2023 Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show Results

Best of Show – Neil Diamond
The 2023 Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show was held on Saturday, October 14, in Massey Auditorium at at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens.

The Show classes included:
Division I – Horticulture
* Section A – Miniature Rose Challenge Classes
* Section B – Miniature Roses – Single Stem
* Section C – Large Rose Challenge Classes
* Section D – Large Rose – Single Stem
Division II – Rose Arrangements
Division III – Rose Photography

Marty Reich with her Best of Show entry, Three Roses – Neil Diamond

Marty Reich, member of the Nashville Rose Society, took away the award for the Best in Show with her entry of three hybrid tea roses Neil Diamond. In addition, Marty won Challenge Class 3 – Three Mini or Miniflora Roses with Mango Blush, Challenge Class 7 – Miniflora in a Bowl with Mango Blush, and Class 15 – English Box with Veterans’ Honor.

Ricky Lockhart, member of the Bowling Green Rose Society, won the most trophies (20), including Queen of Show with Moonstone and King of Show with Ring of Fire. Gene Meyer won Princess of Show with Mohana.

And now for the Courts!

Hybrid Tea or Grandiflora Roses Court

VarietyShown byCertificate
QueenMoonstoneRicky LockhartARS
KingRing of FireRicky LockhartARS
PrincessMohanaGene MeyerARS
Royal CourtLet Freedom RingRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtGeminiRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtDonna’s GraceRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtParis de Yves St. LaurentRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtGirls' Night OutRicky LockhartNRS

Miniature Roses Court

RoseShown ByCertificate
QueenRenegadeGene MeyerARS
KingPink PearlGene MeyerARS
PrincessPerrineRicky LockhartARS
CourtCaptivatingGene MeyerNRS
CourtArcanumRicky LockhartNRS

Miniflora Rose Court

RoseShown byCertificate
QueenFirst ChoiceGene MeyerARS
KingWhirlawayRicky LockhartARS
PrincessGarden QueenRicky LockhartARS
CourtGame ChangerRicky LockhartNRS
CourtWright TouchGene MeyerNRS

Rose Photography

SubjectPhotographerAward(s)
Class 3-One Open Bloom, any type roseAngel FaceRita WebbBest of Class, Gold - Queen
Class 6-Creative InterpretationMixed BouquetNeil RickBest of Class, Bronze - Princess
Class 7- ArrangementJulia ChildLinda BowenBest of Class , Silver - King

Rose Arrangements

SectionClass-TitleRosesShown ByAward
Section ATraditional
Class 2-“Broken Promises”Broken PromisesLanni WebbRoyalty, Bronze
Section BModern
Class 4-“Fried Circuits”Mr. CalebLanni WebbArtist , Silver
Section COriental (East Asian)
Class 5-“Kintsugi”Francis MeillandLori EmeryEast Asian (Oriental)
Section DTable Class
Class 7-“Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk”BeverlyJanie HaganCourt of Etiquette Award
Section ESpecial Classes
Eligible for DuchessClass 10-“Rock Bottom”Easter Basket, TranquilityBarbara TaubeDuchess
Best NoviceClass 11-“Whiplash”Day BreakerLinda BowenNovice, Gold
Section FTraditional
Eligible for Mini Royalty:Class 13-“Cracked Eggs”Perrine, ArcanumLanni WebbMini Royalty, Mini Bronze
Section GModern
Eligible for Mini Artist:Class 15-“Possum on the Half Shell”Memphis KingBarbara TaubeMini Artist, Mini Gold
Eligible for Mini East Asian (Mini Oriental):Class 17-“Springing a Leak”Bridal SunblazeMary Ann HextMini East Asian (Mini Oriental), Silver

For the list of all the winners, click here.

Thanks to our Rose Show Judges!

The American Rose Society judges that give so freely of their time and resources are essential to the success of any rose show. They often travel many miles giving up their weekend time because they love roses, and they appreciate the rosarians and rose societies they serve. The Nashville Rose Society greatly appreciates our 2022 panel of judges.

Horticulture Judges
* Howard Carman – Louisville Rose Society
* Mark Nolen – Indianapolis Rose Society
* Linda Kimmel – Indianapolis Rose Society
* Mike Thompson – Holston Rose Society
* Paula Williams – Louisville Rose Society
* Barbara Taube – Nashville Rose Society

Arrangement Judges
* Barbara McFarland – Huntsville-Twickenham Rose Society
* Glenn Fuqua – Memphis & Dixie Rose Society

Photography Judges
* Paula Williams – Louisville Rose Society
* Linda Kimmel – Indianapolis Rose Society


October 21 – CANCELED – Ron Daniels Fall Open Garden & Book Signing

Please note that the Open Garden that Ron planned to have on October 21 has been canceled.

Ron has over 170 roses of all types and many companion plants in his Gadwall Abbey Garden. Ron’s garden produces many Rose Show winners and has been featured on Talk of the Town.

If you have not seen Ron’s garden, put this event on your calendar!


2023 Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show

Saturday, October 14 – 1 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 15 – 11 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Cheekwood Botanical Estate & Gardens

1200 Forrest Park Drive

Nashville, Tennessee 37205

Rose Study Garden – Photo Courtesy of Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
‘Crescendo’ Best Novice, King, Best in Show, 2022 Tenarky District Show, exhibited by Linda Bowen

The 2023 Nashville Rose Society Annual Show will be held at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens – Massey Auditorium on Saturday, October 14, and Sunday, October 15.

The preparation area will open at 6 a.m. on Saturday. Horticulture entries will be placed on the exhibition tables by show personnel from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Challenge exhibits will be placed by the exhibitor. Judging will begin at 10:30 a.m.

To enter Cheekwood before 9:00 a.m., come through the back gate that is accessed off of Cheek Road, unload at the front or back of Botanic Hall, then park in one of the reserved parking spaces in Parking Lot A.

Click here for a copy of the Rose Show Schedule. Please note the updates made to page 14 (Rules 8, 10, 12) and page 16.

The Rose Show will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 15.

NRS Rose Seminars

On Saturday at 2:30 p.m., Ron Daniels, ARS Master Rosarian and NRS Co-President, will present a free seminar to the public on the “Basics of Growing Roses”.

On Sunday, October 15, from 10 – 12:00 p.m. the Cheekwood Pick Your Own Bouquet Event (registration required) will include “Basics of Arranging” workshop led by Nashville Rose Society member, Bette Fields. This workshop will cover the basics of creating beautiful rose flower arrangements. Participants will leave with their own arrangement of roses from the Rose Study Garden. Ron Daniels will be available during the event to answer any questions about how to grow and care for roses.

Following the seminars on both days Ron will have a “Meet the Author & Book Signing” for his new book Rose Therapy.

We look forward to seeing you at the Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show!


August 17-26, Wilson County and Tennessee State Fair Rose Shows

Bring your roses to the Fairs! Members of the Nashville Rose Society are invited to compete in the Wilson County Rose Show. The State Rose Show is open to all Tennessee Residents 18 years of age and older.

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.

You must register before the entry date – one registration works for both the Wilson County and the State Rose Shows. There is no cost to enter in either show.

Exhibits for both shows must be entered at the Expo Center between 2pm and 6:30pm on Wednesday, August 16. There is no admission charge to enter the Fair Grounds to submit your entries. Once the State Rose Show judging is complete, exhibits will be transferred (by the Fair) to the Made in TN Building where they will be displayed for the duration of the Fair.

Click the following for more information:

We hope to see you at the Fair!


June 2-3 – 2023 Tenarky District Arrangements Workshop

The 2023 Tenarky District Arrangements Workshop will be held on June 2-3, 2023, at the Hampton Inn in Pleasant View, Tennessee.

We are excited to share that our guest instructor will be Gerry Mahoney, president of the Glendale (AZ) Rose Society and Arrangements Chair for the Pacific Northwest District of the American Rose Society.

Registration is $64 per person which includes workshop, supplies, and lunch. If you choose to do lunch on your own, workshop only registration is $50 per person.

We will supply roses, greenery, filler, and additional line and plant material. However, attendees are encouraged to bring things from their gardens as well, either for their own or others use. Attendees should also bring a traditional and modern type container if possible. If you cannot we will have extras. And if you have that gorgeous container that you just can’t figure out what to do with, bring that as well. We will focus on some of those!

Among the topics we will dive into are principals and elements of design, traditional and modern designs, including parallel and stretch modern designs, containers and mechanics. These will be hands on for attendees. We also plan to offer a container swap for those containers that you find you no longer use.

Below is the tentative schedule for the workshop:

Friday, June 2

6:00 (p.m.) Working with ‘challenging’ containers

Saturday, June 3

8:30-Welcome, announcements
9:00-Principals and elements of design
10:00-Containers (focus on traditional vs. modern containers)
10:45-Mechanics of design

12:00-Lunch (on site)

1:00-Traditional designs (hands on)
2:00-Modern designs (hands on)
3:30-Container swap
4:00-Ethics in judging

This event will be at the Hampton Inn, 2606 Highway 49 East, Pleasant View, TN 37146. Phone number 615-894-9910. Special Group Rate is $139 per night – ask for the Tenarky District ARS event (Group code is ARG). This special rate is only offered through May 18.

Click here to download the registration form.