By Stuart Dalton, President

This time of year always gets a bit busy. I know it is for me.  I am hosting a baby shower for my Colorado daughter this month, and planning a trip over Christmas to Colorado with the extended family. I’ve never really had a white Christmas, but maybe this year I will have one.

PRS is busy too. We are still planning for a May Judged Show, and thanks to efforts by Carol Wong, we have judges lined up. A few of you have signed up for jobs for this May 3rd show. Relatively soon, we will need to look at May show trophies and it may be time to rethink our strategy on our very beautiful trophy table (which has also required significant efforts by a number of people to manage). Instead of having perpetual trophies (returned, polished, stored, distributed etc.) like we have had, other societies have transitioned to keeper vases for top prizes and printed award certificates. Right now, I have a large collection of PRS trophies in my garage, as well as the trophy risers and dark green table coverings for the trophy display. I think the idea may be to let 2020 winners keep the trophies and switch, as other clubs have done, to keeper awards. We used to do this type of small keeper award for some awards anyway (e.g., floating roses).

We also are getting more information for a possible Fall 2020 NCNH Rose Show and Conference at Lucy Stern Community Center in Palo Alto that we may host. The venue looks good and it may be that we can add a Consulting Rosarian or Judging Class on the front end on Friday. Pam McGraw (formerly Hoffman) has done quite a bit of research and developed a sophisticated budget spreadsheet. One thing is clear; we live in a pricy area (as if you all did not know that). Catering seems to be the biggest difference in proposed budget vs several other previous Fall Sessions hosted by others. If anyone knows of any good caterers who would work in that venue with nice food for an Award banquet, please contact any of the Board Members or officers so we can check them out.

At the November meeting, we will have our election of officers and a look ahead at the new roses that are being introduced for 2020. People can sign up for the type of dish to bring for the Potluck Holiday dinner. We have a nice holiday gathering for December 10th (yes, it is the SECOND Tuesday) which will include a potluck holiday dinner and the installation of our new slate of officers.

As the holidays approach, and the roses start to slow down, it is time to start thinking about next year. As we think back on roses we have seen and or grown in the past year you may have some that have been in the ground in your own yard for a few years and are just not making you happy. Time to think about the ones you have seen that you really want. It may be a new rose that was just introduced (and Jolene Adams will be talking about the new roses for 2020 in November), or one that you have been coveting in a neighbor’s yard. But since many of us are going to less spray, look beyond the roses you are familiar with and explore disease resistant varieties, possibly fragrant and on their own roots. Many more suppliers and hybridizers are introducing varieties that may thrill you. For instance, I planted a dozen David Austin roses in the past two years and most of them are disease resistant and fragrant. I’ve mentioned before one of my favorites is the Poet’s wife. A smaller David Austin shrub with a beautiful old rose form and fragrance to match its color – lemon. I grow it in a large pot and it is a very nice rose. I enjoy walking by and checking out the fragrance in my front patio. So, think about growing in pots or “shovel pruning” less thrilling roses and get ready to look on line or through catalogs for roses that strike your fancy.

One more thing that I’ve come across is a new brand of bypass shears, that I liked so much that I bought a pair then a slightly different second pair. They are Haus and Garten (house and garden in German), and they are about half the price of Felco, but they have a titanium blade. After using them for a month I like them quite a bit and they are available on Amazon. I still like my decades old Felco shears but these seem to be competitive in performance.

Happy Gardening

Stu