Please join me in welcoming Beatrice Zelenko from the Foothill College Horticulture Program as the 2023 Peninsula Rose Society Barbara Todd Memorial Intern. This internship is in memory of Barbara Todd, a  past president of the PRS, an avid gardener, and a talented watercolor artist.

The internship intends to provide a hands-on learning experience in all aspects of rose care. The recipient will be mentored by PRS Consulting Rosarians for a minimum of 40 hours of field experience and encouraged to attend monthly membership meetings held on the third Tuesday of the month. She will also be invited to attend Zoom Chats on the second Thursday of the month as much as possible. The recipient will also be writing an article about her experiences as a PRS intern for the PRS newsletter, the Rosarian, as well as presenting a short horticulture talk at one of the monthly Zoom Chats. The majority of the fieldwork will be performed in January and February, involving dormant pruning of several types of roses, fertilizing, garden hygiene, tool care, pest and diseases, watering and irrigation, propagation, and plant I.D.

The recipient will receive one free annual membership to both PRS, including a monthly newsletter and the American Rose Society magazine. This opportunity will encourage the recipient to use this experience to further her career in gardening and landscaping.

Until recently, Beatrice worked in the high-tech industry for over 25 years. After managing two landscaping projects on her property within two years, she decided to follow her passion and study horticulture. Beatrice has been a Foothill student since the fall of 2022 and is excited to learn about plants and care for them. 

As for roses, she always loved them.  She has been fascinated by their beauty.   In her neighborhood, she has seen good and bad examples of taking care of roses. Her goal is  to learn more and care for them properly, so they thrive. 

The Peninsula Rose Society is thrilled to be able to honor Barbara Todd’s memory in this way for the third straight year.  It is a beautiful opportunity to teach and mentor a budding rose lover and horticulture student and help our members with their winter rose care. If you would like help pruning your roses this winter, please email Patti at [email protected].  We would be happy to place you on the schedule.