The Marin Rose. My Trip to South Africa. My Rose Adventure in South Africa. February 12, :30 pm. Marin Art & Garden Center.

Transcription

1 The Marin Rose A non-profit Affiliate of the American Rose Society 2008 Gold Honor Medal Winner 2010 Gold Honor Medal Winner 2011 Gold Honor Medal Winner Volume 39, No. 2 February 2013 My Rose Adventure in South Africa My Trip to South Africa With Lenore Ruckman Tuesday, February 12, :30 pm Marin Art & Garden Center Inside Highlights South Africa - Part two 1 President s Message 6 Program Notes 6 Bareroot roses 7 Deadline for renewals 9 of Membership Photo by l. Ruckman Africa Rose By Lenore Ruckman Part two: Friday October 19 We flew from Johannesburg south to Port Elizabeth, about a 1 1/2 hour flight, arriving in a pouring rain. We were greeted by our guide Bill Van Ryssen of Springbok Atlas tours and Safari Guides. Our coach traveled along the coast, then inland to the Main Lodge at Kariega Reserve. Because of the continual rain our bus could not drive the dirt road to the lodge and we had to use open land rover type vehicles. The main lodge was situated on a ridge among surrounding trees with a view of the reserve. We enjoyed a late lunch and then went to our chalets. These were small rustic log cabins with two or three bedrooms, a living room, and kitchen-dining room. Ours had a deck with a small swimming pool overlooking the trees and surrounding valley, much like northern California. But it was raining continually! For the morning and late afternoon Game Safari rides we were provided with rain ponchos. The main road below was beginning to wash out and the lowest creek was jammed with fallen trees and was impassable. That was where we possibly could have seen some lions. We drove the upper hills and did see some giraffes and springbok. Saturday afternoon we were shown some videos of African animals and the training the guides receive; in place of another safari drive. We were hoping the rains would subside because we were leaving by midday on Sunday. We did go on one more drive early Sunday morning and saw a few animals. Apparently there had been seven inches of rain overnight Saturday, a record since1954.

2 a record since about The food was delicious and we made the best of it. Sunday October 21 As soon as we got on the bus to proceed to our first garden tour Bill informed us the road had washed out and we could not drive to Grahamstown. So we drive back to Port Elizabeth and checked in the Protea Hotel Marine situated on the St. Framces Bay. The weather had begun to clear and we were situated across from the beach. A few of us decided to stroll the beach and I collected a few shells from the Indian ocean. Our room faced the bay and we saw some whales in quite close that evening and the next morning. Monday October 22 We departed in the morning and stopped at The Storm s River Bridge and walked across looking into a deep narrow valley surrounded by thick vegetation and then proceeded to Tsitsikamma National park which is where the gorge and river flows into the sea. Some of us walked the canyon to see the mouth of the river. Hidden in the greenery we saw a small animal I thought similar to a small beaver without a tail and found it is called a Rock Dasse. After our quick hike we enjoyed lunch in the restaurant. The Indian Ocean was very dramatic with some high waves. Our next stop was the Birds of Eden Aviary, the world s largest free flight multi-species bird sanctuary. The sanctuary covers an area of approximately 4 acres. The frame comprises 28 masts, with heights varying from 2 meters to 34 meters. The masts are linked by a series of cables, which are anchored to specialty constructed underground plugs. This is totally enclosed by wire mesh. The entire project was built using unskilled labor from the neighboring community of Kurland village. It took 4 years to complete. The park includes a mist system and an amphitheater which seats 200 people, also a restaurant and gift shop. I purchase a booklet identifying the birds in the sanctuary. Photographing them was a little challenging. A waterfall and river run through the canyon and there is a suspension bridge and a flamingo dam. Continuing on our drive to the Protea Hotel, Knysna Quays. This was a lovely spot on the Plentenburg Bay overlooking the water. We walked the wharf and looked in the gift shops and ate dinner there. Our room looked out to the pier with pleasure boats and this reminded me of Sausalito. Tuesday October 23 We departed for two garden tours. Linda Steven s Fijnbosh Garden was in the countryside and they also have a stable and horse riding school. The home was a ranch style u shaped with a swimming pool and beds of roses on level ground and many climbers in the rear high walls. The grounds were surrounded by the horse corrals. They had also had some late cool weather so the roses we just beginning to bloom. Rae Gilbert s Garden was more formal on a hilltop overlooking the surrounding farms and vineyards. He has beds of companion plants and an arbor of white iceberg, lawns and also a swimming pool. After returning to our hotel we were treated to a dinner cruise the bay hosted by the hosted by the Knysna Rose Society. Wednesday October 24 Knysna to Hermanus Continuing on the garden route toward Cape Town bordered by the Indian Ocean and inland by mountain ranges and forests. We traveled via George and Mossel Bays to the picturesque Cape Dutch town of Swellendam founded in This is at the foot of Langeberg Mt Range, famous for youngberries and National Parks. We were still on the Indian Ocean side. The whole coast was settled first by the Dutch East India company and the English. In 1811 the English named a town Georgtown after George III. Now there is a mixture of farming, dairy, wheat,sheep and cattle and vineyards.. Portuegese also explored and settled. The Marin Rose 2 February 2013

3 In 1905 a railway was built from main harbor to Mussel Bay to export ostrich feathers for ladies hats and costumes for stage productions. The scenery along the drive was a mixture of black acacia, and eucalyptus mostly from Australia. There was a bumper crop of wheat this year because of the rainfall. We passed Riverdale (1838) where they produce wheat,wool, cattle and horse breeding. Heidleburg (1855), where they produce similar crops and tobacco and tobacco. Many of these towns were a day horseback ride apart. There were elephants here on the rolling hills in the past. In the surrounding mountains there are still leopards, elusive and now protected. We stopped to visit an Aloe factory store in Albertinia called Alcare Aloa. Very nice products for body and hair care. Of course we all purchased something. They export their products worldwide. Continuing to the seaside town of Hermanus on Walker Bay, the heart of the whale route. We were taken on a boat cruise in the bay to whale watch. The southern right whale frequents these waters from May to December. Our boat was crowed with American,German, New Zealand, and Japanese tourists. It was a warm calm day and we did get a view of two whales and some seals that came very close to the boat. We were lodged at the Windsor hotel overlooking the bay. We could see some whales from our balcony. For dinner a group of us dined at an Italian restaurant On our evening walk returning to the hotel, our bus driver pointed out the Southern Cross stars in the night sky. Thursday October 25 Garden Tours Our drive took us through hills and valleys to Elgin to some special gardens. Fresh Woods was established in the 1950 s by Pete and Barbara Knox-Shaw. This is a very large rambling park like garden with collections of species, old roses and new hybrids. Some roses were not quite in bloom yet because of the late spring rains. What we saw were climbers and ramblers growing to the tops of fur, shade and apple trees all together with wonderful shrubs and companion plants. It is known throughout the world as a source of propagation material and exchange of rare and valuable varieties. We met the owners and were treated to a very nice tea and scones. Duncan & Liz Hernderson s Fairholme Gardens nursery specializes in grasses and lavenders. This garden was of a formal nature on a hillside property in a valley with surrounding views of vineyards and hills. There were beds of roses and climbers many in their first bloom. We had a delightful lunch including wine under a large pavilion that the owners want to use for weddings and gatherings. The visit to Ian and Jessie Walton s Kerbos Nuesery Gardens is run by Gwen Fagen s daughter. We had a light lunch and then a guided tour by Gwen. She is the author of a beautiful book Roses at the Cape of Good Hope which is now in it s second printing. She is very knowledgeable landscape researcher and garden designer. This is a full nursery and display garden. Remember this is a Mediterranean climate and there are many plants that we have here in Northern California. The last stop was AryAnne Beviss-Challinor s Duncan s Roses. We proceeded to Cape Town for our stay at the Vineyard Hotel. Friday Oct. 26 The morning greeted us with a little rain again so we reversed our trip to Table Mountain and proceeded to Durbanville Trial Rose Gardens, a fairly nice garden but the roses were not labeled, so we quickly made our tour in the drizzle and continued to the Boschenal Wine Estate and gardens. Now this was a real treat. First we tasted five very good wines outside as the rains subsided and then were welcomed inside adjacent to the tasting room for a full luncheon buffet with a wine of our choice. Then we proceeded to the garden. Many old roses and modern roses were coming into bloom and there was a huge display of R. banksiea (Lady Banks Rose). There is a collection of old trees on the Estate and the rose The Marin Rose 3 February 2013

4 garden was designed by Gwen Fagan the authority on old gardens at the Cape. Some of the roses are rare and were cultivated at the Cape and in the East Indies. There is an annual `Boschendal Rose Sale`. On our return to Cape Town the weather on Table mountain had cleared so we were able to ascend to the top by the revolving cable car. It was very windy so our guide quickly walked us around the top. I took photos going up; from the tour on the top and on the return trip on the way down. The Mountain makes it s own weather so some days it is too dangerous to venture to the top. We were lucky with a break in the weather that day. We had a clear view of Cape Town, the beaches, Cape Point and Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Sat. Oct. 27 This was a full day s tour along the Atlantic coast to the fishing village of Hout Bay. We continued along Chapman s Peak Drive between Hout Bay and Noordhoek. This drive is at the southern-western tip of South Africa considered one of the most spectacular marine drives anywhere in the world, with 114 curves along the rocky coastline of Chapman s Peak, the 593m high southerly extension of Constantia Berg. There were many views of the ocean and steep cliffs. Our next stop was the Cape Point Nature Reserve, a finger shaped piece of land extending south into the Atlantic Ocean, the most south westerly point in Africa. It was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1938 and was incorporated into the Table mountain National Park in There is a wide range of flora and fauna and some species of fynbos ( Cape indigenous plants). Also some 250 species of birds and a variety of animal life. One of the highlights was the the Old Lighthouse. The Flying Dutchman Funicular runs from the parking lot to below the lighthouse. Then we hiked the many stairs to walk around the viewing areas of the lighthouse. It was a windy cool day but the views were spectacular. On the way down we all stopped the gift/ snack shop. On the drive out we saw Baboons trying to climb on a car and look for food. They apparently raid homesand cars in the area. We were told not to mess with them as they are very strong armed and can snatch thing from people easily. We all tried to get pictures from the bus. We saw Protea flowers growing wild all along the drive on the way to the Boulders. The penguin colony at The Boulders is in a sheltered cove between Simon s Town and Cape Point set in the midst of a residential area. This is one of the few sites where this endangered bird (Spheniscus demersus) can be observed at close range. There are a number of small sheltered bays, partially enclosed by granite boulders that are 540 million years old. From just two breeding pairs in 1982, the colony has grown to about 3,000. They are called the Jackass African penguin after their Eeyore impersonations, they occur in only 27 other sites, including Robben Island. We were able to view them at close range from the boardwalks. Some were still molting after which they head out to sea to feed on squid, anchovies and pilchards. Their black and white coloring acts as a camouflage; white for underwater predators looking up and black for predators looking down into the water. I have more facts from a brochure we were given at the entrance After our tour we had a lunch in the Seaforth Restaurant. On our return to Cape Town we visited Kirstenbosch Botanical gardens on the eastern slopes of table Mountain, founded in Many landscaped gardens of indigenous plants and trees. Most specimens were labeled and many will grow in our similar climate. Much of the large grounds are cultivated and the remainder is natural forest and flora reserve. It is a living display of 4700 of the estimated 20,000 species of indigenous South African flora. We were running out of time so our guide took us on a quick walking tour. This was the last day of our tour and we were treated to a native African dinner. We were scheduled to depart from Cape Town on Sunday October 28, fly to Johannesburg and leave on an evening flight on the return trip to JFK airport arriving early and catch our flights to san Francisco. The Marin Rose 4 February 2013

5 But the world s weather had other plans! We had been watching the super storm approaching the east coast on TV and each evening we became more and more anxious. Our flight to the U.S. was cancelled! Our tour ended and we were on our own expenses now which turn out to be one whole week. Our group changed hotels twice, to the Hilton and finally to the Southern Sun. Our tour guide Lionel Newton did a very challenging job, going to the airport in Cape Town thee times to get us booked back home. Well what did we do? Toured all the places we had missed in Cape Town. At lease we were all together with our rose friends and made the most of our extended stay. The waterfront in Cape Town was within walking distance of our Cullinan Hotel. We toured the Cape Town Diamond Museum. Diamonds were discovered in South Africa in 1867 and had a profound impact on the diamond world: within a decade most diamonds were coming from South Africa. The Cullinan, The Hope and The Taylor Burton are some of the most well know. We saw identical replicas of these and the history of how diamonds are mined and the process of how the rough stones are precisely cut and polished before they can be finally set in pieces of jewelry. There is a beautiful showroom store with the diamond jewelry for sale. We looked and dreamed but none of us bought anything. We then enjoyed a nice lunch. The museum is situated below the Clock Tower on the wharf and we made reservations to tour Robben Island the next day. We sailed out on a large catamaran for a short ride to the island and then taken by bus around the island and toured the prison where Nelson Mandela and other prisoners were held. This was a very warm and clear day and we had a good view looking back to Cape Town. We treated ourselves to and English Tea at beautiful hotel at the end of the wharf; toured the Aquarium, shopped and enjoyed very good late lunches and early dinners. The wharf has hotels, a mall with many shops, tours on boats, and many restaurants. Similar to San Francisco but with many street vendors selling trinkets and tourist moments. But this is a working pier with ships in dry dock mixed in. We toured a Park and Museum situated below Cable Mountain. The streets were full of stalls selling everything African, a beautiful flower mart and the streets were crowed with the locals out shopping. All this was within walking distance of our hotel so we got our daily exercise. We finally heard we are booked to return home November 4 to arrive in the US at JFK Airport very early in the morning in time to catch flights to our San Francisco. Table Mountain Lady Banksiae at Boschenal Wie Estate The Marin Rose 5 February 2013

6 President s Message It is no surprise to find so many home gardeners praising the pruners from the Marin Rose Society in their excellent work. Five Teams of pruners who volunteer for our fund raising project have been to 100+ gardens taking care of roses in many different growing conditions and microclimates. Pruning is very important and many people of Marin realize that they want this done properly and at the right time. I want to thank all the Pruners who are contributing their time and energy to reach out to the public and show them how to prune. This is an educational project as well as a fund raiser. We hope to complete this project in the next few weeks and have a bountiful treasury to show for our efforts. This money will help us in revitalizing our won rose garden at MAGC and to support other activities and programs we hope you will enjoy throughout this year. Our 2013 started off with rousing good cheer and fifty members attending our first program. We were happy to have a visit from Ed Yesan and Earl Parsons from St. Louis. They are long time friends of the MRS and highly active leaders in the rose community both in the Bay Area and now in the middle of the country. When they were here they were both show judges, superb exhibitors, and President/District Director in holding office. As Silver Medal ARS recipients, they demonstrate good will and the love of roses go together to bring us some peace and beauty in our lives. I wish you a wonderful year of roses. Frank Treadway Program Notes We want to thank Kathleen Elliott from Regan Nursery for her informative talk on new rose introductions and how Regan nursery grows and tests them for a year before they make recommendations to their customers. We will have some handouts of the winter companion plants she suggested. On February 12th, Leonora Ruckman will give a PowerPoint presentation and share her very recent rose adventure in South Africa. Leonora is our long time member, Master Consulting Rosarien and Master Gardner. It is going to be great experience with out packing your suitcase and take long journey to South Africa. Lenore Ruckman, 1st VP & Program Chair The Marin Rose 6 February 2013

7 Bare bones about bareroot roses By Nanette Londeree If you ve stopped in at your local nursery or home improvement center lately to check out the roses advertised for sale, you re likely to be faced with a veritable sea of lifeless looking brown sticks wrapped in plastic and adorned with a picture of a sumptuous rose in bloom. Don t be put off by the rose s winter appearance. Instead, join the legions of American gardeners that purchase nearly 60 million rose plants a year and buy them bareroot you ll get a much better selection and big savings to boot. Bareroot roses are dormant plants with all foliage and soil removed. The plants were harvested in the fall full of starch reserves that provides energy as they emerge from dormancy. They are light and transportable, easier to handle and plant, and generally less expensive. Dormant plants are available beginning in early winter so you can get started planting earlier. They make a slower and better-paced transition into life in your garden as the season ramps up, adjusting without any transplant trauma. Like making any purchase, it s good to know a few key things to look for. Bareroot roses are graded according to the quality of their growth, their size once they leaf out and bloom and their productivity. Over fifty years ago, the American Association of Nurserymen, in association with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), developed grading standards for budded field-grown garden roses in order to standardize rose sizes and to eliminate the outrageous claims made by some retailers at the time. There are three grades - #1, #1 ½, and #2. The grades identify the number and caliper (diameter) of canes on each type of rose. Specifications for Grade #1 require the bush to have at least three strong canes 5/16 inch in caliper or greater, branched not higher than 3 inches from the bud union (grafting point); all should have a well-developed root system. Grade #1 is the best; plants of this grade generally cost more than those of lower grades. While all grades will eventually grow to the same size for the variety of rose, it will take longer for the lower grades as they start with fewer, smaller canes. Many nurseries and garden centers set their bareroot plants in damp peat moss or similar material that retains moisture. This allows you inspect the entire plant before you buy. Check the canes first; they should be plump with no wrinkles, have good green color with creamy white interiors (pith), no dried or discolored buds. The root system should be well developed, sturdy and undamaged, not dry or mushy. The entire plant should be free from damage and obvious signs of disease. Don t buy dried out roses. You may think that the rose bush will "perk up" when you plant it; that s not necessarily true. Adjusting to a new environment takes a lot of energy on a rose s part. Putting it in the ground when it is already stressed just decreases the odds of having a healthy, productive plant. Environment takes a lot of energy on a rose s part. The Marin Rose 7 February 2013

8 . Putting it in the ground when it is already stressed just decreases the odds of having a healthy, productive plant. If you re buying a packaged rose, feel its weight. The more moisture the package holds, the heavier the container - probably a good indication that the roots haven t dried out. Some suppliers apply a thin coat of paraffin to the canes to enable them to keep the plants out of the ground and in transit for longer periods of time. Try not to buy waxed roses. They may look nice but your plant has to grow through that wax and it may slow the development of bud eyes. Roses should have tags to properly identify them. The tags are usually small (quarter size), weather-tough metal labels attached to the plant at the base with a twist of wire. The tag has the name of the rose (registered with the American Rose Society). Check the tag and to make sure you re buying the variety you want. One other thing to consider, new varieties of roses will be patented and cost more than the non-patented varieties. The owner of a rose patent charge the grower a fee or royalty for each rose they sell, usually a dollar or two per plant. It does not mean that the newer varieties are superior to older ones. There are many, many roses available whose patent has expired that are desirable additions to your garden. Bargain roses are always non-patented varieties - with no royalties to pay, they can be sold at much lower prices. Photos from top: Bareroot packaged roses courtesy of Conard Pyle website; bare root rose courtesy of bradrobert.com website Valentine s Day! Your gift for one year of Marin Rose Society Membership A gift that is appreciated all year long. From: It is a $30 gift certificate and you will support a new membership in our organization! The Marin Rose 8 February 2013

9 The Marin Rose February, 2013 Volume 39, No. 2 Lydia Treadway Editor Gail Trimble, Publisher Barbara Picarelli, Distributor MRS Officers, Directors & Committee Chairs President Frank Treadway Frank@HomesMarin.com 1st VP / Program Chair Lenore Ruckman cmr3x7@aol.com 2d VP / Show Co-Chairs Ronette King ronettejk@comcast.net Sandy Simon, sandyls1220@gmail.com Secretary Kitty O Donnell KKOSF51@comcast.net Treasurer Lydia Truce, lydia@stdesigninc.com Director & Website Chair Gail Trimble Directors Vivien Bronshvag Paul Cullen Paula Jaffe Rose Garden Co-Coordinators Dorothy Arnold Lenore Ruckman Membership Chair Sigrid Boitano Hospitality Chair Paula Jaffe Raffle Chair Paul Cullen Communications Chair Maureen Groper Parliamentarian Richard Holtz Marin Rose Society While the advice and information in this newsletter is believed to be true and accurate at the time of publication, neither the authors nor the editors can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The Marin Rose Sandra Simon pruning at Sloat Mill Valley Note from Rose Garden at MAGC The garden is in winter dormancy. A few of us have done some clean up and few roses are pruned. I asked our Garden Volunteers to save major pruning to take place after the Master Gardener training class has some practice on roses February 7th. This is a hands-on workshop in the garden for them. We will set a date for all volunteers to finish pruning and a good general cleanup in February. Lenore Ruckman and Dorothy Arnold The Marin Rose 9 February 2013

10 Have a Question? Contact a Consulting Rosarian Dorothy Arnold**, Fairfax Rndarnold@aol.com Vivien Bronshvag, Kentfield vivlrb@aol.com Paul Cullen, San Anselmo pcniner@aol.com Cheryl Frechette**, Healdsburg (707) cherylfrechette@yahoo.com Joan Goff**, Sonoma (707) joanegoff@yahoo.com John Goldsmith, Turlock jgjohngoldsmith@gmail.com Maureen Groper, San Anselmo samaureen@comcast.net Paula Jaffe, Tiburon paulajaffe@comcast.net Ronette King, San Rafael ronettejk@comcast.net Nanette Londeree**, Novato Rosienan@aol.com Betty Mott**, Mill Valley mottbetty@gmail.com Kitty O Donnell, Novato KKOSF51@comcast.net Barbara Lanoy Picarelli**, Novato bjlpster@gmail.com Mary Polizzi, San Rafael marypolizzi@ymail.com Lenore Ruckman**, San Rafael CMR3X7@aol.com Emily Shibata, San Rafael ewshiba@gmail.com Sandy Simon, Mill Valley sandyls1220@gmail.com Florence Taylor**, San Rafael NONITAYLOR@aol.com Frank Treadway, San Rafael Frank@HomesMarin.com Lydia Treadway**, San Rafael Lydia@HomesMarin.com Gail Trimble**, San Rafael gail@marinrose.org Lydia Truce, San Rafael lydia@stdesigninc.com Dues Reminder It's that time again when your membership renewal is now due. Please send your completed membership form with your check for $30.00 to Sigrid Boitano, Membership Chair (415) Woodside Way San Rafael, CA The absolute deadline for renewals is ! The Marin Rose 10 February 2013

11 Members Only Section Now On Our Website Ross Valley pruners here we come! Please note new password (empty the cache of your current browser first): silverado This section contains Newsletters from 2004 to 2013, By-laws, Standing Rules, Treasurer s Reimbursement Form and Calendar of Events. The Marin Rose 11 February 2013

12 MARIN ROSE SOCIETY 724 Rowland Blvd. MARIN Novato, ROSE CA SOCIETY Rowland Blvd. Novato, CA Calendar for Upcoming Events Tuesday, March 12, 2013 Monthly Meeting 7:30 p.m. Livermore Room MAGC Monday March 18, 2013 Board of Directors Meeting 7:00 p.m. MAGC Tuesday, April 9, 2013 Monthly Meeting 7:30 p.m. Livermore Room MAGC Calendar for American Rose Society Events March 16, 2013 at 9:00 am NCNH District Spring Business Meeting And At 1:30 pm Consulting Rosarian Seminar Mud & How to Sling It for one point By Jolene Adams Veterans Memorial Bldg Madison Ave., Redwood City, CA Hosted by Peninsula Rose Society September 20-21, 2013 ARS National All-Miniature and Miniflora Convention and Rose Show Hosted by Winston-Salem Rose Society May 8-12, 2014 ARS Spring National Convention and Rose Show Hosted by San Diego Rose Society