“There is something profoundly satisfying about sharing a meal. Eating together, breaking bread together, is one of the oldest and most fundamentally unifying human experiences.” Barbara Coloroso On July 16th, thirty-eight members of the Peninsula Rose Society members came together under my majestic century-old Southern Magnolia to share a delectable meal. The weather was perfect, […]

by Patti Spezzaferro “Flowers are the beautiful hieroglyphics  with which she indicates how much she loves us. “ Johannah Wolfgang von Goethe June is National Rose Month, and it was first introduced in June of 1959. Some three decades later, in 1986, President Ronald Reagan officially made the rose the national flower of the United […]

By Patti Spezzaferro There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments.  Janet Kilburn Phillips Every time I see a plant in trouble, my heart sinks but then I remember the wise words of Janet Kilburn Philips, “there are no garden mistakes, only experiments”. I quickly put on my detective hat and looked at all the possibilities […]

By Patti Spezzaferro In the waves of change, we find our true direction. After being at home zooming for the past two years and three months, Peninsula Rose Society returned to its old stomping grounds at the Redwood City Veteran Memorial Senior Center for its most recent membership meeting. Twenty-five in-person members and twelve members […]

By Patti Spezzaferro Safety is not something that happens by itself. You need to work towards it with the right measures, tools, and mindset. California’s statewide mask order expired on February 15, allowing fully vaccinated people to no longer be required to wear masks in most public indoor settings. According to the Mercury News article […]

By Patti Spezzaferro The red rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart. Anonymous What is it about a red rose bestowed on Valentine’s Day that screams I love you? The color has long been linked to romantic love, revolutions, religion, and the majesty of the monarchy. The tradition dates […]

By Patti Spezzaferro “The magic in new beginnings is truly the most powerful of them all.” Josiyah Martin Celebrating the new year makes me hopeful for better days ahead. Each year is a gift to start afresh armed with a new perspective, a resolve, and a strength to find answers to my garden problems. Even […]

By Patti Spezzaferro “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands — one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” — Audrey Hepburn   In 2016, over 63 million people volunteered for nonprofits providing eight billion hours of service. Extraordinary! Volunteerism has been shown to improve a volunteer’s mood, decrease […]

By Patti Spezzaferro Flowers are more than just a pretty face. As I continue the endless task of deadheading this month, I notice I see more of the beautiful small, apple-like fruit that forms just below rose flowers after the petals fall off. This fruit is called a rose hip or rosehip and also called […]

  By Patti Spezzaferro “A garden without a cat can scarcely be called a garden at all” Beverley Nichols Beverley Nichols, an author of over 60 books, became famous for his books on homes, gardens, and of course, cats. I wholeheartedly agree: nothing puts a smile on my face as seeing my cat, Butler, frolic […]