Temecula Valley Rose Society

President's Message

We strive for an organization that encourages member participation, and that provides educational and volunteer opportunities for our members. To do that better, our June membership meeting will include a short presentation and workshop, along with a questionnaire. I encourage everyone to complete the questionnaire during the question and answer period: We really need your input!!! Be thinking about what you'd like to happen in the future for TVRS. Also at that meeting, and in keeping with the educational goals of the TVRS, don't miss the June membership meeting presentation, "Container Gardening with Succulents," by San Diego Master Gardener Laura Starr.

The annual TVRS Rose Show 2013 went back to some of its roots, specifically an aesthetically designed room as a backdrop for a colorful array of specimen blooms, arrangement creations, inviting table settings, and paintings by local artists accompanied by interpretive arrangements. We also added something new that some other societies have ventured into: Rose photography-and there were a lot of entries, which really gratified the organizers. I was impressed with the high-quality contribution by members, not just in planning and setting up the show, but also the specimens, arrangements, and photographs. Everyone was surprised with Valley News reporter and photographer arrived to record the show and write an article for the paper.

Many TVRS members and friends (a few from as far away as Denmark) thoroughly enjoyed the members' garden tour on May 16 which included visits to four diverse gardens. And speaking of gardens, this year I have heard many visitors to Rose Haven refer to it as a "Gem of a Garden!" It truly is becoming a destination for many folks from within and from outside our community. As I work at Rose Haven, I often encounter new and repeat visitors who express their appreciation and approval of what a great part of the community the garden is, and how proud our members must be of it.

May 11 was a successful First Bloom Festival. The hillsides were awash with rose blooms and fragrances wafting on the light breeze. Some of the recently planted roses (donated by Weeks Roses, a premier rose hybridizer of Wasco, California) offered great first-year blooms despite being planted relatively late in the season. There was a steady flow of visitors during the day enjoying the garden color, music on the breeze, vendors with their handicrafts, refreshments, and opportunities to purchase tickets for gift baskets.

Rose Haven continues to improve access and relaxation to visitors thanks to easier access to the upper hillside areas around the gazebo with places to sit, relax, contemplate, and enjoy the scenery. More people are venturing into the garden. These improvements cost time and money: If not for generous donations from members, visitors, and Eagle Scout projects, these improvements would not and could not have been accomplished. With on-going projects and still-needed improvements, wish lists, and maintenance, you still have time to participate in creating this legacy by donating a bit more. For example, in 2014 we will make a concerted effort to improve signage throughout the garden to identify plants varieties, garden descriptions, and provide educational information-that may not sound like much, but it will actually be quite an involved and costly project! We need to be thinking of how this wonder Gem of a Garden can live in perpetuity for future generations to enjoy.

Many areas of the garden await adoption. If you could volunteer to care for even a small area for only an hour a week it would make a big difference in the garden's appearance and health. So please, contact Phyllis Bettleheim about adopting it and/or making a donation specifically designated for that area. Your money will be used only for the area of the garden you choose. Believe me, every penny shows and is NOT wasted-and you will experience a new depth of satisfaction and sense of ownership because that part of the garden really will belong to you. Of course, if you prefer, you can make a donation for the garden's general upkeep-just indicate that on your check or in a letter. (You can also call me at 951.315.9632 if you want ideas on how you can contribute!)

Little Rose Show

This is a reminder to bring your best roses to show and share at our next Little Rose Show on June 20th as we won't have one in July or August. Let's make this a magnificent display of colors for all our members and guests to enjoy as well as acquaint ourselves with roses we would like to add to our private gardens. Our Little Rose Show is always followed by a constructive critique from our President and certified Rosarian, Frank Brines. This is invaluable information that helps us to understand and grow better specimens. See you all on the 20th.

Rose Haven Update

Summer is just around the corner and the garden is ready to welcome you. As the heat rises a morning or evening visit is just about right. Also, bring along some pruners and deadhead a few roses if you desire.

The "First Bloom" celebration last month was a blast. The garden was beautiful and plenty of visitors made the day complete. Tom and Jackie Jesch were there selling plants from their nursery, Waterwise Botanicals. You may remember that Tom planned and supplied all the plants in our major garden renovation in 2006. There is an article in "Sunset" magazine this month announcing a "Succulent Celebration" at his nursery on June 7-8. Check it out at waterwisebotanicals.com. The address is 32183 Old Hwy. 395, Escondido 92026.

Kathy Katz discovered a fledgling owl the other day below the owl box. This is way up the hill in the southwest garden area. The discovery is quite exciting as the box has been empty for many years. I hope the little guy survives. If you see it don't touch, Kathy advises.

Thank you for your donations to the step and retaining wall project near the gazebo. With your support this large project will be finished soon, and its builders, Frank and Wayne, can take a well deserved rest.

Our next garden committee meeting is Wednesday, June 26th at 9:00. The address is 30592 Jedediah Smith Road, Temecula. All those interested are invited to attend. Please see our web site for additional information and photos at temeculavalleyrosesociety.org/rosehaven.shtml.

Make a Difference - Join a Committee!

Committees make things happen in our Society. Four well-functioning committees are Programs, Rose Show, Rose Haven, and Youth Gardening Committees. Why do they function well? Committee success can be explained in this way: (1) proactive chairs, (2) regularly scheduled meetings with minutes of the meetings, (3) committee members assigned specific tasks to complete between meetings, (4) committee members communicate by email, phone, & in-person between meetings and (5) committee members enjoy their committee work, actively collaborating to benefit our Society.

When you attend the monthly member meeting, you enter Room B and sign in at the Membership Table. Those with roses to enter in the Little Rose Show will be able to do so in this room. Please notice that many of our committees have poster-board displays & photos of their committee activities in this room with committee members standing by to answer questions about what they do. In Room B stop to smell the roses AND chat about committees. On your way into Room A for our speaker stop at the Opportunity Table. This table is one of our Ways & Means activities that helps to support our member meeting programs. Thanks to Charlie and Jane Brodbeck—they dedicated and dependable volunteers.

During the month of June we have five committees that will be meeting. If you would like to attend a meeting or send comments & suggestions please contact the Committee Chair listed.

The first Wednesday (5th) the Youth Gardening Committee will meet to review the September 2012 – May 2013 Third Saturday programs and to plan for the September 2013 – May 2014 Third Saturday programs. JoAnn Summers is the incoming chair. Her email is jcsummers60@yahoo.com.

The Finance Committee will meet on the second Tuesday (11th). The Finance Committee has several sub-committees: Budget, Ways & Means, Donations, Grants, and Long-Term Funding. Contact Rebecca Weersing at temroses@gmail.com. The committee will also meet the second Tuesdays of August (13th), September (10th), October (8th), and November (12th).

To join the Membership Committee (which includes subcommittees of telephone, hospitality, sunshine, and awards) please contact Kathy Turgeon at kathymurrieta1@verizon.net.

The Education & Community Outreach Committee (which includes the Rose Show Committee and the Beautification Committee) will meet in Room B after refreshments at our member meeting on June 20th. As part of our Education programming, Consulting Rosarian Frank Brines will discuss the roses entered in the Little Rose Show. Afterwards Linda Black (ljblack3@verizon.net) will chair a debriefing meeting about our May 18th Rose Show. Beautification (which is a sub-committee of Education & Community Outreach) will meet in Room A during refreshments. Contact Rebecca Weersing if you are interested in Beautification.

Rose Haven Committee meets on the fourth Wednesday (26th). Contact Phyllis Bettelheim at phyllisb32@verizon.net.
Make a Difference—Join a Committee!

Member Meeting Program

Join Don and Laura Starr, San Diego Master Gardeners as they show you how to plant not only traditional planters, but some items you might not expect, nor find in your plant shed. They will discuss proper soil mixes, planting techniques, explain various types of containers, composition, care tips, and tools. They’ll bring along some great plant choices for containers. Included will be the popular Ten Myths of Succulents. Planting demos will be shown.

Laura Starr has been a San Diego Master Gardener since 2001. She is also a member of the Village Garden Club of La Jolla, San Diego Horticultural Society, Cactus and Succulent Society and the San Diego County Herb Club. She creates ceramic planters and garden art at a local community college. Her favorite plants are herbs.

Don Starr, Master Gardener since 2012 began his involvement with succulents after just one meeting of the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society! Ten years later his wife encouraged him to become a Master Gardener and share that passion with others. A former chef, Don also grows many of his own herbs and produce. He crafts outdoor planters and art in wood and metal. His favorite plants are succulents. They offer garden coaching and consulting services.

A light buffet luncheon will be served around noon. Guests are welcome.

June Birthdays & New Members

Youth Gardening: Bouquets and Basil

Our 'Families in the Garden' May program offered children and parents the opportunity to learn the basics of flower arranging and how to plant basil. Beautiful bouquets were created from roses in the garden. Fay Devore gave directions for making the bouquets, assisted by JoAnn Summers and Mi-ae Kim. Children showed off their amazing bouquets as parents took pictures.

Next the families hiked to the 'Tree of Life Garden' to plant basil. Barb Purdy and Kathy Katz helped the children plant the seedlings and also to harvest some big onions. The children loved taking 'fresh from the garden' vegetables home. Rose Haven provided another great day of learning where food comes from and discovering the beauty of roses.

 

 

Annual Rose Show to Bloom Again
Free event to offer roses, plus artwork, plant sale, table settings and more

It doesn't take a horticulturist to notice that roses thrive in Southwest County — even many front yards across the region have colorful and vibrant bushes in full bloom.

Many folks who move to the area inherit rose bushes from the houses they buy, but have yet to learn the tricks to best care for the flowers, or had a chance to fully appreciate their beauty.

That's where the Temecula Valley Rose Society's annual Rose and Art Festival comes in, said Linda Black, the event's chairwoman. The free event is a celebration of all things roses — a flower she said is truly worthy of the hoopla.

"It's going to be a lovely show, we are pretty excited about it," Black said. "We would like to invite the community — this is for a community. It's a fun event, and it has a beauty I think people will really enjoy."

"A Place in the Sun" will bloom from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Assistance League of Temecula Valley, 28720 Via Montezuma in Temecula.

Hundreds of locally grown roses will be on display, as well as table settings, artful floral arrangements and a variety of artwork. Guests can enjoy refreshments, peruse the event's plant and hat sale, learn about rose care and cultivation, and even judge some of the roses and art on display, as the festival doubles as a rose competition.

"People may vote for their favorites — it's just like 'Dancing with the Stars,' " Black said. "We are trying to make it as community-friendly as we can."

Even novice rose lovers can enter their buds in the contest. Community gardeners are invited to submit entries from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on the day of the event. There is a lengthy list of categories on the society's website: temeculavalleyrosesociety.org.

The Temecula Valley Rose Society is a nonprofit affiliated with the American Rose Society. It aims to encourage the appreciation, study and cultivation of roses.
For information, call (951) 694-8968.
© Copyright 2013 The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC. An MLIM LLC Company. All rights reserved.

Did You Know?

Did you know that CR&R has been donating trash pick-up service at the Rose Haven Heritage Garden for the past eighteen years?

Ever since the garden was first established in the early 1990's CR&R has provided a large covered bin and weekly service. Furthermore, during pruning time two pick-ups a week are made. In addition to this greatly appreciated service, Ed Campos, an executive with CR&R, has obtained several hundred yards of mulch for the garden and has arranged for its delivery. CR&R is a valued friend and sponsor of TVRS and Rose Haven and we express our sincere thanks to the company and to its people.

Rose Care FUNdamentals

Whatever type of fertilizing program you use, I suggest applying fertilizers slightly higher in Phosphate toward the end of each bloom cycle. Remember to irrigate the day before applying any fertilizer. I highly recommend an organic formula for many reasons: Non-toxic, healthy to the environment, doesn't leach into ground water, improves soil structure and microbial diversity, won't burn foliage or petals, requires less energy to manufacture, and you can safely use any plant parts for crafts, cooking, and eating, and will require less product after three years of use.

As summer approaches, and higher temperatures are expected, increase the amount of water to each bush. When temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, the average hybrid tea will require 9 to 12 gallons of water each week-more if the soil structure is loose or sandy. The typical miniature requires about one third that volume. At temperatures into the high 90s and beyond, increase water volume at least 30%. Check your plants before noon-they will tell you if they need water by the subtle changes in leaf texture and color before they actually wilt. Ideally, water should be applied pre-dawn to allow them time to fully hydrate before they face the demands of the day.

After the current bloom cycle which will end near mid- to late-June, I suggest removing only faded petals-that is, leave the immature hips. This signals the plant to expend less energy on growth and place it into a kind of dormancy during the hottest summer months. Temperatures in the Inland Empire are normally high 90+ July through September, and the blooms produced in high temperatures are smaller, sun burnt, and stress the plant. Continue to apply the recommended amount of water even during this summer dormancy. Plan to do a mid-season pruning in mid-September to get two more bloom cycles.

For more ideas, visit TVRS' Rose Haven garden at 30592 Jedediah Smith Rd.,
Temecula, as well as our web site at TemeculaValleyRoseSociety.org/index.shtml. You might also want to visit our section at Meetup.com to find events of interest to you. Spread the joy of roses!