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 […]
Category: President’s Message
January 2022 – President’s Message
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 […]
November/December 2021 – President’s Message
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 […]
October 2021 – President’s Message
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 […]
September 2021 – President’s Message
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 […]
August 2021 – President’s Message
By Patti Spezzaferro “You may think that you are nurturing the garden, but of course, it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.” Jenny Uglow Hope everyone had a wonderful July free of PRS commitments and ready to start the month of August with renewed energy and focus. I spent the last six weeks […]
June 2021 – President’s Message
By Patti Spezzaferro “I spend all my free time in my garden during the pandemic, and it shows.” -PRS member, Lydia Truce On May 11th, Lydia Truce invited Peninsula Rose Society members to visit her beautiful rose garden in San Rafael. Fifteen lucky members, including myself, accepted her gracious invitation. Stepping into her backyard was […]
May 2021 – President’s Message
By Patti Spezzaferro “Mothers, the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.” – Anna Jarvis Mother’s Day has long been synonymous with flowers. About 69% of Americans will send mom flowers this year, with 36% planning to buy mom jewelry. In 2020, U.S. consumers planned to spend about 2.56 billion […]
April 2021 – President’s Message
By Patti Spezzaferro “You Americans, you make it all so hard. Growing roses is like growing any other plant.” Michael Marriott Michael Marriott is a well-known authority on growing and designing rose gardens all over the world. For 35 years, Marriott was an integral part of David Austin’s rose team in Albrighton, England, and played […]
March 2021 – President’s Message
By Patti Spezzaferro “It was one of those March days When the sun shone hot And the wind blows cold When it is summer in the light And winter in the shade.” – Charles Dickens 1812-1870 Charles Dickens was a novelist, social reformer, commentator, actor but many do not know that we absolutely loved gardens. […]