Category: NRS News

2026 Nashville Rose Society Membership Survey

DEADLINE: November 11, 2026 11:59 pm CST

Please participate in the 2026 NRS Membership Survey. If you do not have a link or copy of the survey, check your email from Marty Reich or contact Liz Louie, LLouie.nrs@gmail.com. The survey is available to NRS members only! By completing the survey in full, and submitting it by November 11, 2026, you will be entered into a drawing to win $50 (cash or check).

Every few years, the Nashville Rose Society surveys the membership to better understand their interest and needs.

What would encourage you to attend more meetings?

Our meetings are on the first Sunday or Monday of the month. In the past, we had our meetings at Cheekwood in Massey Hall on Sunday afternoon. For the past 2 years, Cheekwood has moved our meeting day and time to Monday evenings in Massey Hall. A potential meeting location for Sunday afternoons is the Calvary United Methodist Church at 3701 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215. Would you prefer to meet Sunday afternoon (2 – 4 pm) or Monday evening (6:30 – 8:30 pm)?

We are interested to know what types of programs and topics would you would like to see at our monthly meetings.

We are also interested in knowing more about you and how you might like to be involved in the Rose Society.

Please answer all the questions on the survey. Your input is invaluable to us to help make our society works for you and meet your needs. Your personal information will be kept private and not made public.

NOTE: By completing the survey in full, and submitting it by November 11, 2026, you will be entered into a drawing to win $50 (cash or check).

The survey is available to NRS members only!

Dr. Mark Windham – “Holistic Rose Care”

The Medley of Roses – 2026 ARS Convention & Rose Show was honored to have as one of our speakers Dr. Mark Windham. Dr. Windham was a Distinguished Professor of Ornamental Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. For the last 14 years of his career, Mark worked toward developing management plans for Rose Rosette Disease (RRD), studying the virus’s mite vector, and searching for disease resistance. He was part of a multistate team that discovered genes for resistance to RRD in roses.

Most recently, on October 4, 2026, at the Medley Convention he received the 2026 American Rose Society Gold Medal of Honor. His presentation is entitled “Holistic Rose Care”. He graciously shared his presentation with us to post on the website.

A rosarian must be a nutritionist, soil scientist, pathologist, entomologist, and expert of many other professions to successfully grow healthy, vibrant roses. Often actions we take to solve one problem leads to other challenges. In this presentation, he explores a holistic approach to rose care to maximize rose health and vigor without breaking the bank or robbing us of our most valued commodity: time.

Click here for the presentation.

The following are the handouts for Dr. Windham’s presentation:

Rose Diseases

Rethinking Blackspot Management

Rose Garden Oddities

Rose Insect Pests

Rose Rosette Disease

Early Detection of Rose Rosette Disease

Foliar Diseases

Downy Mildew

Rose Diseases: Identification and Management

Diagnosis of Ornamental Plant Diseases

NRS Member Marty Reich receives TENARKY Silver Medal

Marty Reich receives the Silver Medal from Howard Carman, TENARKY District Director
Marty Reich, Nashville Rose Society Master Rosarian, received the Tenarky Silver Medal on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the Medley of Roses – 2026 ARS Convention & Rose Show banquet.

Marty was presented with the Silver Medal, the highest award that can be given by an American Rose Society District, by Howard Carman, the TENARKY District Director. Howard had these kind words to say about Marty as he introduced her.

“Everyone I talked to fully agreed with my choice for this silver medal and I think it is well overdue.

“This individual is one of the mainstays of the Nashville Rose Society and a keeper of the history of the NRS and also, she won her first queen of show a couple of years ago and wins district classes with her roses.

“I was amazed at the efficiency of the work she does with the recording of winners at the TENARKY shows.

“She is currently serving as recording secretary for TENARKY.

“The winner of the 2026 TENARKY silver medal award is Marty Reich.”

2026 Wilson County and Tennessee State Fair Rose Show

Nashville Rose Society Members – Bring your roses to the Fairs!

Both the Wilson County Fair and the Tennessee State Fair will be held in the James E. Ward Agricultural Center, 945 E. Baddour Parkway, Lebanon, TN from Thursday, August 13 through Saturday, August 22, 2026.

For informaiton for competitors, click here.

The Wilson County Rose Show is open to Wilson County Residents, members of the Wilson County Gardeners Guild, members of the Wilson County Master Gardeners, members of a Wilson County FCE Club, or members of the Nashville Rose Society over 18 years old. The Tennessee State Rose Show is open to any Tennessee resident over 18 years old.

Exhibits for both shows must be entered at the Expo Center between 12pm and 4pm on Wednesday, August 12. Anyone in line at 4pm will be allowed to enter their roses. Judging will begin for both the Wilson County and the State Rose Shows once entries are complete. After judging, Tennessee state entries will transferred (by Fair volunteers) to the the Hale Moss building to be displayed for the duration of the fair. Wilson County entries will be displayed at the Expo during the fair. There is no admission charge to enter the Fair Grounds to submit your entries.

Please preregister online before Sunday, August 9, to speed up the entry process – one registration works for both the Wilson County and the State Rose Shows. There is no cost to enter in either show.


Click the following to register and for more information, including the show schedules and the division premiums:

https://www.wilsoncountytnstatefair.com/p/competitions-exhibits/tennessee-state-competitions/state-horticulture-competitions/rose-showcopy1 Tennessee Rose Show

Wilson County Rose Show

We hope to see you at the Fair!

San Diego Rose Symposium

After the 2026 Nashville Convention, don’t miss the

San Diego Rose Symposium:
2027 World Federation of Rose Societies Regional Convention
AND
The 2027 ARS National Convention & Rose Show

combined into one spectacular 5-day Event from April 30 to May 4, 2027.

The Symposium will be the first WFRS Convention to be held in the United States in over 25 years.
Speakers will cover a variety of topics including rose care, hybridizing, garden design to ensure diverse rose culture, the benefits of rose gardening to rose growers and even some rose history and lore. Tom Carruth, Ping Lim, Tyler Francis, Paul Zimmerman, Mike Shoup, Ray Martin and Carrie Bergs will be among the speakers.

To enhance your immersive rose experience, there will be 4 different one-day tours that include gardens and cultural attractions that you can add to your adventure in the San Diego area. And in the WFRS tradition of convention tours, an optional once-in-a-lifetime 8-day Post-Symposium Tour of Southern and Central California gardens and attractions, curated and led by Paul Zimmerman, is also being offered to Symposium registrants.

Go to www.sandiegorosesociety.com/2027 for more information about the Symposium,
hosted by the San Diego Rose Society in celebration of its 100th Anniversary.

Contact & Convention Chair: sandiegorosesociety@gmail.com