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. You can find Dickens writing about honeysuckle and roses in Oliver Twist and even names Oliver’s maternal aunt, Rose. He was so enamored with gardens that he placed his writing table near a window looking out into his open world he so deeply loved and was inspired by. The walls of his home were covered in roses and he had parterres full of the red geraniums resembling miniature rosebuds that were Dickens’ favorite flower. He would wear Pelargonium ‘Apple blossom Rosebud’ in his lapel – a favorite of Queen Victoria.
A rose named in honor of Dickens was created and introduced in the Hampton Court Flower Show in 2016. Personally selected by Marion Dickens, the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. Rosa ‘Charles Dickens’ is a hybrid tea with beautifully formed, eye-catching bright red in swirling blooms on long stems which flower in repeat waves from mid-June to late autumn. Striking dark red early foliage which ages to an attractive semi glossed olive green with strong purple veins. Bred by highly regarded amateur breeder Ronnie Rawlins, this stunning lightly scented rose is a high-performance variety and disease resistant. It is ideal for mid-border planting or in tubs, pots and barrels with a height reaching three feet tall.
In March, I will step into my own garden and remove weeds around my roses since they, the garden and there are no other place I would rather be! The tranquility and wonder of nature never cease to make me feel so energized, grateful, and happy.
In February, PRS welcomed members to our Zoom Monthly Board Meeting and was so happy to have Karen Zack and Lydia Truce attend. We discussed the possibility of offering Zelle, an online banking app used by hundreds of banks and credit unions nationwide. We want to be able to give our members trouble-free payment options. It is a fast, safe, and easy way to send and receive money with people you know and trust. For more information, click this link: Zelle We also discussed the possibility of hosting the Zoom NCNH District Meeting in September. In addition, Stuart Dalton, Carol Wong, and Tomoko Lee are busy planning the 2021 Rose Exhibit where all members will be able to submit and vote for their favorite rose photo.
We broke our attendance record at our February Monthly Membership Meeting with a total of 45 members and guests attending. Thank you, Judy Webster, for booking Elizabeth Newell who is a professional beekeeper, bee remover, queen breeder, and bee educator, located in Belle Haven, Menlo Park. She is Vice President of the San Mateo Bee Guild. Her presentation was fascinating and we learned so much about bees and roses.
Our next monthly Membership meeting is set for 7:30 pm on Tuesday, March 16th. Judith Cody will present a talk on Photographing Roses. Judith Cody is a poet, composer and photographer and her writings have won many national awards and are published in over 160 journals. I will send out the link as the date approaches in my regular monthly PRS Email Update. If you are free on Thursdays at 2 pm, drop in on our social Zoom meetings. Thursday, March 4th, I will present a talk on companion planting. Ever wonder what you should plant alongside your roses. Join us on Thursday, March 4th, and find out. Thursday, March 11th Pam McGraw will host another fun Rose Trivia Show. Come and have fun while testing your knowledge on the topic of roses. That’s it for now. Take good care and don’t forget to smell the roses!