Nashville Rose Leaf
Official Publication of The Nashville Rose Society Serving Rose Enthusiasts Throughout Middle Tennessee OCTOBER 2010
Affiliated with the American Rose Society - www.ars.org
Volume 44, 44 Issue 9
October 5th NRS Meeting Cheekwood 6:30 pm - Refreshments 7:00 pm - Popcorn and a Movie featuring AARS Film “Love at First Sight: America’s Affair With The Rose”
Photo courtesy of Weeks Roses
Chihuly DESK CALENDAR
2002
By: Jim Harding Floribunda - Carruth 2003 Orange Blend - ARS Rating: 7.5 Parentage: Scentimental x Amalia A rose question that frequently comes to mind is; “How does naming a rose for a celebrity work?” Apparently, there is no written set of rules. In the case of the Chihuly rose it all began when Dale Chihuly’s publicist approached David Austin Roses about having a rose named in honor of the artist. After seeing the brilliant multi-colors in Dale’s art glass pieces, David Austin Roses redirected Chihuly’s people to Tom Carruth of Weeks Roses who enjoys a stellar reputation in the rose world for his success in hybridizing special roses.
Carruth knew that a rose named to honor America’s most famous glass artist, Dale Chihuly, would have to have impeccable style and an ever-changing array of flashy colors. The question I asked Tom is where does he start? Carruth said he will typically ask what the celebrity’s favorite color is. In this case the answer came back ‘”teal”! Even the novice rosarian knows that this was too tall an order for Tom Carruth, so the great hybridizer tried a different approach that began with an in depth study of Dale Chihuly’s work. According to Tom, Chihuly’s staff was great to work with. They provided all kinds of reference material of Dale’s glass works, including books, catalogs, and DVD’s, which provided visual aids for Tom’s selection process. At that time, (Cont’d on page 9)
Photo courtesy of Dale Chihuly Studios
October Rose of the Month - Chihuly “A Luminescent Beauty”
President’s Column October, the fall weather we have all been waiting for, should be right around the corner. Now if the rains will come we should be enjoying the large colorful blooms we have missed for the last few months. Be sure and keep up the regular spray program as the fungi do not take time off to enjoy the weather. The long awaited Arrangement Day has come and gone, with a wonderful group of floral designers in attendance. We had 17 registered attendees, and they all seemed to have a great time learning a lot about floral design as well as rose arranging. Connie Baird and Sara Jo Gill did an excellent job of presenting a great deal of information in a fun and entertaining fashion in the morning. That afternoon everyone had a chance to put into practice some of the things learned in the morning. If the designs produced that afternoon are any indication of things to come, we will certainly have a wonderful design division of our rose show to look forward to. Speaking of a rose show, if you have not yet volunteered to assist with a committee to assist in the show, just call Sam Jones (615-646-4138) and he will be glad to find you something to do. The physical part of getting the rose show ready will be done Friday the 1st of October at 10 a.m. at Cheekwood, and there will be something for everyone to do, so make plans to come and help. The duties to be performed include setting up tables, covering tables, filling vases and arranging trophies and prizes, so there will be something for everyone. Come on out. Just tell the gatekeeper that you are there to set up the rose show. The Tenarky District Convention was scheduled for the last weekend in September, and I hope everyone had an opportunity to attend. This is always a fun event, and if you could not attend, make plans now to attend the winter workshop here in Nashville in February. Also, the ARS National Convention and rose show is scheduled in Atlanta October 7-11, and if you have never attended a national event, this is your chance without traveling many miles or hours. Schedules and reservation forms
for all these events are available on the www.tenarky.org website. Last but certainly not least, kudos to Gene Meyer on the beautiful “Gemini” bloom which he entered in the Novice division of the September Grand Prix. As some of you know, he not only won the Novice division, this gorgeous bloom was also awarded the Queen of show. Way to go Gene! Thanks again to Dillard and Dianne Lester for another fine job in putting on our Grand Prix this year. See you at the Rose Show. — Larry Baird
Editor’s Desk I had not even completed my first semester of art as a freshman in high school when my art teacher found it necessary to address any delusions I may have had about one day feeding myself via my artistic skills, or lack thereof. It would not be my last snub from the art world and, naturally, I had to complicate things by marrying a man who holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. (Jim has twin sisters who also hold art degrees and I feel the need to warn each and every one of you not to play Pictionary with these people!) It should, therefore, come as no surprise to many of you that I was not, until recently, familiar with the artist Dale Chihuly, or his work and that his introduction into my life of limited knowledge was through, none other than, a rose. Jim had confined me to two roses the first time we officially went rose shopping together and, considering there were hundreds of varieties to choose from that day, he was lucky we only came home with six. Chihuly was our first choice. The minute we saw it, we knew it should be the first rose our guests would see rounding the corner of what would be our first rose garden. It was also the only rose that both of us liked, despite our “artistic” differences. Jim had no sooner dug the hole for it when I pondered who the rose was named for. He leaned hard on his shovel and for a brief second, I contem-
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plated his intentions. “I’m confident it would be named for Dale Chihuly,” he said. “Still not ringing a bell, honey,” I casually replied. The expression on his face was no different than if I had pierced his heart with a pitchfork. “The world-renowned glass artist, Starla!” he indignantly proclaimed. For a minute I thought it would be better to feign understanding as his grip on the shovel seemed to tighten. But instead, I shrugged my shoulders and rolled my eyes… a technique I picked up from our willful teenage daughters hoping to ward off oncoming lectures. Weeks later, as Jim and I planned a trip to California, it became known to me that he had never traveled the Pacific Coast Highway. I seized the retaliation opportunity towards my “art snob” hubby and implied that his ignorance of this experience somehow greatly shamed me, much like my ignorance concerning Dale Chihuly had shocked him. How were either of us to know that Mr. Chihuly’s art would later be exhibited at Cheekwood? I stand humbled, my friends, as did Jim after our drive along the Pacific. In the end, Jim and I both came to an understanding about the art of Dale Chihuly as well as the Pacific Coast Highway. No description, photograph or film footage could ever adequately capture the essense of either. Both must be “experienced” if one is to fully appreciate their beauty, much like our beloved flower, the rose.
— Starla & Jim Harding
NRS Patrons Our thanks to the following businesses and foundations who have made sustaining donations to support the educational programs of Nashville Rose Society:
Houghland Foundation
Interview with Dale Chihuly By: Jim Harding Macchia Series Dale Chihuly, the artistic genius behind the “Chihuly Nights” exhibit at Cheekwood was kind enough to grant the Nashville Rose Leaf an interview. First a little background about the artist: Born in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington, Dale Chihuly was introduced to glass while studying interior design at the University of Washington. After graduating in 1965, Chihuly enrolled in the first glass program in the country, at the University of Wisconsin. He continued his studies at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he later established the glass program and taught for over a decade. In 1971, Chihuly cofounded Pilchuck Glass School in Washington. With this international glass center, Chihuly has led the avant-garde in the development of glass as a fine art. Chihuly’s practice of putting together teams of artists with exceptional glassblowing skills has led to the development of complex, multipart sculptures of dramatic beauty and scale that place him in the leadership role of moving blown glass out of the confines of the small, precious object and into the realm of large-scale sculpture and environmental art. In fact, Chihuly deserves much of the credit for establishing the blown glass form as an accepted medium for installation art which can be seen through his incredibly successful series of exhibitions within botanical settings. His garden exhibition was first presented in 2001 at the Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. Since that time his garden exhibitions have grown to over twelve such exhibits including his current exhibit “Chihuly Nights” at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art. One of his next big exhibitions will be in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts which will open on April 4, 2011 and run through August 7, 2011. Q. You don’t have to be a rosarian or a gardener in order to recall a favorite garden or rose memory. Do you recall one that you would mind sharing with our readers? Chihuly: My mom had a beautiful garden that she worked in every day. When I was about ten years old, I liked to play with my toy soldiers in the garden and remember how vibrant all the colors were and how good all
the flowers and roses always smelled. Q. Roses are described as the “Queen” of flowers. Has it ever influenced your long standing fascination with abstract forms of flowers and nature? Chihuly: Roses are my favorite flower and I’m sure they’ve had some sort of influence on my work. Q. Art was also my field of study. As such, the interaction of color has been a personal lifelong fascination for me. Trying to replicate the intense saturation of color in nature is challenging at best, but your glasswork seems to capture this intensity – do you agree and how have you achieved this? Chihuly: I don’t know if something can be too colorful. Color is one of the great properties of glass and is more intense in glass than any other material. Imagine entering Chartres Cathedral and looking up at the Rose Window: you can see a one-inch square of ruby red glass from 300 feet away.
years before the public, collectors or even one’s own mother can understand it. In all honesty I can see why she thought the beginnings of the Macchia series were ugly. Eventually however, she did come around and proudly displayed a large cobalt blue Macchia in her living room. Q. In all fairness to the former question, has your mother expressed a favorite from your work? Chihuly: Maybe it was the Macchia…. Q. Nature has been a big influence on your work and you have noted that observation is key. What observations do you recall from your mother’s lush garden in Tacoma. Chihuly: My mother had many beautiful flowers. She had ninety rhododendrons – some as high as twenty feet. That’s what I remember the best. Q. Ideas can come from anywhere at anytime. Can you share one of your most unexpected sources of inspiration?
Q. What are your top three color influences? Chihuly: So many things can influence color decisions. Some are in the moment, some are very spontaneous and some are very purposeful and planned out like my new Silvered series. I can tell you this…I’ve never met a color I didn’t like. Q. Would you mind sharing your thoughts on having a beautiful rose named after you and what is your personal opinion on the Chihuly rose?
Chihuly: I feel that everything that I see and do influences me and provides me with inspiration. Q. The Cheekwood exhibit is mesmerizing. It is hard to believe until you have actually seen it, that glass could be so cohesively integrated into a garden setting. Can you describe the process you go through? For instance, did you visit Cheekwood before you designed the pieces or did you incorporate existing designs into the garden?
Q. Mothers can be an artist’s greatest fan as well as his worst critic. What was your response to your mother when she referred to your Machhia collection, (Italian for spotted) as the “Uglies”?
Chihuly: I’m glad you liked the exhibition. I did get a chance to visit Cheekwood to do what we call a site visit so I can become familiar with the garden, the landscape, the buildings, the architecture etc. I don’t always get a chance to do site visits - sometimes other members of my team will do them and bring photographs back for me to look at here at my studio. I can then work with my team to create a design that works best to display the artwork and complement the garden.
Chihuly: When an artist makes new work it is often not received well. Sometimes it takes
If you are interested in learning more about the artist visit www.chihuly.com
Chihuly: It was an honor to have the Chihuly rose created and named after me. I sent out 400 of them to friends and family to share. I love the combination of colors which are some of my favorites.
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The October Rose Garden By: Jim Harding Fall festivals, hayrides, and pumpkin carving creations are just a few of many reasons to celebrate that October is finally here; but for rosarians the fall bloom cycle is our reason for rejoicing. Fall is harvest time for farmers and if you have been diligent with your summer time rose care, it too will be harvest time in your garden. After a long hot and dry summer (see “Dear Diary” on page 10), the season for the fall flush of blooms is upon us, so step one is to enjoy the moment. Here are some tips to get the most enjoyment from your roses this fall. Even though it may be tempting, there are a few things that you do not want to change and that is watering and spraying. Your roses still need lots of water to produce the best blooms so continue to water thoroughly and often. A well hydrated bush will give your roses lots of substance in the petals that help keep them looking good on the bush or lasting longer in the vase. Well watered bushes will also help your roses prepare for cold weather so when the first freeze comes your plants will be strong and healthy. The other part of keeping your roses healthy is to continue being vigilant with your spray program. Every two weeks I apply a spray solution of Manzate, (Mancozeb or Pentathalon are the product names) that kills any blackspot in the garden on contact. The Manzate is combined with a systemic fungicide every two weeks. After learning the hard way about battling the dreaded two spotted spider mite and how critical it is to rotate miticides I have adopted a similar philosophy with blackspot by rotating the systemic fungicide between Banner Maxx (propacanizole), Eagle 20EW (mycoblutonil) and my last bit of Compass (Trifloxystrobin). If you are thinking about buying Compass you will either need to take out a small loan or find several rosarian friends to share the cost as it is now only available at a
cost of over $400 per pound. A bonus benefit of Eagle 20EW is that it is also a good choice for killing and preventing powdery mildew as well as a lot easier on the wallet. As far as fall fertilizing goes, it is still okay to use liquid based fertilizers because they do not stay in the ground as long as granular fertilizers that should be discontinued after Labor Day. Remember to water the rose beds before fertilizing to help avoid burning the roots. While it is too early to begin your winter protection, it is not too early to start thinking about stockpiling the materials you might want to use. October is also a time for assessment. Looking back is how a good rosarian begins to look forward to next year. Asking questions like what worked well in your garden, or what did not work well in your garden? If you are wondering why, now is a great time to call your friendly neighborhood consulting rosarian for help (see list on page 11). Looking forward, fall is the perfect time to plan and build a new rose bed. Hopefully you were at the April NRS meeting to listen as Ron Daniels and Wayne Metcalf explained the essentials of rose bed construction. If not here are the basics: 1. Sunshine – at least six hours per day with nothing obstructing the open sky above. 2. Tree free – Free of roots that compete with the roses. Free of foliage that compete with the roses for sun, (refer back to essential #1). Free of related problems that can complicate rose care. For instance some trees, like hackberries, are notorious for attracting aphids. The hordes of aphids eat and then poop. Not only is aphid poop on rose bushes nasty it is impossible to get off the leaves. 3. Good soil - Some things you can fix after your rose garden is completed, but
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as consulting rosarian Charles Lott so aptly put it “you can only fix the soil at the beginning”. In our region of middle Tennessee this means excavating at least eighteen inches of soil, (aka typically clay), and replacing it with a good soil mix. You can either buy prepared soil mix or make your own. The recipe for making your own is one part compost + one part sand or perlite + one part top soil. A great alternative to all that digging is building a raised bed. We have four rose beds. Our first two were excavated and the second two were raised beds. Both raised beds outperform the excavated beds. 4. Good drainage – If you chose to build a raised bed and use a good soil mix, your drainage problems should be virtually non-existent. On the flip side digging a hole to plant a rose bush in middle Tennessee clay is equivalent to a slow death by drowning. Yes, roses love water but they do not like wet feet. That is why you will need to dig out the clay soil and replace it with good soil, (refer to essential #3) Last, but not least, take photos while you are enjoying the fall flowers. It is hard to remember everything and a quick snapshot will help jog your memory when you are planning for next year. What roses did well? With as much love as we give our roses, if they are not giving back, then it is time to evaluate these one-way rose relationships. Space for roses is at a premium in our yard and about the only way we can justify buying new roses is to evict any free loaders. Use this time to begin thinking about replacing some of the under achievers. The photos will help, especially when you have the opportunity to participate in upcoming NRS rose sales. Order forms for the fortuniana rose sale will be here next month and the bare root rose sale begins next February.
Photo courtesy of Missy_gardenwhimsy
Photo courtesy of Rosegathering.com
from the ground up “Dear Diary” Dear Diary, Are you as sick of tomatoes and cucumbers as I am? Well, ring the bells! Summer’s officially over. Everything’s dying of thirst anyway, so bring on the frost. I hate my summer clothes, including the most unfortunate rubber clog-thingys with holes in the tops, lurking in the closet. They seemed like such a good idea at the time, comfy and all, but the reality is they are horrible and these “shoes” must go--I’m not even recycling them, for fear some sap decides to adopt them. They are hereby banished to The Land of Bad Fashion, along with girdles, his & her matching pajamas, bouffant hairdos, pancake makeup and Mom jeans (sorry, Mom). The garden chores piled up all summer, and now I’m all in a rush to finish them. This summer we tackled the Big Kitchen Renovation (which is STILL not finished). The garden suffered greatly for it, though the marriage survived. At one point, I was reduced to foraging food out of the refrigerator on the back deck, and washing the dishes in the bathtub, a very humbling exercise. Still, we celebrated our 20th year of wedded bliss in the middle of construction dust.
Every year I come up with a new excuse to avoid summer gardening, and the Big Kitchen Renovation is a perfectly valid reason. But predictably, the continual hot/ damp/dry/hot/damp/dry/hot/damp/dry cycles brought an explosive display of blackand-yellow-bespotted leaves that would be an embarrassment to the entire rose community.
by: leann barron
At least, I have the dubious honor of having more blackspot than anyone else in the world. The sheer amount of blackspot is truly dizzying. But Diary, you KNOW that is NOT the reason I didn’t enter roses in the last month’s rose Grand Prix, though I’m SURE that “you-know-who” thinks so. By the way, I gave the “organic” no-spray theory another whirl this year, and I’ve finally reduced my thinking to two factoids: a) It IS my sincere desire to avoid adding more chemicals to the soil and water table. b) I resent spraying. I can’t find the joy in spritzing expensive chemicals with skulls & crossbones on the labels all over the roses I love to sniff. Now, Diary, I do admit to feeling some guilt about buying expensive rose bushes, then allowing dread diseases to manifest. It’s akin to refusing to get Fido vaccinated. Then a mad skunk shows up out of nowhere and sinks its miserable teeth into Fido. Two days later, Fido’s foaming at the mouth. Three days later, it’s lights out for Fido. Guilt. Worse, I will be ashamed when the perennial plant society people come around for the fall garden tour, as I slink around the visitors with my tail between my legs. There’s really no creative way to lie to fellow gardeners, saying the black polka-dotted foliage on the rose is a fabulous new variegated cultivar. Despite speaking with authority and throwing around botanical names, even novices aren’t that stupid. Eeek. In this climate, there’s really no way to avoid spraying for blackspot prevention and eradication, and I will arm-wrestle anyone who argues otherwise. That does NOT mean that I will consistently spray, however, and consistency is key. But someone once said that “...consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...” uh, okay, maybe that’s not the exact phrase but it’s something like that.
such flocks of them before. I attribute it to planting tons of salvias this spring. And it was well worth the effort of keeping the nectar fresh by changing it every other day. But two fighting hummers smacked right into the new plate-glass window, before I could put up warning decals. Unfortunately, one hummer was a window-crashing casualty, but the other miraculously resurrected from the dead, right in my hands. I named the little bird Lazarus, but though a bit wobbly on takeoff, he flew away before I could convince him of the joys of a Tennessee winter. I wish everyone could experience the awe-inspiring feeling of holding a hummingbird. Anyway, Old Man Winter’s coming, and I’m ready for beef stew, football games, playing with my Chia Pets® and plant catalogs. Heck, I might even take up that old needlepoint project again this year. And Santa, if you’re reading my diary, there’s plenty of room in my stocking for another Chia Pet®.
On second thought, Fido’s untimely death would be worse, but you know, sometimes I feel badly about things. Like when I don’t write in Dear Diary for a year. The only thing I’ll miss about this summer are the hordes of hummingbirds (that are still swarming outside). We’ve never had 5 NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, OCTOBER 2010
Our Chihuly Night By: Starla Harding If anyone asked me to picture glass in a garden even a year ago, the picture in my head would not have yielded a pretty sight. I am simply too practical (and perhaps clumsy) to envision a peaceful co-existence of the two. Enter Dale Chihuly, whose courage never fails in exploring the endless possibilities of one specific medium…. glass, which he exhibits as flawlessly in a garden as would Mother Nature herself, had she thought of it first. I saw this masterful artist’s work for the first time in photographs. Photography is peculiar in that, while it can often be manipulated to improve the appearance of some subjects, there are other instances where it is an inferior substitute for what the human eye can capture. There is no substitute for the human eye’s vision of Dale Chihuly’s latest exhibit at Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Art Museum entitled “Chihuly Nights.” Jim and I arrived at this magnificent exhibition of glass artistry just as the sun began to set. The beauty of a sunset stands on its own. My breath has been taken away by more than one of these great day’s end, but this particular sunset memory was one of my most unique and, therefore, among my favorites. This sunset’s curtain call bowed directly towards the carefully constructed colored glasswork of Chihuly as if the ensuing light show was its final encore. I was certain Mr. Chihuly had simply waved a wand, turning the home of our rose meetings, the already beautiful Cheekwood, into an enchanted forest. My soul was silenced and, so too, believe it or not, was my speech. Although the sun had now set, it was still unseasonably hot and humid. The crowds
Blue Fiddleheads and Neodymium Reeds, 2010
Sunset Boat, 2010 gathered in line for tickets, chattering loudly with anticipation, but then an odd transformation occurred as they made their way outdoors. The magic of Chihuly’s glassworks seemed to hypnotize the audience into the kind of quiet that is typically reserved for indoor, roped-off, heavily secured museums. Dale Chihuly takes the concept of integrating art into natural environments to new and creative heights. I can only imagine that if Monet, himself, were alive today, he would be drawn to capture the Chihuly Landscape on canvas. Each display is a contrast of vibrant color with its organic setting, and even though the contrast between nature and glass defies reality, each glasswork finds a harmony with its environment, as if it had naturally grown there. You must now remember that Jim and I approach art from two very different perspectives. Design was and is his successful field of study as well as his subsequent profession, while art was my impossible dream. Jim appreciates art with the insight of a person who studies and successfully creates art while I remain in childlike wonder of those who can and do. At the “Chihuly Nights” exhibit, I watched Jim study the medium, the structure, the choice of placement, the interaction of color, and a host of many other facets that only an artist would consider. I, on the other hand, cracked a goofy smile and recalled the childhood memory of my first Christmas tree sighting, once again believing in magic. Despite our respective viewpoints, we were both very moved by this extraordinary exhibit. In Dale Chihuly’s garden, the co-existence of glass and garden is not only peaceful, it is poetic. Jim believes the true
hallmark of a great artist is the ability to evoke emotions within diverse audiences. He often speaks of Monet and VanGogh’s timeless abilities to rouse the senses. Dale Chihuly can certainly be counted among the masters that stir the emotions of onlookers who have little else in common. You would be hard pressed to find a more diverse “artistic” pairing than Jim and I, yet we both left this exhibit feeling inspired. I share our artistic diversity so that all of you will be encouraged to experience this exhibit irrespective of your artistic background. The spectrum of those who can appreciate its beauty is as vast as the spectrum of colors from which the artist himself draws. The Chihuly Nights exhibit at Cheekwood will be on display until October 31, 2010. Our Chihuly Night resulted in a new appreciation and memory of the rose that bears the artist’s name. We cannot urge you enough to make your night a Chihuly Night.
Niijima Floats, 2010
Photos courtesy of Parks Anderson
NRS 2010 Grand Prix II Award Winners By Dillard Lester In the Horticulture Division winners were Lyle and Ruby Worsham in the Advanced Exhibitor section, Jim and Starla Harding in the Intermediate Exhibitor section and Gene Meyer in the Novice Exhibitor section. Gene Meyer won Queen of Show with Gemini and won King of Show with Lyda Rose. Marty Reich won Princess of Show with Rosarium Uetersen. Lyle and Ruby Worsham won the added award of Prince of Show with Louise Estes. The best of class winners were as follows: Class 1 (One bloom at the most perfect stage) Lyle and Ruby Worsham won in the Advanced section with Louise Estes, Jim and Starla Harding in the Intermediate section won with Just Joey and Gene Meyer won in the Novice section with Gemini.
Points from the July and September Grand Prix will be totaled and awards presented to the winners at the December Banquet. There will be an Advanced, Immediate, and Novice award in the Horticulture Division and an award for the most points earned in the Arrangements Division. This Grand Prix had 5 first time Novice Exhibitors - Gene Meyer, Martha Jeffery, Lee Jeffery, Cynthia Kwarz, and Lois Sloan. As a group they won 10 first place awards and Queen and King of Show! They are now definitely ready to enter roses in the Nashville Rose Society Show in October. I want to thank Wayne Metcalf for helping with set-up, Connie Baird for judging, Lori Emery for clerking, Ray Hunter for helping in the Grooming Room, and everyone who entered roses.
Queen of Show - Gemini Gene Meyer
Class 2 (One Spray) Denise Thorne won in the Novice section with Cherry Parfait. Class 3 (Open bloom roses) Doyle Clark won in the Advanced section with Autumn Splendor, Jim and Starla Harding won in the Intermediate section with Double Delight and Gene Meyer won in the Novice section with Color Magic. Class 4 ( Bloom or spray of old garden rose, shrub or climber) Doyle Clark won in the Advanced section with Autumn Splendor and Gene Meyer won in the Novice section with Lyda Rose. Class 5 ( One bloom of a miniature) Doyle Clark won in the Advanced section with Autumn Splendor and Gene Meyer won in the Novice section also with Michel Cholet.
Gene Meyer entries in the Novice class wins both Queen Marty Reich won Princess of Show with Rosarium Uetersen
Class 6 (Spray of Miniature or Mini-Flora) Denise Thorne won in the Novice section with Memphis King. Class 7 (Bloom floating in a bowl of water) Marty Reich won in the Advanced section with Crescendo. Jim and Starla in the Intermediate section won with Whirlaway, and Lee Jeffery won in the Novice section with Veterans’ Honor. In the Arrangements Division Denise Thorne won 5 first place awards and was awarded the Best Arrangement of Show with Memphis King.
The Novice table was full of entries!
Best arrangement of Show Memphis King by Denise Thorne
HYBRID PERPETUALS By: Kathy Brennan, ARS Consulting Rosarian & President of the Tennessee Rose Society
Omar Khayyam - 11th century Persian poet The class of Hybrid Perpetual roses was recognized around 1820 and reigned supreme from 1860 to 1890. They were first hybridized with Bourbons, Portlands and Gallica roses crossed with the Damask Perpetual roses. But when Bourbons were later crossed with China and Tea roses they were more successful as far as repeat blooming and height, growing to 6’tall. These roses had large, cupped flowers with a pleasing fragrance. As many were cultivated only the best survived leaving a small number from which to choose when filling out your garden. Hybrid Perpetuals need more water and fertilizer than our Modern bushes do and they are limited in color range, white, pink and crimson. There are no true yellows or oranges in this class. One will see a difference in canes, foliage, flower and habit in this class from one rose to another; because of the many varieties used in their hybridizing. Even though they are cold hardy, they also do well in the south. Not only do they add beauty to your garden with their flowers, but they also make healthy, shapely shrubs, adding style and grace to your garden. H. P.’s are prone to fungal diseases when temperatures are high making the garden hot. A very good spray routine will be needed when growing these roses. We prune Hybrid Perpetuals in early spring the same as we do Hybrid teas; otherwise they become lanky and blooming is reduced. If one is looking for a group of roses with strong fragrance, one needs to look no farther than the H. P.’s for they all have a wonderful fragrance.
of the roses to encourage flowers along the entire length of the stem. At their best these flowers are among the most spectacular of all roses, blooming heavily in spring and again in fall with a trickling of flowers in between. Because of the above observation the Victorians began exhibiting this rose with much success. As the H. P.’s popularity grew and exhibiting at rose shows and competing became the fashion, so did the desire to refine the form from a rather muddled or quartered look to a more defined full-flowered high centered bloom. Breeders were trying to breed a different Hybrid Perpetual rose that would exhibit a shapely blossom to win at shows. Wanting more than just a garden rose, hybridizer Henry Bennett used the Tea rose at this time to develop a new kind of rose. Using this method, he birthed “The Hybrid of the Tea Rose”. And so, soon forgotten Hybrid Perpetuals were overshadowed by the more superior “Hybrid Tea”.
Reine des Violettes
Photo courtesy of Missy_gardenwhimsy
“Yet, ah, that spring should vanish with the rose! That youth’s sweet-scented manuscript should close!”
In my garden, I have four H. P.’s; Mrs. John Laing, American Beauty, Reine des Violettes and Mme de la Roche-Lambert. Don’t you just love the names of OGR’s? Sometimes I buy the rose just for the name.
Perhaps the most common of Hybrid Perpetuals is Baronne Prevost, a medium pink Our beloved Victorian gardens were dotted and the most disease resistant of all H. P.’s in with the ever popular H. P.’s. During this humid southeast. Its blossoms are pink roera, lady gardeners made sure they had four settes with a button eye at the center. Bloomplants in their garden, Ladies Mantel, Del- ing time is prolifically heavy in late spring, phiniums, Clematises and Hybrid Perpetual then sporadically throughout the summer roses all enclosed with beautiful wrought- and again heavy repeat bloom in fall. This iron fences. In these gardens it became com- is a tough shrub that works well in a mixed mon practice to “peg down” the lanky stems flower bed or as a stand alone shrub. NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, OCTOBER 2010 8
Baronne Prevost I plan to incorporate more Hybrid Perpetuals into my crazy scheme of a rose garden. I am about to run out of room, but will find space for one more General Jacqueminot, the honored flower of my sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi. This rose, being a medium red, is said by noted rosarians to be one of the all time great studs of the rose world. Just about every red rose can be traced back to “General Jack”.
General Jacqueminot
If you should perhaps travel to London England, visit the home of “The Royal National Rose Society”, Bone Hill. It is situated in the country on 12 acres featuring 30,000 roses of all varieties including a large area of Hybrid Perpetuals located in the main Display Gardens. You can buy Hybrid Perpetuals from Pickering Nurseries in Canada. On their website www.pickeringnurseries.com you will find a large selection of H. P.’s. Tune in next month to learn more about the hybrid perpetual Mrs. John Laing.
Suspended Animation By Charles Lott Beautiful roses groomed to perfection and at erect attention first before judges and then for public enjoyment are the essence of ARS rose shows. No one enjoys viewing these breath taking specimens more than me, but I have never felt the call to be an exhibitor. So it is with trepidation that I, a non-exhibitor, write this article on a topic that will be of most interest to those who enter rose shows to win awards So with that disclaimer let me introduce you to a technique for preserving roses for up to ten days. Although I do not exhibit, as a scientist I am intrigued by new inventions and unusual techniques. When Ann and I attended the 2005 ARS National Convention and Rose Show in Shreveport, Louisiana, the Queen of Show was a stunning Louise Estes, by Eric Yount of Florida. So when a friend told me that this vibrantly beautiful rose had been cut about ten days prior and transported to the show by a technique this person called “dry wrapping,” I was more than a little curious to know how this was accomplished. I called Eric Yount at his home in Florida and he was gracious enough to share this rose preservation system which he prefers to call “Suspended Animation.” The following is the description just as Eric gave it to me: You should cut the rose a little tight. Then condition the entire stem in Chrysal #1 Professional Hydrating Solution, which aids in keeping the vascular system in the stem open. Keep the rose in the solution for three to four hours. Upon removing the stem from the solution, seal the cut end with paraffin wax and place the stem in a 4 inch PVC thin wall pipe with plastic wrap on both ends. Seal it tightly as you do not want the rose to dry out. Then place the tube in your cooler. The day before the show take the roses out of the cooler, recut the stems under water removing the paraffin wax, and then recondition the stems with Chrysal once again. After that treat it like a normal rose. I tried Eric’s procedure on a Louise Estes from my own garden, and left it in the cooler for ten days. Although it probably would not have won Queen, I was im-
A Luminescent Beauty Chihuly
pressed with how well it looked. So the next time you have a beautiful rose, but the show is a week or more in the future, why not give “Suspended Animation” a try?
(cont’d from page 1)
Editor’s note: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared in the July 2005 Nashville Rose Leaf
several new rose introductions in need of a name were submitted for review but were rejected.
NRS News October NRS Meeting at Cheekwood 7:00 pm - AARS Film ‘Love at First Sight: America’s Affair With The Rose” Following the weekend at the NRS Rose Show on October 2-3 we will be treated to popcorn and a movie at our monthly rose meeting on Tuesday October 5th. The movie is being shared courtesy of Jeff and Jennifer Harvey. Love at First Sight looks at our national flower through the eyes of the world’s top breeders and the All-America Rose Selections™ (AARS™), a non-profit organization devoted to roses. The film reveals the secrets behind the blooms, and the painstaking work that goes into creating a plant that will flourish in today’s low maintenance gardens. You will meet the hybridizers behind the next generation of roses, learn what it takes to win the toughest plant trial on earth, and marvel at the escape of a rose named ‘Peace’ from war torn France. “There are remarkable stories of creativity, passion and survival behind American roses,” noted Steve Hutton, board president of All-America Rose Selections. “Not many people realize that a fine wine is grown, bottled, aged and consumed in the time it takes for a AARS winning rose to come to market. This film educates and entertains; and we hope that it gives people new interest and appreciation for roses.”
Later, after a photo shoot of a new, un-named rose, Tom’s assistant was cleaning up and, in so doing, made a bouquet from the leftover roses. The inspirational connection happened when the bouquet was placed on Tom’s desk, right next to, as fate would have it, a 2002 Chihuly desk calendar. The eye catching color combined with the ever changing hues of the rose in the bouquet was a perfect match with the calendar cover. This rose had it all! Just like the glass of the artist for which it is so aptly named, no two roses are exactly alike. Outside in the garden when the sun hits the opening petals, they blush from subtly-striped apricot yellow to dazzling orange & deep red... producing a remarkable display against the deep dark green leaves & mahogany-red growth. This rose easily won the approval of Dale Chihuly to bear his name. Since being introduced in 2004 the ‘Chihuly’ rose has been a great rose for Weeks. With a medium, bushy habit, each one of the 25 to 30 petals work together to create a dazzling show in each and every bloom. The ‘Chihuly’ rose can really put on a show and is the exact reason why it was one of Starla’s top picks in her original six roses in 2006. At the time they were “her” roses but thanks to beautiful rose creations such as ‘Chihuly’ my conversion to loving roses along with my wife did not take long. If ever a rose could be said to exhibit glass-like qualities, this luminescent beauty is surely the rose. Thank you Dale Chihuly for creating beautiful objects of art, and thank you Tom Carruth for creating a rose that captures the imagery associated with his great work.
This is an interesting look into the world of roses that everyone should enjoy. 9
NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, OCTOBER 2010
THE SUMMER OF 2010 By: Ted Mills, Master Rosarian and Judge spray material is noticed pooling at the end of leaves, shake the bush with a watering wand to lessen the chance for spray burn.
Rarely has there been a summer that will compare with 2010 heat-wise. After a few periods of spring rains, summer came in quite normal. Most everyone welcomed the sunshine and warmth. But once ole sol began to warm the earth, the thermometer rose with every passing day. The high 90 temperatures seemed to be here to stay. One glance at the surrounding trees signaled that something unnatural was about to happen. The tree leaves lost their vibrancy. The lawns suffered. Even the local golf courses cried out for cooler weather. There was no let-up in sight as RoseDoc’s rose garden took a blow, that for 30 years, had not happened. Rose petals fell to earth before the roses had a chance to develop normally. A number of phone calls and e-mails from puzzled rosarians proved that the situation was widespread. In spite of the damage wrought, it was no time to wring hands in despair. Rosarians must step up to the plate and relieve the situation. Prized rose bushes needed help and the dedicated rose grower sprang into action. Keeping rose bushes hydrated was the first call of action. Not only irrigated at the root system, but cooling the foliage regularly with a sprinkling of cold water was a must. With 90 degrees plus temperatures prevalent, it was no time to dismiss irrigation. Sprinkling more than once per day was often the call.
There is a folly existing relative to sprinkling water on rose bushes. Some say it will lead to blackspot invasion as the spores thrive in wet conditions. This is simply not true if proper spraying on a timely basis is performed. Haphazard spraying leaves the bush unprotected. Do not allow this blackspot fear to cancel the more important act of hydration, particularly in hot and dry periods. Protect the bush with regular hydration and spraying and cease to worry about blackspot Day after day this past summer the scourge of excessive heat damaged the roses. Even the sage rosarians commented adversely about the climatic conditions. However, most were optimistic that the roses would not expire. They knew that the rose is a tough plant and can endure a tremendous amount of pressure. This known fact is validated by the many rose bushes that grow on fence rows along the countryside with little or no care. Let’s review the adverse things that were caused by the constant heat. Many bushes sported leaves that had little or no substance. This limp foliage proved that the high temperatures were taking a toll on the plants. Today’s e-mail contained a message to RoseDoc, that in Florida, the situation has been frightful. Nevertheless, the society members look forward to an improved fall bloom cycle. That’s dedication flavored with optimism.
Every rosarian knows that blackspot is the most feared disease confronting rose bushes. However, the scourge of insects increases during hot weather, spelling added trouble for the rosarian. Spider mites, although not classified as insects, cause more damage to Spraying the roses took second place when roses than any other garden pest. These tiny compared to the need for water. Spray burn creatures multiply swiftly. The voracious enters the scenario when elevated tempera- hordes do much damage during elevated tures over 90 degrees is being endured. It temperatures. Preventively spray for mites, has been RoseDoc’s policy to reduce the as these pests will surely appear. Control dosage of chemicals in half during heated of them is best done with tested miticides. periods. A light spraying (not drenching) However a simple method of control inwill suffice until the cooler periods arrive. If volves spraying with a steady stream of waNASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, OCTOBER 2010 10
ter. At least three generous applications of water to the underside of rose leaves weekly will generally keep the mites at bay. Use a mite buster as it provides jet streams that wash the mites off well. This handy tool can be purchased from our fine rosarian friends at Rosemania or Kimbrew/ Walter. To be sure, the summer of 2010 has been like no other in the recent past. Resolve to cope with the heated condition with fervor and determination not to allow it to destroy your love for the rose. It just may be that global warming, though debatable, may be here at last. Floods will come, hurricanes will surely return, and hot days are ahead also. Just battle the forces of nature with a resolve to protect our cherished hobby. Remember the wise words of General Eisenhower as he prepared the troops for the Normandy invasion. He said to his soldiers: “Remember men, preparedness is half the battle.”
October Rose Tips When selecting roses that are “no spray”, remember that the no spray refers to fungal disease. All roses need protection from the mites that carry rose rosette disease. Floramite is a miticide that kills both eggs and adults. Even though it’s expensive, it can be shared, and it will always be less expensive than replacing roses that have been infected with rose rosette disease. — Anne Owen, ARS Master Rosarian One of the chief membership goals of ARS is to convert non-ARS members of local rose societies to join the parent body. The recent introduction of the 4 month for $10 trial offer is great but needs a push nationwide. Local societies could insert an incentive measure to the program through its mini-rose shows. Perhaps as many as 5 trial ARS memberships could be awarded the monthly mini show winners. This would provide recognition, swell the ranks of ARS members, and gain exhibitors at a time when some societies are dismissing rose shows. All at a very small price to pay. — Ted Mills, ARS Master Rosarian
A Rose Lover’s Calendar
NRS, Tenarky, & ARS Coming Events OCTOBER 2-3
NRS Rose Show - Cheekwood
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NRS Meeting at Cheekwood - 6:30 PM - Refreshments 7:00 PM - AARS Film “Love at First Sight: America’s Affair With The Rose”
Welcome New Member
Shelly Thwaits 33 Governor’s Way
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ARS Fall National Conference & Rose Show - Atlanta, GA Bobbie Reed 770-979-4237 berdks@mindspring.com
Brentwood, TN 37027
NOVEMBER 2
NRS Meeting at Cheekwood - 6:30 PM - Refreshments 7:00 PM - Winterization - Lyle Worsham & Doyle Clark + Chili Cook-off DECEMBER
Take time to introduce yourself to a new member and then each of you will have a new rose friend!
Nashville Rose Society annual Christmas Party & Awards Banquet
ARS Consulting Rosarians Details & other event news available at
www.nashvillerosesociety.com
Nashville Rose Leaf is printed by: The Print Authority Brentwood, Tennessee
Contributions 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 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
Nashville Rose Society 2010 Officers President Larry Baird................(931) 729-5259 Vice-Pres Ron Daniels...............(615) 330-7083 Treasurer Susan Sinclair............(615) 386-3818 Rec. S’ty Hayes Gibson ...........(615) 794-1708 Cor. S’ty Cynthia Worch ..........(931) 723-2142 Previous Pres. Sandra Frank..... .(615) 383-058
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.
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South Nashville Leann Barron ....................(615) 269-0240 *Marty Reich ....................(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 Duck River-Centerville Area *Larry & Connie Baird .....(931) 729-5259 Manchester Area Cindy Worch .....................(931) 723-2142 *Indicates ARS Master Rosarian NASHVILLE ROSE LEAF, OCTOBER 2010
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID BRENTWOOD, TN PERMIT NO. 162
5020 Dovecote Drive Nashville, TN 37220-1614 Address Service Requested
www.nashvillerosesociety.com
Arrangement Day By: Larry Baird
The long awaited Arrangement Day finally arrived at Cheekwood on September llth. We had 17 registered attendees and everyone seemed to have a great time learning a lot about arranging roses. Award winning arrangers Connie Baird and Sara Jo Gill presented a lot of material in an easy to follow and fun to learn manner; all the way from the principles and elements of design to what judges in an ARS rose show are looking for. After lunch, everyone had a great time putting into practice what
they had learned in the morning. At the end of Arrangement Day there was a shelf full of very pleasing and skillful designs. The Nashville Rose show was mentioned many times throughout the day and we expect great participation from the Arrangement Day attendees to show off what they learned. But you do not have to have attended the workshop to enter a design in the show, just check the schedule, decide what classes you want to enter and call Sara Jo Gill to make reservations.
Left Photo - Sara Jo Gill shares her arranging tips with Linda Correll (seated).
Right Photo Ann Jacobs gets a helping hand from Connie Baird with her arrangement.
Photos courtesy of Bob Jacobs
Proud teachers Connie Baird (left) and Sara Jo Gill (right) pause to admire the shelves of successful designs