotion and service to Nashville Rose Society with the award of the ARS Bronze medal. Thanks again Cecil and Bessie. It has been a pleasure to know and work with you over the years. Keep up the good work! (Ed. note - Thank you Ken Wood for the party photos!) Everyone enjoyed a fun and festive evening
Jim Harding shows off his Ken Wood original - custom matted and framed photos of Chihuly’s glass exhibit at Cheekwood! nashville rose leaf, February 2012 7
2011 Roses In Review By: Jeff Garrett (Cont’d from page 6) Miss Olene – is a pink blend hybrid tea that was hybridized by Eddie Edwards. The creamy white blooms have a nice soft pink edge. Our plant on fortuniana rootstock grows and blooms well. Mohana – is a nice medium yellow hybrid tea from the florist industry. The blooms are clean and generally have good form. Our 2nd year plant on multiflora rootstock is growing in a container. This variety does appear to be susceptible to powdery mildew. Moon Over Miami - is a big white hybrid tea from Eddie Edwards. The big blooms generally have clean white color with very good form but fade quickly. The blooms need more substance to be good for cutting and exhibition. There just aren’t many good white varieties. My Girl - is a medium pink shrub from Bailey Nurseries. The blooms on our first year plant were more deep pink. The plant is very disease resistant just like the famous Knock Out, but has more petals. The bush blooms well but it appears to not grow as tall as Knock Out. My Lady Barbara - is a pink blend hybrid tea from Fred Wright. Named for his late wife. Barbara, the ruffled blooms are a creamy white edged in pink. They seem to be at their best in the late summer and fall. Peppermint Pop – is a new pink and white shrub from Bill Radler. All of you “no spray” folks need to take note, this new shrub from Radler seems to be just as disease resistant as Knock Out. It also has nice pink with white reverse blooms that have a little fragrance as well. Pink Promise - is a 2009 AARS winner from Coiner. This beautiful hybrid tea has nice soft light pink blooms with good size and form. This variety is proving to be a very nice all around rose.
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Pumpkin Patch - is a nice caramel orange floribunda from Christian Bedard of Weeks Roses. The name is very appropriate, as the blooms are a nice deep pumpkin color. The bush has rich green foliage and produces lots of nice sprays. We like this rather compact variety!
Stephen Rulo - is classified as a russet grandiflora and was hybridized by William Chaney. The bloom color in our garden is a muddy medium to light mauve. The blooms generally have nice size and form. We may discard this variety due to the drab color.
Randy Scott - is a pure white hybrid tea from hybridizer John Smith. The plant has nice clean white blooms with good size and form. I have budded more on multiflora rootstock for the coming season.
Sugar Moon - is a nice new white hybrid tea from Christian Bedard and Weeks Roses. Our first year plant produced some nice exhibition form blooms with a little fragrance. Anxious to see how this variety does in the 2nd season.
Red Intuition - is a hybrid tea from the florist industry. We first noticed this variety at our local WalMart available as a cut flower. The eye-catching blooms are striped with light and dark shades of red. Our first year maiden on multiflora rootstock grew very well and gave us lots of nice blooms, even in the heat of summer. While this variety may not be the best for exhibition due to its unusual coloration, it does appear to be a good variety for the garden. Senior Moment - is a new hybrid tea. While I am not sure about the hybridizer or the official color class, our plant has nice vibrant deep pink to medium red blooms. This first year plant on fortuniana rootstock grew and bloomed well. Looking forward to seeing how this variety does in its 2nd year. Sister Jane - is a nice pink blend hybrid tea from Fred Wright. Our first year own-root plant really took off and produced some very nice blooms with good form. The vibrant pink blend blooms are blushed with a hint of yellow. I have put some on multiflora rootstock for this coming season. Snuffy – is an orange-pink hybrid tea from John Smith. Our 2nd year plant continues to grow and bloom well. The eye-catching blooms have nice color and can have good form. The blooms somewhat remind us of Touch of Class, which we all know is a very fine variety. This is shaping up to be a very nice rose.
nashville rose leaf, February 2012
Sweet Promise - is an orange-pink hybrid tea from Meilland. The deep salmon fragrant blooms have lots of petals and are best when fully open. The bush is not as vigorous as we would have liked, so we’ll put it on the endangered list. T.H. Coop - is a new red blend hybrid tea from Eddie Edwards. This is one of the best new varieties in our garden. The blooms are shades of light to dark red. Our first year plant on fortuniana rootstock is vigorous and gives lots of nice exhibition form blooms. Good for cutting and garden. The Great White - is a wonderful new white hybrid tea from Fred Wright. Our first year plant on fortuniana rootstock grew and bloomed very well. The large blooms have great form and are generally very clean. I am putting some on multiflora rootstock for the coming season. This is another great new variety. White Licorice – is a light yellow floribunda from Christian Bedard. The off-white blooms have good form with a wonderful licorice fragrance. Our 2nd year bush grew well and produced lots of nice clusters. The plant has a nice compact growth habit. This variety appears to be somewhat susceptible to blackspot, so keep it sprayed. Reprinted with permisssion from 2012 Winter Issue of Basal Breaks, of the Tri-State Rose Society of Chattanooga - Jeff Garrett, Editor.
Memoriam Mitzi Turner Mitzi Turner, a very lovely, kind and friendly person, a rosarian, lover of flowers and longtime member of the Nashville Rose Society passed away in December. Mitzi and her husband, Jim Turner (Nashville Rose Society President in 1988) were a great team that was very active and dedicated to the Nashville Rose Society from the 1970’s through the 1990’s. Jim and Mitzi played major roles in the American Rose Society’s National Convention (Rhythm’ Roses Fall Convention) that was hosted by the Nashville Rose Society in 1982. Mitzi was co-chairman of the awards and trophies committee while Jim served as chairman of the properties committee. Later, the ARS National Convention returned to Nashville for the Rhythm’ Roses Revisited Convention in 1990 where Jim and Mitzi served as co-chairmen of the awards and trophies committee. Throughout the years, Mitzi and Jim served as chairman of many committees, seminars and in a multitude of other capacities in all of Nashville Rose Society’s rose shows during the 1980’s. Out of town exhibitors from all over the country came to the NRS’ rose shows every year not only because of Cheekwood’s great facilities, but also for the wonderful trophies Mitzi and Jim selected as prizes. Mitzi was also an active member in many other gardening societies. The beautiful flowers and roses in the landscape of their yard truly enhanced their lovely home on Sneed Road adjacent to Belle Meade in Nashville. Sadly, Mitzi and Jim’s gardening activities were curtailed in the 1990’s as Mitzi battled a long time illness. The Nashville Rose Society extends heartfelt sympathy to Jim Turner and his family as we share in the loss of your dearly departed. —— Cecil Ward, Master Rosarian
You Might Be A Rosarian If... 1. You never take a vacation in the summer. 2. You like the smell of manure. 3. You teach your male dog to squat to pee (if he doesn’t already). 4. You know every nursery and garden center within a 100 mile radius and possibly further. 5. Your vehicle ALWAYS has at least a little dirt or mulch inside. 6. You own at least 10 opened containers of fungicide and fertilizer. 7. You are on the VIP list at the water dept. 8. You give advice to the clueless in garden centers and nurseries (you can’t help it).
13. Your manicurist refuses to take you anymore. 14. Your neighbors laugh at you when you water in the rain. 15. Your favorite gardening outfit has more holes than Swiss Cheese. 16. You prefer to pour over rose catalogs than read a great novel.
9. You have at least one scratch or booboo that’s healing.
17. People can’t believe you grew it yourself (and why not??). 18. You have lied more than once to friends’ invitations because you’d rather be tending roses. 19. Deadhead and shovel prune are part of your vocabulary.
10. Your garage is a very big garden shed. 11. On many occasions you look like FTD going down the road.
20. You have garden equipment that would rival Martha any day. 21. People don’t recognize us when we get dressed up (and we really clean up well, don’t we?)
Emailed by clshaner@yahoo.com of the Shenandoah Rose Society and reprinted from the December 2011 Rosebuds newsletter of the Bowling Green Rose Society - Mary Hext editor. nashville rose leaf, February 2012 9
12. You see nothing wrong with feeding your family PB&J sandwiches for supper.
February Rose Care By: Jim Harding February can either be a period of retrospect of would’ve, could’ve, should’ve thinking about what you did not do in November and December; or if you did your end of year garden chores, it can be time spent reclining back in the warm and comfy easy chair. Spraying There is still time in February to consider a dormant spray to discourage bugs and diseases for the coming rose season. If your roses struggled with blackspot this past year, lime sulfur is a good way to help clean up lingering fungal spores, along with a horticultural oil that will smother pests and their eggs. While these chemicals can be purchased separately and mixed together they are also available pre-mixed in a single container. This has been a mild winter so far but if you spray lime sulfur makes sure to so when overnight temperatures will remain above freezing overnight, and be sure to read the label and apply in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations. If you have questions, call an NRS consulting rosarian - see list on page 11. Cleaning & Planning If you haven’t done so already, take inventory of what supplies need to be replaced and make note for easy ordering of supplies for the annual Nashville Rose Society’s Vendor night. The order forms are included in this issue and are also available online at the NRS website www.nashvillerosesociety.com If you have questions about vendor night contact Gary Spencer at
gspencer1@bellsouth.net
A tip I picked up at one of the NRS beginner’s workshops is to write on each bottle of fungicide, pesticide, miticide, etc. the year it was purchased. Everything has a shelf life, and it is only a matter of time before you have more stuff than you can keep track of, so writing the year purchased with a big 10
black sharpie works well. This simple step will save you time money and headaches trying remember how old that almost empty bottle of Banner Maxx is. One more sharpie tip. While you are writing the year on the bottle, go ahead and write the mixing ratio too; i.e. 1 tblsp/gal. This will save you the hassle of re-reading the label. Soil Last fall was the best time to build a new rose bed because 1. it was a lot warmer outside, and 2. the new soil mix has a time to cure before the new roses go in this spring. However, if you still want to build a new rose bed it is not too late, especially if you use a premixed soil from a company like Southern Nurseries. These kinds of companies can custom mix soil with your choice of composts, sand, and processed topsoil. NRS member and master rosarian Ron Daniels recommends Nutrisoil for rose beds from Southern Nurseries. They sell their soil by the cubic yard and offer a discount to NRS members. Just like the old real estate addage of ‘location, location, location,’ the same goes for roses. Select a location that receives at least six hours of full sun per day, has good air circulation, good drainage, and does not compete with tree roots. pH Amending your soil to make corrections to the pH is another task that is best done at the end of the growing season. Why? Because it takes time for any corrections you make to take effect. With that said, if you have not tested the pH of your soil, there is really no wrong time to do so. While most Tennessee soils tend be acidic don’t make any assumptions and add lime before you have your soil tested. Send your soil samples to the University of Tennessee Soil, Plant and
nashville rose leaf, February 2012
Pest Center is located at the Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville. It is equipped for routine soil analysis to make lime and fertilizer recommendations and offers its services to all Tennesseans for a nominal fee (615) 8325850. Soil samples need to come from the root zone of the plant, which means getting down past the mulch into the root zone where the soil chemistry is important. If the pH is lower than 6.0, you should add a slow-acting lime. If the test showed the pH higher than 7.0, then you should add sulfur. A pH of 6.5 is ideal for roses to be able to maximize the available nutrients. The question is, how much lime is the right amount? To raise the pH from 5.5 to 6.5 a typical application rate is 2 to 3 pounds per 100 square feet of garden area. Do not use more than 5 pounds per 100 square feet at any one time. If you are not sure how big your rose bed is, use 1 cup of lime per bush and ½ cup per miniature. Remember that raking the lime into the top couple inches of soil will yield better results than sprinkling it over the soil’s surface. ,
ARS Membership
Every rosarian should be a member of the American Rose Society. The benefits far outweigh any costs. A full membership is only $49 a year. A four month trial membership is $10 (or $5 for current NRS members and free for new NRS members). And last but not least the ARS also offers a free e-membership. So no matter what your budget, there is no excuse for not getting plugged into the ARS. To sign up you may complete the online form at www.ars.org or call toll free at 1-800637-6534.
A Rose Lover’s Calendar
Welcome New Members!
NRS, Tenarky, & ARS Coming Events FEBRUARY 7
NRS Meeting at Cheekwood 6:30 PM Refreshments 7:00 PM - Dr. David Cook University Tennessee Extension Agent speaks on understanding rose diseases
17-19 Tenarky Winter Workshop - Marriott Hotel Cool Springs, in Franklin, TN. For information contact Sam or Nancy Jones gsamj@bellsouth.net nancypj@bellsouth.net
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NRS Meeting at Cheekwood - Vendor Night order forms inside the newsletter or Contact Gary Spencer at gspencer1@bellsouth.net
ARS NATIONAL EVENTS ARS National Miniature Rose Show & Convention Columbus,Ohio from July 27-29,2012. Contact bburley1092@yahoo. com”Brian Burley,614-846-9404,for information.
Details & other event news available at www.nashvillerosesociety.com Nashville Rose Leaf is printed by: The Print Authority, Brentwood, Tennessee
rosegardener@hughes.net
Nashville Rose Leaf
The Nashville Rose Leaf is published eleven times annually by the Nashville Rose Society, Nashville, TN Editors: Jim & Starla Harding, Sam Jones & Leann Barron Editorial Advisory Committee: Marty Reich
Lebanon, TN 37090
1109 Clayton Ave.
Nashville Lawn & Garden Show, TN State Fairgrounds
Nashville Rose Society is a 501c-3 organization and all contributions to the society are tax-deductible. Contributions may be made as memorials or to honor some person, group or occasion. Checks for contributions should be made payable to Nashville Rose Society and mailed to: CINDY WORCH 137 Urban Farms Rd. Manchester, TN 37355 ((931) 723-2142
4350 Big Springs Rd.
Emily Bryan
MARCH
Contributions
Jim and Linda B. Key
Nashville Rose Society 2011 Officers President Tom Beath.........(615) 673-2435 Vice-Pres TBD.......... Treasurer Gary Spencer......(615) 662-3819 Rec. S’ty Hayes Gibson .......(615) 794-1708 Cor. S’ty Cynthia Worch .....(931) 723-2142
Nashville Rose Society Membership
We are a non-profit organization serving the middle Tennessee area to educate persons on growing and exhibiting roses. Membership is open to everyone who supports the objectives of the organization. Annual dues of $20.00 per household include a subscription to The Nashville Rose Leaf, the official newsletter of the society. To join, send a check payable to Nashville Rose Society to: Marty Reich, 5020 Dovecote Dr., Nashville, TN 37220-1614 Phone: (615) 833-0791; E-mail: marty615@bellsouth.net
Disclaimer: While the advice and information in this newsletter is believed to be true and accurate at the time of publication, neither the authors nor the editor(s) accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The Nashville Rose Society makes no warranty, expressed or implied with respect to the material contained herein.
Nashville, TN 37204 ebacon287@gmail.com
ARS Consulting Rosarians South Nashville Leann Barron Marty Reich*
(615) 269-0240 (615) 833-0791
West Nashville Keith Garman (615) 352-6219 Sam* & Nancy Jones (615) 646-4138 Brentwood Area Cecil* & Bessie Ward (615)373-2245 Jerry & Marise Keathley(615)377-3034 Franklin Area Anne Owen* (615) 794-0138 Logan* & Joan Shillinglaw(615) 790-7346 Robbie*&Marsha Tucker(615) 595-9187 Hendersonville Area Ron Daniels (615) 330-7083 Charles Lott (615) 824-5614 Jack Wedekind (615) 824-8696 Murfreesboro Area Dillard & Diane Lester(615) 896-0203 Columbia Area Lyle Worsham*
(931) 388-4547
Lebanon-Watertown Area Jeff Harvey (615) 268-7089 Jennifer Harvey (615) 268-7032 Denise Thorne (615) 237-9757 Duck River-Centerville Area Larry* & Connie Baird(931) 729-5259 Manchester Area Cindy Worch
(931) 723-2142
*Indicates ARS Master Rosarian
nashville rose leaf, February 2012
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5020 Dovecote Drive Nashville, TN 37220-1614
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID BRENTWOOD, TN PERMIT NO. 162
Address Service Requested
www.nashvillerosesociety.com
TENARKY Winter Workshop Bare Root Rose Auction
List of classic and time-honored selections* from Certified Roses, Inc., Tyler, Texas scheduled to be auctioned: (Name, Description, Date, and ARS Rating) 1. Sally Holmes (S-White 1976/8.9) 2. Touch of Class (HT-Coral Pink 1985/8.7) 3. Double Delight (HT-Red/Cream 1976/8.3)
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4. Dolly Parton (HT-Orange Red/Fragrant 1985/7.5) 5. Gold Medal (GR-Golden Yellow 1981/8.3) 6. Cl. Iceberg (CL F-White 1968/8.4) 7. Sunsprite (F-Deep Yellow 1973/8.4)
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8. Nicole (Hannah Gordon–F-White with Pink Edge 1984/8.7) 9. The Fairy (S-Pastel Pink 1932/8.7) 10. Europeana (F-Dark Red 1964/8.4) 11. Belinda’s Dream (S-Med Pink 1992/8.4)
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12. Graham Thomas (S-Deep Yellow 1983/8.2) 13. Rose-de-Rescht (P-Fuchsia Red c.1880/8.7) 14. Carefree Beauty (S-Clear Pink 1979/8.6) 15. Olympiad (HT-Bright Red 1983/8.5)
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16. Playboy (F-Fame Orange/Yellow 1976/8.5) 17. Heritage (S-Light Pink/Fragrant 1985/8.4) 18. Zephrine Drouhin (Bourbon-Dark Pink 1968/8.0) 19. Pristine (HT-W Pearl Blend 1977/8.4) 20. Mister Lincoln (HT-Rich Velvety Red 1965/8.3)
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* Anticipated list of roses expected to be available.