June 2017 – President’s Message

By Carol Wong, President

Seeing more roses and arrangements at our May monthly rose show was exciting. Did you see and smell the huge, incredibly fragrant floating “Sterling Silver” winner by Joann Riggs? We also got to see new roses “New Day” and “All My Lovin”, and the old roses “Baronne Prevost” and “Le Grande Capitan”. Members who participated and won first, second, and other places are listed in the show results, selected by our helpful judge, Rose Gilardi. Some exhibiters were new to the show table such as Audrey Giarusso, Eleanor Rakonitz and Jill Chadwell and some were old hands such as Marie Hubbell and Maxine Hineman. We thank everyone who participated, and encourage everyone else to bring in a rose next month to our unjudged exhibit and arrangement tables. Our speaker, Bridget Roay, reported on bees and their lives.

On June 20, our speaker and expert rosarian, Barbara Gordon, will bring roses and floral materials to demonstrate how to make rose arrangements. She will also be leading us in making an arrangement of our own to take home. Please make sure to bring a pair of pruning shears or scissors for yourself so that you can cut your own floral materials. If you have some blooms, especially minis or small roses, please bring some to use. A lightweight plastic vase might be useful. Barbara will also provide some to share.

I hope you are raising a cutting for our rose sale and exchange on July 16 at the Peninsula Rose Society potluck picnic. It will be fun to see what our fellow rosarians have grown. The picnic is a highlight of our year and I hope you have saved the day, Sunday July 16. It will be at the beautiful rose garden of Priya Kamath. A signup sheet for your potluck offering for the luncheon will be at the June 20 meeting.  Please sign up or contact Jill Ferguson before July 9 so adjustments can be made if necessary.

Preparations for the 2018 PRS Rose Show are beginning with the jobs that will be needed. If you worked on the 2014 or 2015 rose shows and would like to do the same jobs, please let Barry Johnson know. If you would like to work on any job, whether long or short-term, let us or him know as well. Please set aside May 5-6, 2018 to help out. We would love to have your input and help!

“June is Rose Month at the Library” is an activity that PRS members have supported by setting up an exhibit or simply bringing roses into their local library during the month of June. This year the libraries that will be supported are: Belmont or San Carlos—Jerry and Cindy Georgette; Redwood City Main branch—Anne Quincy, Marie Hubbell and Barbara Todd; Menlo Park and Atherton—Eleanor Rakonitz and Carol Wong; Portola Valley—Priya Kamath; Burlingame—Jill Chadwell; and Half Moon Bay—Patti Motta. Patti is doing this despite her heavy obligations at home and in bringing her roses to a senior center and church.

Other societies have other responsibilities. The San Mateo Society cares for the rose garden at the San Mateo Garden Center next to Beresford Park on a weekly, on-going effort. Patti is among other older members would like to have help in pruning their roses in the winter. Let our Consulting Rosarians know if you would be willing to help others prune as we did the Veterans Hospital in Palo Alto in January. It could be a good fundraiser for our society and we do it to aid our members.

Jolene Adams has announced that there will be a class to teach and test members who would be willing to become Consulting Rosarians on August 26, 2017 in Sacramento. At least 3 active CRs must recommend you and you must fill out a Consulting Rosarian form and send it in before the CR class. Such classes are held each year and we may have one in our area next year. You should be an ARS member for 3 years, be willing to learn the information in the CR book available through ARS, and to have grown a variety of roses so that you know about them. If you think you might like to help others by becoming a CR someday, check the ARS website and talk to any of our CRs. There is a need in our area for more Consulting Rosarians, Horticultural, Photography and Arrangement judges and the first step is becoming a CR. Although you may not be ready now, you can make steps toward these skills.

June is a busy month leading to the relaxing months of summer. Keep your roses hydrated as best you can, and fertilize up to September. Enjoy the roses that result!