The Nashville Rose Society serves all of Middle Tennessee by sharing knowledge and information about our national flower, the rose.
The show was one of the most successful Annual Rose Shows in recent memory and, according to some members who have exhibited at NRS Rose Shows for 20+ years, perhaps ever! We had 35 exhibitors in total, including a few new exhibitors from as far away as Montgomery, AL.
Continue reading “2019 NRS Rose Show Results – And the winners are…”
As the weather cools, what does a rose garden need to thrive? Led by members of the Nashville Rose Society, this workshop will cover fall activities like fertilizing, spraying, watering, deadheading, and winterizing roses. Participants will leave with their own bouquet of roses from the Rose Study Garden.
There is no cost for the workshop, but advanced registration is required. Stay tuned for ticket information.
NRS Member Marty Reich gave a rose talk to the Spring Hill Garden Club in Spring Hill, Tennessee. The following is the coverage by the by the local paper, The Advertiser News:
By Susan Lobo
The Advertiser News, August 28 – September 3, 2019
Straight from Romeo, “… a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” Shakespeare wrote.
The secret to growing roses? Location, location, location! says our garden guest, Marty Reich, Membership Chairman and newsletter editor of the Nashville Rose Society.
Finding the perfect location to plant your roses is in the east so that the sun dries the dew. Roses need six to eight hours of sunshine a day, as they can’t grow in the shade. Second in importance is watering.
“Roses like two to three gallons of water a week. More when very hot. You want to water. I’m going to say that about fourteen million times,” Reich said.
Soil, too, is important. She replaces the clay in her garden with a special mix of 1/3 organic peat, 1/3 sand, 1/3 native soil. Dig a deep hole, then make a little mound at the bottom, spread the roots over it, and fill with your special soil mix.
“Roses like to eat. Organics are great. I recommend Mills Mix which is a combination of blood meal, bone meal and alfalfa. I can’t say enough good things about Mills Mix and it’s reasonably priced”, she said.
Reich recommends mulching with pinestraw which keeps moisture even, deters weeds well, and eventually breaks down nicely. If you have pine trees the price is definitely right. Free.
She invites a visit to the Nashville Society’s website for the Ten Steps to Growing Good Roses:
“Gemini” is Marty’s favorite rose. For rosy scent she suggests “Fragrant Plum” and “Wild Blue Yonder”. She has eighty-three roses of her very own. The Nashville Rose Society cares for twin rose gardens at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.
Membership in the Nashville Rose Society is $20 a year, which includes a complimentary rose and four months membership in the American Rose Society.
Check the website for more information nashvillerosesociety.org.
Beyond landscaping and flowering beauty, the rose possesses medicinal benefits.
“Providing us with the most beautiful herbal remedies,” Stowe shared. “Throughout the history of herbal medicine roses have held a prized place in the herbalist’s matria medica, and have been used to prevent infections, relieve headaches, lower fevers, support the immune system, heal injuries, reduce inflammation, and beautify the skin. Of course, the heavenly scent of rose has long been sought for its ability to lift spirits and heal the heart.”
Roses offer culinary gifts as well, from sweet to tart:
Rose Lavender Vinegar
Gather fresh rose petals just after the dew has dried but before mid-day to capture the maximum healing benefits. Fill a jar with fresh rose petals, add the lavender, cover with apple cider vinegar. Store in a cool, dark place. Shake daily for 4 to 6 weeks. Once steeped, strain the rose petals and use to make delicious salad dressings. (This works as a gently astringent face toner, too!)
One last bit of advice, in all you do, take time to smell the roses!
Note! The October meeting will be held at Belmont from 2:00pm – 4:00pm
The October meeting of the Nashville Rose Society will be held at the Frist Lecture Hall at Belmont University, 1515 Wedgewood Ave, Nashville, TN 37212, just off Wedgewood Avenue. The Frist Lecture Hall is on the fourth floor in the Inman Center, which is Building #6 on the Belmont campus map. Please note! the meeting will be held 2:00pm – 4:00pm. See below for parking directions.
NRS is honored to have as its speaker Dr. Jim Hering, President Emeritus of the American Rose Society and the Great Garden Restoration Project Fund Raising Chairman. He will be speaking on the Great Garden Restoration Project of the American Rose Center in Shreveport, Louisiana – the current status of the Restoration Project, as well as the future work to be completed.
Jim and his wife of 55 years, Anne Hering, live in Marion, Ohio. They have four sons, nine grandchildren and one great-grandson. Jim retired from thoracic surgery after 31 years.
Jim joined ARS in 1975; he is a Consulting Rosarian and a Horticulture Judge. He has held several offices in both ARS and his local region and district – Buckeye District Director 1988-1994, ARS Vice President 1994-1997, ARS President 1997-2000, Region 4 Director 2009-2015 – and was ARS Gold Medal recipent in 2006.
Currently, Jim is chairman of the ARS Miniature Rose Committee and the Buckeye District Horticulture Judges and Roses in Review.
The Inman Center is the beautiful big center building facing Wedgewood that has the circular drive in front of it. There’s a parking garage underneath the building that you access from Wedgewood Ave. Look for the sign out in front of the Inman Building on Wedgewood Ave, indicating the entrance to the parking garage. Once you turn off of Wedgewood Ave to enter the garage, parking for the Inman Center is on the right and is clearly marked. There are elevators just as you come into the garage with unloading space in front of them. Visitor parking is to the left. Take the elevators to the 4th floor and turn right when you get off. Our meeting room is there. Thanks so much Belmont!
Nashville Rose Society has participated in the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show, Tennessee’s largest and most popular gardening event, for many years. In 2019, rosarians manned our booth at the show from February 28 – March 2. During this time we gave advice on growing and caring for roses, as well as gained new members of the rose society.
In August, 2019, John Wendler, co-president of NRS, received the following letter and a check for $500 from Jack Alexander, Treasurer, Nashville Lawn & Garden Show:
Continue reading “NRS Receives Grant from Nashville Lawn & Garden Show Foundation”