subROSA FORUM Letters Between Members |
A Letter Received From the Son & Daughter of Rae Chambers, Editor of the Heritage Rose Group's Newsletter
Dear recipients,
If you have sent anything here since June 2003, it has unfortunately not been attended to, as you have probably already figured out. The reason for this was that my mother was battling cancer and did not have the time and energy to work with the computer. Unfortunately, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2004, she lost her battle.
A memorial for her will be held in her garden, located at: 705 N. Holmes St., State College, PA, on June 5, 2004, from 1 PM to ???. It is open to all who would like to attend. If anyone is interested in making a donation in memorial of Rae it should be directed to the Centre County Historical Society, 1001 E. College Ave., State College, PA 16801 (814-234-4779). Emails, regular mail, and phone messages will be responded to through this address, although we will only be checking them on a weekly basis. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please be assured that things have been resolved in the best way possible for Rae, and her garden shall continue through the efforts of her family and friends.
Sincerely,
Scot Chambers (her son) & Susan Bellew (her daughter)
BERMUDA ROSE SOCIETY CELEBRATES ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY
ON APRIL 2ND, 2004, THE BERMUDA ROSE SOCIETY WILL BE MARKING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY. FESTIVITIES WILL BE HELD WITH A CELEBRATORY BANQUET FOR MEMBERS AND GUESTS ON FRIDAY, APRIL 16, FOLLOWED BY A MORNING OF LECTURES ON APRIL 17TH BY WELL-KNOWN INTERNATIONAL ROSARIANS WHICH WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. ONE OF THE BRS' AIMS IS TO SPREAD THE LOVE OF ROSES. THE GROUP OF BERMUDIANS WHO FOUNDED THE BRS WERE PIONEERS IN RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE OLD ROSES WHICH HAVE STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. MAY THE BRS BE AN INSPIRATION TO OTHERS.
Liesbeth Cooper liesbeth@northrock.bm
25 February 2004
Bermuda Rose Society
Tuppy Cooper
'Houston House' 9 Morgan Road
Warwick PG 01
Bermuda
Dear Members of the Bermuda Rose Society,
Congratulations to you on your 50th Anniversary!
My first contact with the Bermuda Rose Society was at the World Federation of Rose Societies held in Toronto, Canada in 1985, where I was introduced to your publication, Old Garden Roses in Bermuda. This book opened my eyes (and many others) to the truly rich heritage of old garden roses preserved in Bermuda's gardens.
Your Society can take great pride in your mission of identifying, conserving, and propagating the wonderful collection of roses growing on your islands. Few plant societies have had such dedication to their mission and maintained their goals over the years. The Bermuda Rose Society is an outstanding example of what a dedicated group of volunteers can accomplish.
I have been privileged to visit your islands twice: first in May of 1986, when I presented a program at the Annual General Meeting; and in January of 1987, when I was asked to speak at the World Federation of Rose Societies Regional Meeting.
I cherish memories from those visits and continue to apply rose propagation techniques I learned at your Tulo Valley propagation facility. I am only sorry that my schedule prevents me from celebrating with you.
Roselovers worldwide look to your Society as a shining example of what can be done if we just have the drive and motivation that you have demonstrated over the past fifty years. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Clair Martin
From Pat Toolan
Hi Clair,
Just thought I would let you know that Mike Shoup has asked me to present a program at his Autumn Rose Festival on the weekend of November 6th/7th this year.
I will head straight to London to see a daughter and from there to Denver (I hope), Dallas to catch up with some of the Yellow Rosers and then to Brenham.
After my time there I thought I would call in at San Francisco for a few days and then leave the States via LA. I see only an overnight in LA.
I am still finalising plans for this trip.
Warm regards,
Pat
And
Hi Clair,
Just been invited by the New Orleans Old Garden Rose Society to speak on 2nd November! Guess who is a little up in the air.
Regards,
Pat
* COMMENTS ON ISSUE 7 FROM READERS *
The new configuration (for a lack of a better term) is terrific! It is bookmarked and we wait for the next issue.
I particularly enjoyed the Cut Flowers Guide information. I had no idea that website existed and am really happy to know it is there. I will order their books!
Thanks for all your hard work to bring us a terrific publication!
Lainnie Capouya
V.P. San Marino Garden Club
Hi Clair,
Just a little feedback. Currently, for the past few days, I have been unable to be on-line (server problems) and so if I had the PDF version, I would at least be able to see it and print it out. I do not understand computer things very much. As much as I appreciate your efforts to create this new version and website, for me, right now, it is a no go. Hopefully, for me, this is a temporary situation.
Personally, I like mail and paper, and books, much better than all this computer stuff !!
Oh well........happy gardening!
Maria
Editor:
Unfortunately, the three P's, paper, printing, and postage all cost a great deal of money, and that is something we are in short supply of currently. We designed the eJournal to take advantage of this new electronic medium, both in order to have a more instantaneous interaction with our membership and to minimize those publishing costs!
Dear Clair
Thank you for continuing to update us here at Filoli. I really enjoy reading the E Journal and it is wonderful to read about rose gardens all over the world.
I had no trouble opening the web site and opening the different sections of the site. You are doing a great service for all of us with roses in public garden management.
Lucy Tolmach
Filoli
From Mel Husle
>At last, it's here!
Just finished reading it. Great job. No need for any caveats!
I hope that before the next issue, I should be able to give you info on the
Heritage Rose Foundation Conference in the San Francisco Bay Area in May 2005.
Truly enjoyed GRotW with Roger & Martyn. Keep 'em comming!
Clair,
Thanks for the copy of the last issue. I had no trouble downloading it and found it quite interesting. I will look forward to future issues.
I felt the article on rose rosette was overly optimistic in its view of the possibilities of various types of garden roses acquiring the disease. St. Louis is heavily infested and all types of roses are at risk. For instance, my daughter planted three hybrid teas as her first rose garden and two of them had rosette by the end of the year. I have lost two miniatures to the disease recently. Some rosarians in our area have lost 50% of their plants in a two year period and the city lost literally hundreds of Meidilland shrub roses. The Missouri Botanical Garden had such a problem they dug out all the hundreds of roses in one of their main rose gardens and started over with new plants. It is a major threat to rose gardening in this country if we don't find an answer.
What is your rule on reprinting one of your articles? I am editor of our local rose society newsletter and I think our members would be interested in reading one from time to time.
Thanks,
Phil Schorr
Dear Clair,
I would like to pass on my congratulations to Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix on being honoured at the Great Rosarians of the World IV Annual Lecture Series.
Both men have been mentors in my life with roses and irises.
My love of old roses has been fostered by the books "Roses" and "Quest for the Rose" and saw me awarded a Churchill Fellowship which enabled me to travel to parts of the world to see the trends and strategies in saving old roses for future generations.
In 1989 I bought the book "Bulbs" which introduced me to the great beauty of the aril irises. I knew I had to try sourcing seed and growing them when I saw the photograph of Iris iberica ssp elegantissima growing in what I considered to be similar climatic conditions to what we experience here in South Australia.
I joined the Aril Society International and now 15 years later I have recently become the President of that society - the first non American and the first woman President.
And so I say "Thank you Roger and Martyn for your influence in my life."
Warm regards,
Pat Toolan
Clair,
Thanks for the copy of the last issue. I had no trouble downloading it and found it quite interesting. I will look forward to future issues.
I felt the article on rose rosette was overly optimistic in its view of the possibilities of various types of garden roses acquiring the disease. St. Louis is heavily infested and all types of roses are at risk. For instance, my daughter planted three hybrid teas as her first rose garden and two of them had rosette by the end of the year. I have lost two miniatures to the disease recently. Some rosarians in our area have lost 50% of their plants in a two year period and the city lost literally hundreds of Meidilland shrub roses. The Missouri Botanical Garden had such a problem they dug out all the hundreds of roses in one of their main rose gardens and started over with new plants. It is a major threat to rose gardening in this country if we don't find an answer.
What is your rule on reprinting one of your articles? I am editor of our local rose society newsletter and I think our members would be interested in reading one from time to time.
Thanks,
Phil Schorr
Phil,
Thanks for your feed-back, we don't have a problem with rose rosette here yet so it is a new situation here in Southern California. I grew up in Kansas City and remember plant out Rosa multiflora seedlings as erosion control and game shelter!
You have my permission to reprint articles from the eJournal. I just ask that you credit the publication and list our link.
I hope you don't mind but I would like to reprint your comments in our subrosa forum next issue.
Clair
Good job guys. The publication is really coming together, and the
new format WORKS.
Jeri Jennings DalsnRoses@att.net NorthStar Dalmatians Since 1971
Coastal Ventura Co., SoCal, Sunset Zone 24
Visit the Gold Coast Heritage Rose Group: http://www.goldcoastrose.org
Dear Clair,
I was thrilled with the new format and I liked the touch of the peeling photograph - gave it the old rose touch! I still have a few articles to read.
Warm regards,
Pat Toolan
I have just 'discovered' your journal. It is fabulous and I wonder if I could be on your electronic mailing list? I received the latest copy form Malcolm Watson of South Australia. Look forward to hearing form you.
Regards
Barbara B Johnson
Senior Records Officer
Edith Cowan University
I have read with interest in the Summer edition of the Journal of Heritage Roses (Australia) of your Rosarian's Network eJournal.
I am the owner of a large heritage garden in country Victoria and have therin many, mostly old collections of Roses. I would love to be part of an interactive network of roselovers.
Look forward to hearing from you. Kindest regards,
Margaret Marks
Hi, Clair -
Your Newsletter is great. I have already ordered Field Report of Rose
Characteristics. Do you know about Malcolm Manners' DNA research on the
musk rose and early noisettes? I have the articles from the Charleston
Proceedings I can send if you haven't read them yet.
I really enjoyed "The World" section, in particular. Is yours the only
publication that addresses international rose culture on a regular
basis, or does the World Federation of Rose Societies also publish a
journal?
I will send you an update on the Clark Roses project for your next
Newsletter when we might be hearing something definite. Apparently, the
PRA is still on course, but not completed (it was held up for new
funding from October 1 until the end of January). Dorthea Zadig at CDFA
wrote me February 6th, after receiving an email from me expressing deep
concern that the PRA was being sidelined. The reference to "Bob" is
Robert Griffin, head of the PRA section at APHIS.
"The risk analysis is not only underway, but the pest list is complete.
This in and of itself is somewhat of a herculean task considering it is
global in scope. The delay affected all federal government agencies in
that there was no budget from Oct 1 until just recently and spending
authority was limited to a small percentage of the previous year's
budget, it didn't just affect the risk analysis workload. Even with the
risk analysis staff increasing from 2-3 to 20+ for every 2 risk analyses
completed, 3 requests are received and the backlog - several months ago
- was well over 400 and growing daily.
"Bob is correct when he says that at times - things happen and get in
the way - and he has absolutely no control or influence over such
things. He's not been misleading, he's told you the way things were at
the time with the appropriate realistic caveats. Having said that, I'm
pleased that it's moving as well as it is under what I know are very
difficult pressure cooking circumstances."
Nothing is certain yet. It never is, until it's done. But I am
encouraged that at least with DZ taking an interest on behalf of CDFA --
and for the rose hobbyists, too - she understands we don't have a good
line to APHIS -- the issue won't go back into some APHIS black box where
it had been kept for the previous 55 years.
Sincerely,
Gene
* * *
Dear Clair
Peter has asked me to tell you that he is aware of many rumors going on around the world about the gardens. Very few [of these rumors – ed.] seem to have any substance to them. You can tell your readers that the RNRS is safe and well.
It is true that it has been going through a major trauma for a few years but recent decisions, which have not been very easy to make, have secured its future and will result in a brand new garden of the rose, as well as a Society once again worthy of its place, as you put it 'as the granddaddy of them all.' He is not in a position to disclose everything at present for contractual reasons, but hopefully every detail will be told in a future edition of The Rose.
It will, however, mean that the present gardens are closed for about one year while work is carried out.
Betty Gardener
Secretary to Peter Beales
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