The Marin Rose A non-profit Affiliate of the American Rose Society 2008 Gold Honor Medal Winner 2009 Honorable Mention

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1 The Marin Rose A non-profit Affiliate of the American Rose Society 2008 Gold Honor Medal Winner 2009 Honorable Mention Volume 36, No. 3 March, 2010 Growing Roses with IPM Methods With Barbara Shula Tuesday, March 9, :30 pm Marin Art & Garden Center Inside Highlights President s Message Program Notes Rose Care for March Awards and Winners Monthly Show Schedule Pruning Fundraiser If I Only Had Three What s Bugging You? Rose of the Month A Grecian Turn: On Fabvier and Lord Byron By Darrell g.h. Schramm Two roses in my garden are linked to Greece, more specifically to Greece s struggle for independence early in the 19 th century. Philhellenic sympathies aroused Western Europe in favor of the Greek cause. Among those so aroused were a Frenchman, General Fabvier, and an Englishman, Lord Byron, the namesakes of my two roses, the first a china, the second a climber. A few years after General Fabvier had been expelled from the French army for being too liberal in matters of regulation and discipline, he left France to fight against the Turks in Greece s war for independence. He had previously fought under Napoleon and then served as ambassador in Isfahan. (Incidentally, a rose, variously spelled Isfahan or Isphahan or Ispahan was brought back from Isfahan, Persia, in 1832 by the English gardener Norah Lindsay an exquisite Damask.) According to the memoirs of the great writer Victor Hugo, Fabvier was not just a hero during this war in Greece, but a god to the men serving under him, a man with a kind of Homeric ferocity. He had instituted new routines of discipline. And even though stranded at one point in the battle of the Acropolis ( ), he was able to extricate himself and his men. In the end, though the Acropolis fell to the enemy, that fall prompted European states to become more involved, after which the Turks were routed and the nation of Greece was born in By then General Fabvier had already taken a noteworthy part in France s July

2 The Marin Rose March, 2010 Volume 36, No. 3 Joan Goff and Gail Trimble Co-Editors Gail Trimble, Publisher Barbara Picarelli, Distributor MRS Officers, Directors & Committee Chairs President Don Chapman chapman.don@comcast.net 1st VP / Program Co-Chairs Alan Petersen HMCPAMP@sbcglobal.net Frank Treadway Frank@HomesMarin.com 2d VP/Show Co-Chairs Paula Jaffe paulajaffe@comcast.net Lenore Ruckman cmr3x7@aol.com Secretary Kitty O Donnell KKOSF51@comcast.net Treasurer Joan Goff joanegoff@yahoo.com Director & Website Chair Gail Trimble Directors Paul Cullen John Goldsmith Pamela Scott Rose Garden Coordinator Dorothy Arnold Raffle Chair Connie Gantsweg Membership Chair Dolores Gebhardt Hospitality Chair Mary Polizzi Parliamentarian Betty Mott Marin Rose Society While the advice and information in this newsletter is believed to be true and accurate at the time of publica-tion, neither the authors nor the edit-ors can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The Marin Rose Society makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Revolution of Shortly thereafter, in 1832, Laffay introduced this china rose in his honor. (Obviously, 1832 was an important year.) Later, under Louis Philippe, he became a lieutenant General and, in 1846, a member of Parliament. As a distinguished member of the House of Peers, he was unafraid to confront those members of Parliament who had granted special favors and/or succumbed to extortions of public powers and elites (echoes of our own Congress today). After serving as General Fabvier ambassador to Constantinople and Denmark, he retired from public life in He died four years later. The rose by his name is as prolific and active as he was. Peter Beales calls Fabvier a showy flower. It has crimson flowers with a blush center, many petals generally exhibiting a streak of white. Its dark leaves usually have a purple tint. Ethelyn Emery Keays in 1935 described it as not quite double, showing a golden ring of stamens when it is fully open, brilliant, striking. The plant is rather small and quite wiry. It flowers even in the rain. In fact, Pemberton claimed the rose is always gay, no matter how wet the weather. I find that true. Rain or not, even in late December, each year it continues to send out buds and blossoms. Deadhead the rose, and it will bloom continuously. While it is small for a china perhaps two and a half feet high it is lovely in frontage beds or in pots. Ignore Graham Stuart Thomas s assertion that, because of its color, the rose is difficult to fit into a garden, except with quite modern roses. In fact, that early American rose expert Pemberton considered Fabvier one of the very best crimson chinas and suggested grouping several of its plants together in rows about a foot apart for a massed bed. It s little, it s lovely, it s rarely out of bloom. It lifts its face unabashed to sun and mist and rain. In my garden it hides the naked legs of a tall, upright, old hybrid tea. Fabvier is undaunted and full of cheer. The other rose closely linked in name to the Greek War of Independence is a modern, climbing Meilland rose, Lord Byron. (This rose is also known, especially in the United States, as Polka. However, he displays no polka dots nor dances the polka neither in the wind nor in my arms. That is clearly an irrelevant name for this 1991 rose, an offspring of Golden Showers and the Kordes Lichtkonigin Lucia. Lord Byron, The Marin Rose 2 March 2010

3 then, it is, true to his original name.) Lord Byron ( ) was an English poet, aristocrat, and philhellene, who also served the Greek cause. Prior to that service, from he had traveled through Portugal, Spain, and the Levant, as well as Greece. While in Portugal he wrote much of his famous epic poem Childe Harold, which became wildly popular in London. In 1815 he had married an heiress but separated from her the following year and left England for good. Viewing England as a hypocritical society, he traveled with the poet Shelly and his wife Mary Godwin and a retinue of servants through Switzerland and Italy. During this time he wrote his famous long poems Don Juan, Beppo, and The Prisoner of Chillon, all satirical, often gloomy, but always romantic. Lord Byron was known for his extravagant behavior and dress and his dashingly handsome face. Indeed, he enjoyed the comings and goings of mistresses. Having left his wife, he found a Lord Byron lasting relationship with his half-sister Augusta a scandal in England. Like Don Juan, he continued liaisons with other women as well, regardless of marital status, class, or wealth: a baker s wife, a draper s wife, a papal count s wife, a cousin, a serving girl whom he dismissed when he learned she wasn t faithful to him. There were others. He was, like Childe Harold, the wandering outlaw of his own mind, a romantic exile, a sensitive but disillusioned libertine. The term Byronic hero comes from his contempt for morality and his defiance of fate. In the end he set out for Greece in 1823 to fight, like General Fabvier, for its independence. There is met his fate. While training troops for the cause, he succumbed to fever and died in I have observed this coppery-coral-pink climber go romantically, passionately mad with desire for bloom, so floriferous and festooned with flowers as to climb over and intertwine poetically with other nearby climbing roses and then hang in lavish, Polka AKA Lord Byron draping extravagance. After anticipating the same from my own plant where he grew in an old wine cask, but being offered only a stingy few though beautiful, large, scented blooms, I alternately offered it fish emulsion and alfalfa tea. He defied me. Perhaps the tub was just too shallow for a traveling climber? So I recently set my Lord Byron into the ground, near a copse of bamboo. I m hoping come spring, he ll embrace it as his new mistress. It shouldn t matter that the bamboo isn t Greek. Photo of Fabvier from and photo of Polka from Photos of General Fabvier and Lord Byron are both from and both are public domain. The Marin Rose 3 March 2010

4 President s Message Our pruning teams have completed another year of pruning roses throughout Marin as the major fundraiser for the society. Just ahead of the late February rains, members pruned in over 100 gardens. We have formed a committee to research different ways that the Marin Rose Society can share some of our fundraising proceeds within the Marin community. While our pruning program has come to a close, the preparations for our Annual Rose Show are gearing up for another wonderful rose show. The event will be back at the newly remodeled Northgate Mall. In addition to a wonderful rose show, we also plan to stress educational aspects of growing and exhibiting roses, with special emphasis on educating and entertainment of children. Attracting younger members and working with children to educate them about the wonders of gardening and the special treats of growing roses is something I would like to achieve. I m also proud to announce that our newsletter, The Marin Rose was awarded the Honorable Mention award by the American Rose Society s 2009 Bulletin/Newsletter contest. Special thanks to our wonderful 2009 editors, Joan Goff and Lydia Treadway, for a job well done. The American Rose Society is offering a trial membership program. This is a four-month membership for only $10 - $5 if you are a member of the Marin Rose Society. Trial members can take advantage of all the benefits that are extended to full members, including discounts, and free or discounted admission to more than 200 gardens and arboretums across the United States. Two issues of the beautiful American Rose magazine are also included with the trail membership, and with a cover price of $8 it is bargain! To take advantage of this offer, call or visit Be sure to mention you are part of the Marin Rose Society as we will get a membership credit from ARS. Spring is just around the corner, and I know that many of you are looking forward to getting out of the house and to seek new adventures. There is an Old Rose Seminar called Forgotten Roses: Collection, Preservation, and Identification, presented by the North Coast Heritage Rose Group on Saturday, March 20, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at Garden Valley Ranch, in Petaluma. The seminar is free, and the speakers are Jeri & Clay Jennings, and Cass Bernstein. If you are still looking for that hard-to-find rose on your wish list, you might try locating it on Helpmefind, at The site includes nearly 50,000 plants, more than 100,000 photos, and information on selecting, buying, breeding, caring for and exhibiting roses. Well worth a look! I would like to wish you all a happy and warm spring. Don Program Notes On February 9th Theresa Lyngso, owner of Lnygso Garden Materials, Inc. in Redwood City, gave a very informative and in depth slide presentation on Living Soil, Strong Plants, Clean Water, Healthy Animals and People. Being a Master Gardener and Master Composter, Terry explained how to enhance your native soil with mulch and compost to promote micro organisms developing a living soil to enhance the growth of roses, annuals and vegetables. On March 9th Barbara Shula, a Consulting Rosarian in the Redwood Empire Rose Society, will be presenting, Growing Roses with IPM Methods. Integrated Pest Management practices are becoming more widely used to promote a healthy garden. Barbara will discuss how to identify pests and how to attract their natural enemies to promote a healthy sustainable garden environment without using chemical pesticides. This is sure to be a very interesting presentation with information we can all use. The Marin Rose 4 March 2010

5 Rose Care for March It s Tea Time for Your Roses! By John Goldsmith, Consulting Rosarian This simple recipe is all you need to fertilize your precious roses. We have been using it with very good results at the Marin Rose Society s public rose garden in Ross, Calif. This organic compost tea (no synthetics!) uses such ingredients as alfalfa pellets, liquefied fish and seaweed fertilizers, Epsom salts and water. Information on where to buy these items appears below, followed by the recipe. Where to buy A 50-pound bag of alfalfa pellets can be purchased for about $15 from an animal feed store such as Arena in Novato. Pellets are a whole lot cheaper than the alfalfa meal that you see at the garden center. Make sure the pellets do not contain molasses or sugar (which may attract ants) or the alfalfa containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or enriched with vitamins. Alfalfa assists in new growth; it provides nitrogen. Marin Rose Society s roses thriving on John s recipe! Fish and seaweed liquid fertilizers can be bought at most nurseries. Make sure both fertilizers are the liquefied version. Neptune and Maxicrop brands are approved by the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP) and Our Water-Our World agencies. For Marin County retailers, try Sloat Garden Center, Green Jean Garden Supply in Mill Valley or O Donnell s Fairfax Nursery. Use plain Epsom salts that can be found at most pharmacies. Use is optional, though, and is needed only once or twice a year depending on salt content in soil. Native Bay Area soils are known to be naturally high in salt, so have your soil type tested by a lab to better understand its mineral content. Epsom salts assist in healthy canes and strong root development. Putting it together This inexpensive steeped tea is nontoxic, easy to apply and is packed with microorganisms that are good for the plant and the soil and can be used throughout your garden. Your roses will love you for it! 10 Cups alfalfa pellets (animal feed grade) 1 Cup liquefied fish fertilizer (Maxicrop or Neptune brand) 1 Cup liquefied seaweed fertilizer (Maxicrop or Neptune brand) 1/4 Cup Epsom salts (optional) 1 bungee cord (optional) 1 trash can with lid (33-gallon; clean, leak proof) Pour all ingredients into a trash can that is on stable ground near the area to be fertilized. Add water from the garden hose on full-blast, filling to the top of can. The water pressure will help break down and mix oxygen with the materials. Secure trash-can lid tightly, perhaps with a bungee cord to keep out curious visitors such as raccoons. Steep the tea at least 24 hours but no longer than four days. Occasionally stir with a shovel or a paddle to mix oxygen with the ingredients to prevent the tea from becoming anaerobic. This liquid gold will have a distinct, earthy odor that The Marin Rose 5 March 2010

6 will dissipate within a day or two. The fermented concoction will show a foamy consistency and will be slightly warm in temperature; it is now ready to use. The best time to apply it is in late March for the first-bloom cycle and then again in mid-to-late summer to replace missing nutrients and to promote new roses for the duration of the year. Be sure to irrigate your plants before applying the tea. Damp soil allows for an easier and more efficient nutrient uptake. Use 1 gallon per plant, pouring slowly for each rosebush and avoiding runoff. Use less for miniature roses or roses in pots. To avoid getting leaves wet, apply to earth directly at the base of plant. Any leftover sediment (at the bottom of the can) can be distributed around the garden. So, enjoy the green foliage, lush bloom cycles and healthy, vigorous plants! I would love to see some personal before and after photos of your roses. me at johngoldsmith@earthlink.net. Lastly, for more rose related information, visit Good Luck! All photos by John Goldsmith AWARDS AND WINNERS! By Joan Goff, Consulting Rosarian We have been blessed in the Marin Rose Society and in the NCNH district. In the last couple of weeks, winners have been announced for a variety of 2009 American Rose Society contests. And, in our society, we have been responsible for eight of those winners! First, Gail Trimble, co-editor of this publication and rosarian extraordinaire, won Queen of District Websites for the NCNH District Website! That is, the best in the country! Congratulations Gail! Second, The Criterion, the newsletter for our district, tied for the Gold medal for district newsletters. Again, the best district newsletter in the country. Congratulations to Linda and Ted Burg, editors. Next, our publication, The Marin Rose, won Honorable Mention for newsletters in Class B (newsletters that are over 8 pages long). Congratulations to Lydia Treadway and Joan Goff! This was their first year of co editing the newsletter. Gary and Janet Scales won two awards in the 2009 ARS photography contest the list of winners will appear in the next American Rose. In class 9 (Abstract and Impressionism), Gary won first place with his photo. In class 7 (photo of a standard size arrangement, following the American Rose Society Guidelines for Judging Rose Arrangements) it was Janet s hand that created this beautiful bouquet and Gary s photograph of it that captured them the fourth place winner. Wow! Gary also received an Award of Merit for his article, Old Roses in California, printed originally in The Marin Rose. Nanette Londeree won two Award of Merit awards for Is Sustainable Rose Gardening a Possibility?, and Getting to Know the Garden Good Guys, both also published in The Marin Rose. And Darrell g.h. Schramm, won an Award of Merit for Two Doctors in the Garden, also published in The Marin Rose. We are very proud to have so many winners in our rose society. Congratulations to all! To see a complete list of all the winners, go to the ARS website at and click on ARS Announces 2009 Winners. The Marin Rose 6 March 2010

7 Marin Rose Society 2010 Monthly Rose Show Schedule 1. HYBRID TEA or GRANDIFLORA - ONE BLOOM (One exhibition bloom per stem, disbudded) 2. HYBRID TEA OR GRANDIFLORA SPRAY (Two or more blooms per stem) 3. FLORIBUNDA - ONE BLOOM (One bloom per stem) 4. FLORIBUNDA SPRAY (Two or more blooms per stem) 5. MINIATURE - ONE BLOOM (One exhibition bloom per stem, disbudded) 6. MINIATURE SPRAY (Two or more blooms per stem) 7. MINIATURE - FULLY OPEN (Disbudded miniature, one stem, one bloom, stamens must show) 8. MINIFLORA - ONE BLOOM (One exhibition bloom per stem, disbudded) 9. MINIFLORA SPRAY (Two or more blooms per stem) 10. MINIFLORA - FULLY OPEN (Disbudded miniature, one stem, one bloom, stamens must show) 11. OLD GARDEN ROSE (With or without side buds. One bloom per stem, or spray) 12. MODERN SHRUBS INCLUDING DAVID AUSTIN S ENGLISH ROSES (With or without side buds. One bloom per stem, or spray) 13. CLASSIC SHRUBS - SHRUBS FROM THE HYBRID MUSK, HYBRID RUGOSA, HYBRID KORDESII, AND HYBRID MOYESII CLASSES (With or without side buds. One bloom per stem, or spray) 14. CLIMBERS (One bloom per stem, or spray, with or without side buds. Must have "LCL" or "HWICH" in ARS Handbook) 15. FRAGRANCE (Any rose, one bloom per stem, judged on fragrance only) 16. FULLY OPEN ROSE (Any rose except miniatures and minifloras, one stem, one bloom, stamens must show) 17. POLYANTHA SPRAY (Two or more blooms per stem) 18. HYBRID TEA or GRANDIFLORA in CLEAR GLASS BOWL (Exhibition bloom in proper size bowl) 19. MINIATURE IN CLEAR GLASS BOWL ( Exhibition bloom in proper size bowl) 20. MINIFLORA IN CLEAR GLASS BOWL ( Exhibition bloom in proper size bowl) 21. ANY OTHER ROSE IN CLEAR GLASS BOWL 22. MULTIPLE BLOOMS IN A BOWL (Any type of rose or mix of roses, no foliage, at exhibition stage that is typical of the variety. Blooms are to float in a clear container. Roses must be correctly named on entry tag.) 23. HI-LO-CHALLENGE (Two specimens at exhibition stage of a larger rose and a smaller rose, matched for form, color, and degree of openness exhibited in separate containers.) 24. NOVICE CLASS (Any rose, one bloom per stem or spray. Open to exhibitors who have not won three (3) First Place ribbons in any other class or combination of classes. Eligible for Best in Show. All other Classes are open to Novices.) 25. BOUQUET (Minimum of five (5) stems, any combination of varieties. Listing of varieties preferred but not necessary) 26. ARRANGEMENT (Points and ribbons are not awarded for this class. All are encouraged to enter and learn arrangement. A theme may be announced as we develop our skills in this classification.) Only members of the Marin Rose Society in good standing may participate in the monthly Rose Show. Only clear vases will be allowed for exhibition Classes 1 through 23. Vases may be purchased for a nominal charge from the Marin Rose Society. Arrangements, Class 24, may be displayed in any type of vase. Only three (3) entries per class are permitted, each must be a different variety from the exhibitor's own garden.. Entry of more than 3 roses per class will not receive points or ribbons. Specimens will be judged alphabetically according to American Rose Society Judging Rules. All classes are open to Novices. The Second Vice President, who is in charge of the Monthly Rose Show, may participate in exhibiting. First Place 5 points, Second 3 points, Third 1 point, and Honorable Mention may be awarded in each class as merited. Ten (10) points will be awarded for BEST OF SHOW. The Court will consist of four roses and will be awarded five (5) points each. The MARIN ROSE SOCIETY PERPETUAL TROPHY will be awarded for Sweepstakes, most points for the year. The HARRY STEBBINGS PERPETUAL TROPHY will be awarded to the Sweepstakes runner-up. The NOVICE KEEPER TROPHY will be awarded to the New Member (who joined the Marin Rose Society this year or the previous one) with the most points. The Marin Rose 7 March 2010

8 How to Make Money for Your Rose Society, Get New Members and Make New Friends OR Put on a Pruning Fundraiser! By Joan Goff, Consulting Rosarian The Marin Rose Society has just completed their very successful second rose pruning fundraiser and I want to share how it can be done with any rose society. We learned how to have a pruning fundraiser from Butte Rose Society in Chico, Ca. 2 years ago at a NCNH District meeting. In December 2008, we began advertising in our local paper to get local folk to call us if they wanted us to prune their roses. In January 2009, we pruned about 65 gardens with about 20 pruner-members. Marin County spreads itself over some distance and we also we have gardens up and down the mountain (Mount Tamalpais, about 2600 feet). We grouped pruner-members together according to where they live and went out each Wednesday and Saturday in January In 2009 we made $5600. for our efforts. We were lucky to be able to prune each and every Wednesday and Saturday in 2009, although it is rare in Marin not to have buckets of rainfall in January. At the end of the fundraiser, we treated everyone who pruned to a lovely luncheon at a local restaurant. With our monies gained, we were able to have monies to continue our exceptional monthly programs and to offset our expenses for our award winning, beautiful newsletter. We learned a lot with our first effort. First, we knew that in the future, we needed to have one CR in each group to answer questions on pruning or rose horticulture. Most people are very excited to have a group of happy people come to their garden, watch them prune and even answer questions. If you don t have a dedicated CR to talk to the homeowner, then it takes one pruner away from the pruning and usually the pruning takes longer. Many of our CR s are only too happy to not prune (some of them can t prune any more other than in their own gardens because of injury to the hand). This person is also in charge of counting the roses and filling out the bill, collecting the check or cash and rating the garden. They will also write carefully in a receipt book (which allows us to give the customer a receipt and with a duplicate left in the book for us to have a record), how many roses are in the garden and break them down according to price. In 2009, we charged a basic charge of $4.00 per bush with climbers or oversize bushes just slightly more. This was based on what we thought Butte Rose Society had told us. Later, we found out that the $4.00 price was for roses that had already been pruned previously by the society. Otherwise it was a $5.00 per bush charge. The minimum charge per garden/household was $40.00 (even for 2 bushes). This year we priced somewhat higher as we felt many of the gardens last year took much longer than the average bush. Many had not been pruned in years and some climbers could take over 2 hours with 2 pruners! For a first time client, we charged $5.00 per bush, unless it was oversized or a climber. Then it was priced anywhere from $10.00 to $40.00 per bush. Most clients are so happy to have all of their roses done in one day. No one has complained about the prices we have charged. Almost all want us to come back the next year. So you can see that it becomes easier each year to organize. In December, we have callers who call all of the previous year s clients. We have decided that next year we will stick to a determined cutoff date and not exceed a 90 garden amount. Rating the garden? This was new this year as our gardens vary greatly in difficulty. Some are on very sloping ground, either up or down. Some have roses planted with other perennials surrounding them or ivy. The CR put a number code on the duplicate copy of the receipt from one to five. One meant the garden was super easy, easy to access, easy to prune and usually a level garden. Five meant that the roses were planted on sloping ground, difficult to prune (sometimes I had to sit on the ground, (very wet this year) in order to prune. They may also have extremely large roses and perhaps they have not been pruned for years. All of this is taken into account on the number given. The basic reason for doing this is to alert the team captain what to expect the next year. The Marin Rose 8 March 2010

9 Lenore Ruckman, Don Chapman, Alan Petersen and Frank Treadway pruning the Scales garden I also put in the time it took us to prune and the number of pruners in the group that day. We have many large rose gardens here in Marin and sometimes we put two or three groups together to be able to prune a garden in one day. We try to work from 9:30 am to about 2:30 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Some members can only prune one day a week and some both days. We usually meet and carpool to the garden(s). Here in Mill Valley, some of the gardens have space for one or two cars! Not easy. This year our statistics are even better. This year we pruned over 100 gardens in about six weeks. We did have our days of buckets of rainfall and some days we pruned in the rain and at least once had to cancel for the whole day. We had more pruner-members this year and had enough for 5 teams with a captain and a CR attached to each team. And, you ask, how much did we make this year? How about over 11k! Is that amazing or what? But I haven t even written about the best benefit of all. The best benefit of all is getting to know your fellow members and spending a whole day with them. This repeats itself over and over as we usually have about 8 to 10 pruning days in all. With your group you end up talking about your favorite roses, or one learns about each person s favorite tools, and generally becoming close friends in a way that doesn t happen in a rose society meeting. I urge every rose society to try this special way of fundraising. It doesn t cost anything to complete. It is donated love of roses that allows each person to donate time to our society and go out to educate others about roses. This year we are going to fund a scholarship program with some of our money. We are fortunate to have a Junior College here in our County and one with a new organic garden and greenhouse. It is exciting to be able to contribute to our County in this new way. We will also celebrate at our second annual pruning fundraiser luncheon with great food and prizes! Photo by Barbara Picarelli The Marin Rose 9 March 2010

10 If I Only Had Three By Barbara Picarelli, Master Rosarian Peter Herbert may be a fairly new member of our rose Society but he is not new to rose growing. His late parents, Dr. Charles and Mary Herbert were members of both San Francisco Rose Society and Golden Gate Rose Society. Dr. Herbert, with the help of other members of the San Francisco Rose Society, wrote the popular book Growing Roses in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was first published in 1975 (and at that time sold for $2.50). Peter started as a small child helping his father with his roses. His first job was to water the bushes. Later he helped hold the new plant while his father prepared the soil and the hole for the new rose. He also remembers that he had to haul manure from the car to the rose garden at his father s Stinson Beach rose garden. Dr. Herbert also did research on chemical sprays and always recommended using only ½ the dosage that was recommended by the manufacturer. In addition, his dad also grew roses in hydroponics and won many medals and ribbons with roses grown in this unusual medium. Both Charles and Mary entered rose arrangement classes and Charles also entered roses in the horticultural classes. Peter graduated from Cal Poly with a BS degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Soil Science and is a Horticultural Contractor specializing in roses. He was the head gardener at the Berkeley Rose Garden with over 2000 roses for almost seven years. He was a member of the East Bay Rose Society for 5 years and served as President, VP, Secretary and other positions on the board. Are we glad he moved to Marin in 2004 and became a member of our society in 2009? Peter currently grows his roses in pots, and has 9 bushes on his deck. He said that because he helps home owners with their roses as a landscape contractor, he has been able to enjoy many varieties over the years, so having only a few is not problematic. He grows them at a home high up off Panoramic highway in Mill Valley. His deck is set high up in a beautiful redwood and flowering tree grove, a gorgeous setting. The area is prone to high winds, but the deck is on the leeward side of the Mt Tamalpais, as well as slightly above the fog line, but it is a cool climate. He has no problem with deer since they can't get on the deck but he does have some problems with raccoons. He uses kelp, maxsea and alfalfa for his fertilizer routine. He doesn't spray. Marchesa Boccella His favorite roses are Jacques Cartier (now known as Marchesa Boccella for ARS exhibition purposes), an old hybrid perpetual, in a light pink shade, with repeat flowering. The blooms are often 3 inches across, quartered and very fragrant. An upright sturdy shrub, it grows to 4-5 feet, with light green foliage, which deepens to a darker green with age. It dates back to 1842, is hybridized by Deprez, and has unknown parentage. The ARS garden rating is 9.1. Mister Lincoln was an easy choice for both color and fragrance. A hybrid tea in a dark, velvety red, it was hybridized in 1964 by Swim and Weeks. This rose has urn shaped buds that open out to 4-6 inch dark red fragrant blooms, with 35 petals and dark green leathery foliage. It tends to have tall growth and also comes in a climbing form. Parents are Chrysler Imperial x Charles Mallerin. The ARS garden rating is 8.3. The Marin Rose 10 March 2010

11 Peter s last choice is Royal Sunset, a large-flowered climber that grows in the Berkeley Rose Garden. An apricot blend, hybridized in 1960 by Dr. Dennison Morey, it can be a very large climber. The buds are large with blooms in the 4-5 inch range and a petal count of 20. Blooms are borne both singly and in groups, with a moderately fruity fragrance. Foliage is leathery, the canes have many prickles, and it has vigorous upright growth to 6 foot or more. The Mister Lincoln parents of Royal Sunset were Sungold x Sutter's Gold, and it won the Gold Medal in Portland in The ARS garden rating is 8.9. Royal Sunset Photo of Peter Herbert by Barbara Picarelli, photo of Marchesa Boccella by Baldo Villegas, photo of Mister Lincoln from and photo of Royal Sunset by Joan Goff. Sacramento Historic City Cemetery Annual Open Garden Experience the splendor of heritage roses in a unique 19 th century setting Saturday, April 17, :30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Open Garden -- Historic Rose Garden Sacramento Historic City Cemetery Free parking in lot across Broadway Free tours and admission Fund-raiser sales of historic roses The Sacramento Historic Rose Garden will be in full bloom for the annual Open Garden from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, April 17, Join one of the free tours of the beautiful roses, and visit the perennial and California native plant gardens, all within the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery, 10th Street and Broadway, Sacramento, CA Sale of historic roses and rose-related merchandise, a raffle and a silent auction will raise funds for maintenance of the rose garden. The Heritage Rose Group, the Old City Cemetery Committee and the City of Sacramento sponsor the event. FROM: CONTACT: An exciting opportunity for plant lovers of all types to socialize The Old City Cemetery Committee Inc Broadway, Sacramento, CA Barbara Oliva (916) , boliva@macnexus.org Old City Cemetery Committee, Inc. A 501(C)(3) Non-Profit Corporation - Tax ID # Broadway + Sacramento, California, Tel: (916) Fax: (916) info@oldcitycemetery.com The Marin Rose 11 March 2010

12 What s Bugging You?- More Leaves By Nanette Londeree, Master Rosarian Spring is in the air, and roses are bursting with new life, cloaked in succulent new foliage. Undamaged and unblemished, this tender young growth has an appeal all its own. Sporting vibrant shades of green and red, from buffy olive to jade green, and Bordeaux red to pansy purple, it changes daily as the delicate leaves unfurl and grow. As the season progresses, besides the proverbial May flowers, your pristine foliage may exhibit some other, unexpected attributes a speckled rusty orange-splattered, black-spotted or yellow marbled look, or twisted and deformed, thin and spindly forms. So what s bugging your leaves now? Plants, whether cultivated or wild, generally grow best when the soil provides them with adequate nutrients and moisture, sufficient light reaches their leaves, and the temperature stays within a "normal" range. However, like people and pets, plants can get sick, and the agents similar to those that cause disease in people can do the same to plants. A broad definition of plant disease is anything that damages plant health. Infectious disease is produced by living organisms - most commonly bacteria, fungi, nematodes, viruses and protozoa. Disease resulting from one of these causal agents or pathogens is termed a biotic disease. The major diseases that plague roses are caused by fungi and the three common ones that affect roses (and many other types of plants) during periods of rainy weather are anthracnose, blackspot and rust. A great number of plant maladies aren t caused by any type of living creature, but instead by non-living factors, and are described as physiological disorders or abiotic diseases or disorders. Abiotic disorders may be a result of a single extreme environmental event like one of our scorching, triple-digit summer days, or an ongoing condition like lack of water. The major causes of abiotic disorders are: Nutrient deficiencies and excesses - the absence or unavailability of an essential nutrient to a plant (think chlorosis from lack of available iron) or too much of a particular nutrient or mineral (leaf tip dieback from over fertilizing). Temperature extremes - air temperatures that are either too high or low. Water extremes - too little water can result in wilting, discoloration of leaves and premature leaf drop; too much water deprives roots of oxygen - the plant may show signs of chlorosis or have small, thin or dying foliage. Light extremes - excess light can fade the color of blooms, while too little can result in spindly growth as plants stretch for available light. Herbicide damage - Exposure to herbicides produces cupped, curled, or chlorotic leaves, small leaves, or necrosis of the entire plant. The herbicide type and the dosage to the plant determine which symptoms appear and their severity. Mechanical damage - Plants can be torn, cut, crushed, chewed, sliced or punctured from wind, animals, lawn mowers and weed whackers, the errant gardener or a myriad of other possibilities. The nature and magnitude of the damage is relative to both the type of plant and the cause of the damage. As you savor the beauty of your new spring foliage, be on the lookout for damage so that you can take any needed action early. The Marin Rose 12 March 2010

13 Photos courtesy of Baldo Villegas website at The Marin Rose 13 March 2010

14 Calendar for Upcoming Events Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Monthly Meeting 7:30 pm Livermore Room MAGC Saturday, March 27, 2010 NCNH District Business Meeting followed by one point CR Seminar (open to all that are interested) Hosted by Monterey Bay Rose Society Watsonville, CA Tuesday, April 13, 2010 Monthly Meeting 7:30 pm Livermore Room MAGC Upcoming Gardening Events March 20, 2010, A winter Seminar at Garden Valley Ranch: Forgotten Roses - Collection, Preservation, Identification, 498 Pepper Road, Petaluma. Starts at 10:00 a.m.- bring a bag lunch and drinks will be provided. No charge. For more information call (707) Please register by ing Alice Flores at: aflores@mcn.org. March 24-28, 2010, San Francisco Flower and Garden Show Go to for details. Lydia Treadway Realtor (415) Bradley Real Estate The Marin Rose 14 March 2010

15 Rose of the Month Chihuly By Lydia Treadway This rose was selected to honor America s famous glass artisan, Dale Chihuly. It had to have impeccable style and a changing arrangement of flashy colors. The Chihuly rose has it all! As the sun hits the opening petals, they shimmer from apricot yellow to dazzling orange and deep red. The upper red petals sometimes show subtle striping. This floribunda produces a remarkable Chihuly from my garden display against the deep dark green leaves and mahogany-red new growth. I have one standard tree rose in my garden. These beautiful blooms just float in space parading a changing array of flashy colors. Enjoy this healthy, disease resistant floribunda. Remove spent blooms to encourage re-bloom. I just love this rose. *Bred: By Tom Carruth (United States, 2004). Introduced in United States in 2004 by *Bloom: Orange and yellow. Mild tea fragrance. Average diameter 4". Medium to large, double (17-25 petals), in small clusters; continuous bloom throughout the season. *Habit: Medium, bushy; glossy dark green foliage. Height 39" to 47" *Rating: ARS 7.5 Dale Chihuly s Persian Ceiling Photos by Lydia Treadway The Marin Rose 15 March 2010

16 MARIN ROSE SOCIETY 724 Rowland Blvd. Novato, CA Have a Question? Contact a Consulting Rosarian Dorothy Arnold, Fairfax Rndarnold@aol.com Vivien Bronshvag, Kentfield vivlrb@aol.com Joan Goff, Mill Valley joanegoff@yahoo.com John Goldsmith, San Francisco johngoldsmith@earthlink.net Maureen Groper, San Anselmo samaureen@comcast.net Paula Jaffe, Tiburon paulajaffe@comcast.net Barbara Lanoy Picarelli*, Novato bjlpster@gmail.com Nanette Londeree*, Novato Rosienan@aol.com Betty Mott, Mill Valley mottbetty@gmail.com Mary Polizzi, San Rafael Lenore Ruckman*, San Rafael CMR3X7@aol.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 *Master Rosarian