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FROM THE EDITOR |
Where I live, we are going through one of the wettest winters in recent memory. We're not even through what, traditionally, is the wettest part of our rainy season and we have had over 34 inches already; nearly four times our normal precipitation! For a coastal desert ecosystem, that's alot of water.
To put a finer point on it, Southern California has a true Mediterranean climate, with cool, somewhat wet winters and warm dry summers. And that’s about all the seasonal change we're used to. Our region also follows an approximate 14-year cycle of drought and rain, and for some time, we've been suffering through the long seven years of drought: dry, warm air (even through sizable portions of the winter), and lower than normal rains.
Now, we've apparently broken free of the drought. The "Pineapple Express" is here, and it’s nice to have this surplus to recharge the local aquifers. Unfortunately, once our soils saturate, there are nasty side affects to contend with. Landslides, top-heavy trees collapsing, loss of home, building, and property. But then, that's the nature of Nature; no matter where you live.
All the weeks of rain have played havoc with our rose pruning. With the current storm, it now looks like we'll be lucky to complete the pruning by the first of March; though I must say the newly-planted bareroot roses are loving their introduction to my garden!
One bright spot this winter was the fifth annual Great Rosarians of the World Lecture, honoring Peter Harkness. Each year, on the fourth Sunday in January, The Huntington Rose Garden invites a major figure of the rose world to present a lecture on their life’s work. - {SEE photo slideshow and picture pages by clicking on these thumbnail images} - When we first suggested late January for a rose lecture, many thought it an odd time of year to celebrate roses. In our region, the roses are dormant and pruned and, to many, it just did not seem like a good time to hold a rose event. But that was the point: once the pruning was finished and there were no other rose activities crowding the schedule, it truly is the perfect time to get together and honor one of the greats of our global community of roselovers.
This year’s honoree, Peter Harkness, descends from a long line of nurserymen and rosegrowers. The family first started in the nursery trade in the North of England in the 1870s and, in one form or another, there has been a Harkness producing roses for the retail trade ever since.
Talk about English Roses! This is a family that has been producing just that for over 135 years. Any large public rose collection is bound to house more than a few Harkness roses. While not a household name, Harkness has produced some of the most dependable garden and climbing roses over the years.
In 1948 Peter joined his brother Jack working for their uncle's rose nursery in Hitchin and, together, they began a lifelong collaboration which produced some truly great 'English Roses,' with over 500 awards for new varieties over the years. After his brother's retirement in 1977, Peter took over as Managing Director and continued the breeding program until his own retirement in 1989.
Peter's lecture covered his family's involvement in the nursery and rose industry, from the 1879 founding of the first Harkness nursery, in Yorkshire, England, to the first year's crop of lupin grown from seed which sold at local markets bringing in a phenomenal profit of over 1,100% over the cost of the original seed! Much better than working with their father in the tailor shop.
Through World Wars and world recognition as a rose expert, from hybridization triumphs to British Flower Show awards, Peter's charming and witty talk was an absolutely fascinating history of a life lived to its fullest in every respect. It was an opportunity of a lifetime to host Peter and his wife Margaret for this year's event.
This year, we expanded the series to include a photographic exhibit focusing on one of the world's truly grand gardens. For our first exhibit, we chose to honor Professor Gianfranco Fineschi's Roseto Botanico "Carla Fineschi" in Cavriglia, Italy. Home of what is probably the largest private collection of roses in the world, the Roseto di Cavriglia truly deserves the title "World Resource" of botany. The "Grand Gardens of the Rose World" exhibit included a large photographic display and a hugely popular multimedia presentation. Most of the photographic material was generated and submitted by the exhibit's Guest Curator, Marily Young, who had wonderful stories and information to share with our attendees.
Founded by Professor Gianfranco Fineschi nearly 30 years ago, the Roseto is located in the valley of the Valdarno; equidistant between Florence, Siena, and Arezzo. Professor Fineschi chose to arrange his garden in a scientific manor, along the lines of a classical botanical garden, as a living museum with nearly 7,000 rose species and hybrids. So many rare and nearly extinct roses are housed in the Roseto that the World Federation of Rose Societies' Specialized Committee on Conservation has been working with the Roseto's staff to facilitate the exchange and propagation of rare and endangered species and cultivars with the goal of ensuring their survival.
During the two-day event, over 300 attendees participated in viewing the Grand Gardens photo exhibit, California Gold Banquet, and Great Rosarians of the World Annual Lecture.
You might consider marking your calendar for Sunday, January 29, 2006 when the Huntington Rose Garden will host the Sixth Great Rosarians of the World Annual Lecture. Check in regularly for upcoming announcements covering our next honoree.
Until next time,
Enjoy the Site!
Clair
FROM THE EDITOR |
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