The Annual General Meeting of the Heritage Rose Foundation will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2009, at the Antique Rose Emporium in Independence, Texas, (Brenham).  Please plan to attend this meeting (which is open to members and non-members alike) to hear the news of HRF’s past year and future plans.  Exciting things are afoot in the Heritage Rose Foundation—you want to hear about this!  (We regret that we do not have the exact time of the meeting, which will be sandwiched between Fall Festival events.  If you would like to have this information, check later in October with Betty Vickers, vickers.b@sbcglobal.net.)

            We would like to extend our thanks to Mike and Jean Shoup for once again inviting us to have our meeting at the Antique Rose Emporium.  We are very fortunate to be able to meet during an interlude between events at their fabulous Fall Festival, which will have begun on Friday, November 6, and will continue through Sunday, November 8.  (If it is possible for you to do so, plan to attend all three days of the Festival – it is worth a trip from wherever you are!)

            Friday’s Fall Festival events begin at 10:30 a.m. and include talks by Glenn Schroeter, Heidi Sheesley, and Jim Johnson.  Saturday’s lineup begins at 10:00 a.m. and will present David Will, Fabien Ducher, Stephen Scanniello, and Claude Graves.  Sunday’s talks begin at 10:00, featuring Robbi Will, Judy Barrett, and Andy Chidester.

The Heritage Rose Foundation, the Manhattan Rose Society, and the Horticultural Society of New York (HSNY) will host a reception at which Fabien Ducher will speak on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. at the headquarters of HSNY at 148 W. 37th Street, New York, NY 10018.  Wine and cheese will be served.  There is no admission charge for members of any one of the three hosting organizations; visitors and/or guests will be required to purchase a $10 ticket.

Fabien’s visit presents an unparalleled opportunity for East Coast members to meet this most interesting rosarian.

      If you plan to attend, please advise the Horticultural Society at 212-757-0915 .

      As a special treat (if this were in Louisiana, we would call it “lagniappe!”) the 12th Annual International Juried Botanical Art Exhibition, sponsored by the American Society of Botanical Artists and HSNY, will still be hanging during this reception.  (It continues until November 24.)

It is said, “Sometimes it takes a village.”  It might also be said that sometimes it takes two Societies, one for the old and one for the new.  Except that if you have Marilyn Wellan at the helm, all bases are covered.  Here is a Rose Festival that brings all of our worlds together, and most beautifully.

A local chapter of the American Rose Society has taken an annual District Rose Show and Convention and turned it into a ROSE FESTIVAL.  The Central Louisiana Rose Society of Alexandria, Louisiana, is hosting “A HARVEST OF ROSES, the ARS Gulf District Fall Rose Show & Festival, Celebrating the Culture and Heritage of the Rose."

The event will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2009, on the grounds of Kent Plantation House, a local historic site with original home (circa 1795-1855), and numerous outbuildings.  The Harvest event will feature Kent House home and grounds tours, an exhibit of rose blooms, including eight classes for Heritage Roses and Shrubs and one class just for fragrance, and the "Harvest Collection" where shrub roses will likely dominate.  Artistic designs using roses, a rose photography exhibit, and modern roses will round out the rose exhibit.  Vendors will offer rose bushes, rose products, books, bulbs and perennials.  Also offered will be fabulous garden decor including wrought iron pillars, pottery, birdhouses and gourds.  And remember, this is Louisiana – there will also be Food!

The local County Agent will be on hand to meet the public's questions on gardening with roses and rose companions.  Speakers include HRF members Peggy Martin, who will speak on the rose that survived Katrina and other "heroic roses,” and Claude Graves, who will speak on selecting and growing easy roses.

A pre-Harvest dinner and garden party will be held on Friday evening at the home and garden of Marilyn Wellan.  Contact Marilyn for more information and registration forms.  roseusa@suddenlink.net

New York City is about to make rose history
OCTOBER 24, 2009

See the review here!

The first roses of the newly established New York City Historic Rose District will be planted on October 24, 2009.  This groundbreaking project is a joint effort of the Heritage Rose Foundation and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.

The area chosen for this undertaking includes the neighborhoods of Harlem and Washington Heights.  During the 19^th century, this densely populated section of upper Manhattan was home to wealthy landowners who had glorious rose gardens.  On the 24^th we will be planting roses that grew in these gardens.

Community groups, historical societies, and cultural institutions have enthusiastically embraced this project.  Over thirty different sites are under consideration for homes of over a hundred donated heritage roses.  Included will be many of the Bermuda Mystery Roses, all of the found musk roses, ‘Souvenir de la Malmaison’, ‘Mme. Boll’, and the ‘Green Rose’.

Some of the noteworthy sites to be planted are Trinity Church Cemetery (final resting place of George F. Harison and Daniel Boll), Audubon Park Historic District (the former site of John J. Audubon’s estate), and the Morris-Jumel Mansion (the oldest house in New York City).

Details, including a map of all the planting sites, will soon be posted on our website.  Come on out on the 24^th and support this wonderful event.

Let’s start planting!

            —  Stephen Scanniello