Howard Carman, ARS Tenarky District DirectorOn Sunday, July 12, 2026, our special guest speaker Howard Carman shared his experiences with propagating roses from cuttings, hybridizing, and the journey that turned a hobby into a lifelong passion for roses. Howard is kind enough to share his presentation with us.
Howard has lived in Big Spring, Kentucky his entire life and began growing roses in 1997 after being inspired by the Kentucky State Fair. What started with a few roses quickly turned into a lifelong passion that led him to join both the Louisville Rose Society and the American Rose Society. Over the years, he expanded his garden to more than 200 roses, built a homemade greenhouse, became a horticulture judge in 2004, and today still grows around 125 roses including hybrid teas, floribundas, shrubs, miniatures, and minifloras.
One of Howard’s SeedlingsHoward is a past president and current treasurer of the Louisville Rose Society and currently serves as the Tenarky District Director, beginning his term in 2024. His love of roses has also led him into propagation and hybridizing, with two roses now registered with the ARS — the miniature “Miss Paula,” a sport of Miss Flippins, and the miniflora “Anna Mae,” named in honor of his mother.
NOTE: Date has changed from Monday, August 3, to Monday, August 10.
Dr. Nar RanabhatCome learn about the latest research on Rose Rosette Disease at our August 3 meeting at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. Our speaker will be Dr. Nar Ranabhat, Assistant Professor and Extension Plant Pathologist in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Ranabhat received his Ph.D. from Kansas State University and his M.S. from Montana State University. His research and Extension program focuses on the diagnosis, biology, and management of diseases affecting ornamental nursery crops, landscape plants, and turfgrass.
With more than a decade of experience studying mite-transmitted viruses, Dr. Ranabhat is actively involved in a multi-state collaborative project focused on developing sustainable rose cultivars with resistance to Rose Rosette Disease.
His lab is currently investigating the mechanisms behind virus-rose and mite interactions, while also developing Extension and Outreach programs to increase public awareness of early symptoms of Rose Rosette Disease and strategies for prevention.
Please join us for our August 2026 meeting of the Nashville Rose Society in the Massey Auditorium of Botanic Hall / Visitor Services Building at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. The evening will begin with time to mix and mingle at 6:30 PM, followed by the program at 7:00 PM. Enter Cheekwood through the front gate and park in Parking Lot A.
This will be an informative and timely program for anyone growing roses in the Mid-South. Guests are welcome! Simply tell the gate attendant that you are there for the Nashville Rose Society meeting.
Howard Carman, ARS Tenarky District Director,Join us Sunday, July 12, from 2:00–4:00 PM in the Bradford Room at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens for an afternoon with fellow rose lovers and special guest speaker Howard Carman.
Howard has lived in Big Spring, Kentucky his entire life and began growing roses in 1997 after being inspired by the Kentucky State Fair. What started with a few roses quickly turned into a lifelong passion that led him to join both the Louisville Rose Society and the American Rose Society. Over the years, he expanded his garden to more than 200 roses, built a homemade greenhouse, became a horticulture judge in 2004, and today still grows around 125 roses including hybrid teas, floribundas, shrubs, miniatures, and minifloras.
One of Howard’s SeedlingsHoward is a past president and current treasurer of the Louisville Rose Society and currently serves as the Tenarky District Director, beginning his term in 2024. His love of roses has also led him into propagation and hybridizing, with two roses now registered with the ARS — the miniature “Miss Paula,” a sport of Miss Flippins, and the miniflora “Anna Mae,” named in honor of his mother.
Howard will be sharing his experiences with propagating roses from cuttings, hybridizing, and the journey that turned a hobby into a lifelong passion for roses.
As always, we’ll have time to visit with fellow members and guests before the program begins. Guests are always welcome! Please bring roses from your garden to share!
LOCATION NOTE: This meeting will be held in the Bradford Room at the Cheekwood Estate & Gardens Frist Center, a new meeting location on the Cheekwood campus (not the Massey Center used in previous years).
* Address to enter: Back Gate, 111 Cheek Road, Park in Lot C or D
* Enter 1st Floor of Frist Center from Lot C – Turn left and you will find the elevator.
* Take the elevator to 3rd floor and enter Bradford Room on the Right.
The meetings are free to guests, as is admission to Cheekwood for meetings. Simply tell the gate attendant that you are there for the Nashville Rose Society meeting.
Here’s a little preview of what’s waiting for us at this year’s picnic . . .just look at John Wendler’s roses.
Join us for a relaxed afternoon at John’s beautiful home and garden in Burns. We’ll enjoy garden strolls, great company, and plenty of time to take in the blooms.
We’ll be serving BBQ with drinks provided, so come hungry and ready to linger a while.
Please bring a chair along with an appetizer, salad, or dessert to share.
Address and RSVP details will be sent to members by email.
Spenser Thomas, soil-health focused product manager at Great Big Plants Note meeting location at end of post!
Join the Nashville Rose Society at our May 3, 2026, meeting in the Bradford Room at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens.
Get ready for the Bowling Green Rose Show on Saturday, May 23! Marty Reich, Master Rosarian, will start the meeting with a demonstration of some rose grooming techniques and briefly talk about show schedules and entry tags. Click here to see the schedule for the Celebrate America 250 Bowling Green Rose Society Annual Rose Show.
Next we will see a video that Spenser Thomas has recorded for us on Nashville specific soil health and nutrient management. Spenser is the soil-health focused product manager at Great Big Plants, where he specializes in developing biologically supportive inputs designed to improve plant performance from the soil up. His work centers on compost extracts and soil-based solutions that enhance nutrient efficiency, root development, and overall plant vitality.
Spenser has recorded a Nashville specific soil health and nutrient management presentation that will be shown at the May meeting. Click Nashville Rose Society Great Big Roses & Flowers to view Spenser’s presentation.
With a deep interest in both flowering plants and high-yield vegetable crops, Spenser works to help growers achieve healthier growth and more consistent performance by optimizing the underlying soil system. His approach prioritizes long-term soil health over short-term synthetic feeding, focusing on practical, results-driven outcomes for home gardeners and enthusiasts alike.
Spenser is particularly focused on making soil science more accessible to the public. By helping gardeners understand the complex interactions between biology, organic matter, and minerals, he aims to provide the tools necessary to cultivate stronger, more resilient plants through a “soil-first” philosophy.
LOCATION NOTE: This meeting will be held in the Bradford Room at the Cheekwood Estate & Gardens Frist Center, a new meeting location on the Cheekwood campus (not the Massey Center used in previous years).
* Address to enter: Back Gate, 111 Cheek Road, Park in Lot C or D
* Enter 1st Floor of Frist Center from Lot C – Turn left and you will find the elevator.
* Take the elevator to 3rd floor and enter Bradford Room on the Right.
The meetings are free to guests, as is admission to Cheekwood for meetings. Simply tell the gate attendant that you are there for the Nashville Rose Society meeting.
Here’s a little preview of what’s waiting for us at this year’s picnic . . .just look at John Wendler’s roses.
