December 2020  Vol. 31, No. 12



Co-President's Message

by Linda Freeman

TVRS Co-Presidents

Many thanks to all our members for their donations and volunteering spirit during this challenging year. Rose Haven is looking great and ready to go in to 2021 to celebrate our 30th anniversary. Please join us online for a review of Rose Haven 2020 with a peek in to 2021 on Thursday December 17 at 10 a.m. Our new Board of Directors will be announced and hopefully we can socialize online. If you have any pictures of your special garden roses, please send them to Linda Freeman lee.linda@verizon.net and we will include them in to our 2020 review. Wishing everyone "happy old year endings and a happy new year beginning" (a loosely translated year end greeting from my first language, Estonian!)

Co-President's Message

by Brenda Jalhabani

TVRS Co-Presidents

This is our last newsletter for 2020 and what an eventful year it has been! Things did not turn out the way any of us expected, but with enthusiastic support and dedication from many of our members, much has been accomplished at Rose Haven. Even with all the restrictions we have faced this year we have been able to welcome 10 new members. We are hopeful we will be able to have our meetings again sometime in 2021. If you haven't already purchased your Commemorative Brick for our Labyrinth, I encourage you to do so. It's a special way to honor someone. I hope you enjoy the upcoming holidays and above all, stay safe.



A Wish List For 2021

by Virginia Boos

Virginia Boos

Can you help us keep the dream alive? The Rose Haven Heritage Garden was started 30 years ago on donated land by our founder Karen Ortega and our dedicated members. We wanted to give Temecula a spectacular place, filled with roses, for ourselves and visitors to enjoy. So far, this has been accomplished. We purchased the property and have maintained it, using our skills as fundraisers, as well as generous donations from members.

So our "wish list" doesn't contain specific items right now. Repairs and renovations never go away, as you know from your own household experiences. Income is always needed.


Boos Labyrinth banner

"Help Us Grow Our Garden" is our motto for 2020 and beyond. Any donation you make will be appreciated. Just do what you can. You could Buy a Brick for the courtyard. Then sign up for the Amazon.Smile charity program; also, your RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) for the year can be transferred to TVRS, a savings on your income tax. Contact our treasurer, Bonnie Bell, or me (Virginia). If you have questions phone (951-695‑1689).

Tap/Click to see your donation choices: Click Here.



San Diego Rose Society Annual Fertilizer sale

by Linda Freeman

Our friends at the San Diego Rose Society have an annual sale of fertilizers specific for our favorite flower – these items are hard to find locally. Ruth Tiffany coordinates these sales and spoke to TVRS in February 2020 about a good fertilizer routine for best growth.


Fertilizer Overview



Print This Order Form
Order fertilizer


Painting of Rose Haven in Temecula City Art Show

submitted by Linda Freeman

Painting by Greg StognerTending Rose Haven Heritage Garden
Greg Stogner – 2020

Editor's Note: The following is excerpted from a City of Temecula Public Safety Newsletter: "All content © 2006-2020 Temecula CA and its representatives. All rights reserved."

The Temecula Valley, with beautiful scenery and a quaint Old Town, was the perfect inspiration for artists participating in the 13th Annual Ralph Love Plein Air Competition. Local artists were invited by the City of Temecula Community Services Department to spend one week painting works of art inspired by local scenes. Nine participating artists submitted original art works for a chance to win a prize in the 13th Annual Plein Air Competition. This competition is held annually in honor of renowned Temecula artist Ralph Love.

Eighteen artists participated for 2020, submitting 45 stunning pieces of artwork, in mediums ranging from oil, watercolor, and mixed media. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are unable to hold the Awards Ceremony, however, the original artwork can be viewed online any time on the TemeculaValleyMuseum.org website. Prize winners and awards are as follows:

3rd Place Greg Stogner, 'Tending Rose Haven Heritage Garden'.



How Does Your Garden Grow?

by Rebecca Weersing

Rebecca Weersing

After hard prune

Ray Jacques: Before hard prune

In a normal pruning year, I would not be writing about pruning in December. Normally we plan our pruning for late January into February. Why do we wait into the New Year? The danger of frost on new growth is the reason – one wants to prune no more than six weeks of the last frost date, which in Temecula is generally mid-March. Working backwards lands us at the end of January for normal pruning.

There are several reasons this is not a normal pruning year. The major reason is all of the renovations that we have planned for 2021. A part of the planned renovations includes moving roses from hither to yon. When removing roses to be replanted elsewhere it is helpful to prune the roses back to a manageable size.

During December we will endeavor to prune all of the bushes that we anticipate on moving in January and February. There are bushes to be moved located in the Boos Courtyard, the Original Garden, the Romantic Roses & Gazebo Garden, and the 'Peace & Friendship Garden'. If you would like to assist in this task email me at rosehavencommittee@gmail.com. Planned pruning dates will be: Friday, December 11; Monday, December 14; Wednesday, December 16; Friday, December 18 from 9:30 to 11:30 am.

After pruning back those roses to be moved we will move on to those bushes that won't be moved but have an overabundance of deadwood. We will tackle the deadwood bushes after the New Year, beginning Monday, January 4 then every Monday/ Wednesday/ Friday until Friday, January 22, from 9:30 to 11:30 am.

Our Community Pruning Workshop will be held on Saturday, January 30 from 9 to noon. We will prune the Driveway Roses. If you would like to help with this workshop, please email me at rosehavencommittee@gmail.com.



December Monthly Program

Date: Thursday, December 17, 2020
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Place: GoToMeeting online. Members will receive an email invitation the first week of December with a link to the meeting.
Topic: Rose Haven 2020 – Looking Forward to 2021
Presenter: Linda Freeman and TVRS members

Our members have been very generous with their time and donations this challenging year and we look forward to some pictures and updates of all of the projects completed and in progress and Board of Directors updates with a PowerPoint Presentation. We would also like to see how our personal gardens grew (and survived) this year. Please send your favorite garden photo with a description or summary of your photo to Linda Freeman at lee.linda@verizon.net by December 12 to be included in the presentation. We can socialize online.

Members will be sent a separate GoToMeeting invitation the first week in December with a link . GoToMeeing is an online meeting program very similar to ZOOM. If you have used ZOOM recently you will be very comfortable using GoToMeeting. Also, visit us on Facebook for roses from around the world, as well as Rose Haven pictures and videos.


Welcome New 2020 Members

Wayde Farrell, Pat Hubbell, Sandra Jenkins, Yolanda Martinez, Dorothy Ray, Kimberly Newton, Michelle and Stephen Stewart, Christine Curtis and Janice Rosner.


A Christmas Garden Poem

by Kathy Trudeau

Buy a brick

'Twas the 1st of December, and the year was a blur
Working in Rose Haven is where our members were.

With Rebecca in her mask, and the rest of us too,
We all knew there was plenty more to do.

The projects were daunting, but not for this crew,
She whistled and shouted and called them by name.
Now, Hall of Fame and Old Roses, everyone loves!
Now, new signage sights! Now, pond renovation delights!
On, irrigation repairs the roses so adore! On, labyrinth brick campaign just a little bit more!
On, weeding, oh my! At times we were reaching for the sky.

As we say goodbye to 2020 and welcome the New Year, we'll all be happy and full of good cheer. Come join in the work days and breathe the fresh air, welcome 2021 with your own sort of flair.

PS: Need a gift for that special someone? Finish up your holiday shopping with an engraved brick, giving the recipient a permanent part of the Garden. Deadline for orders is December 15, 2020.


Rose Haven Flora

by Bonnie Bell

Bonnie Bell Rose Altissimo

Our special rose this month is the gorgeous Altissimo known as a large pillar/climber of about 8 feet tall. Blooms are large brilliant red single blossoms and are quite striking in the garden. Altissimo is also great for cutting for arrangements. You can find Altissimo at the garden entry and along the fence near the Pavilion.

Altissimo was hybridized in 1966, has an ARS rating of 8.4 and is an excellent pillar rose, naturally disease resistant and grows quite well in our area.

A special note for December:
The Society always appreciates your cash donations to help keep the garden attractive. There are many projects lined up for implementation and renovation next year. December is the perfect time to contribute and receive a tax deductible receipt for 2020, as the Society is a registered 501(c)(3) non‑profit organization. Please mail donations to Temecula Valley Rose Society, Attn. Treasurer, PO Box 890367, Temecula, CA 92589‑0367.



A Profusion of Blooms

by Virginia Boos


White Iceberg
Photo ©
2020 Haakdoorn Nursery

As you drive around Temecula, are you seeing a profusion of white rose blossoms, on nearly every street median and corner? Thanks to her early efforts, the White Iceberg was recommended by Karen Ortega to developers, as the ideal landscape rose. Enjoy!

From the Haakdoorn Nursery (SA): Scientific name: Rosa hybrid, Other Names: White Iceberg, Origin: Cultivar/Hybrid, Position: Sun, Water Requirements: Medium - High, Hardiness: Hardy, Flower Color: White, Flower Time: Spring - Autumn, Height: Varies, Spread: Varies. Editor's Note: Temecula City trims their rose bushes with a chain saw – that's 'hardy'!



Temecula Women's Club Members Tour Rose Haven

by Nancy Kaplan Fitness

Womens Club at Rose Haven

Our Rose Haven Com­mit­tee hosted a tour for the Temecula Valley Women's Club Conservation members in honor of their contribution to the renovation of our Garden Pond. Rebecca Weersing, Kathy Trudeau, Judy Sundermann, Carol Gagliardi and I each spoke on the history and future plans of our Garden as we walked the tour. We ended in the Education Pavilion where we had cold drinks and snacks laid out for us by Denise Vaccaro. Kathy Trudeau and I gave a presentation of our Labyrinth and Donor Brick project as a part of the "Help us Grow Our Garden" Campaign.

I have previously written an article that was shared in our August 2020 Newsletter about the relationship between the Temecula Valley Rose Society and the Temecula Valley Women's Club, and how the Women's Club has been a strong supporter of our Rose Society and, most specifically, Rose Haven Heritage Garden.

In years past, the Women's Club donated all of the apple trees that were planted in our Tree of Life Garden at Rose Haven. In 2020 the Conservation Committee of the Women's Club voted to donate $500 to the renovation of the Pond at the Garden, and again voted to purchase a $100 Donor Brick for the Labyrinth in the Boos Courtyard.

I am a member of both of these great organizations and can say first‑hand that they each have caring and hardworking volunteers who strive to make a positive impact on our community and spend endless hours in pursuit of reaching their goals that benefit others.

TVRS has benefited by and greatly appreciated the positive support of the Women's Club. I am asking that our members return the goodwill and consider a donation to their "Dream Big Scholarship Fundraiser" that ends December 31st. As many of you may know, they normally host an 'Annual Holiday Home Tour' to raise these scholarship funds. The tour is cancelled, but supporting high school seniors in Temecula and Murrieta is not. Join in providing 25 high school seniors an opportunity to dream big and realize their potential.

It is easy to donate on their Home Page at TVWC.com "Go Fund Me" $25, $50 or $100. A big "Thank You" to friends and members who choose to participate.

With support of each organization to the other we can both be stronger in the pursuit of enriching our community in positive ways.



Rose Care FUNda­men­tals

by Frank Brines, Master Consulting Rosarian

Frank Brines

Depending on which side of the canyon you live, weather has been relatively good for our fall roses. Most areas still haven't had temperatures anywhere near frost. Roses could still be seen actively growing and blooming in many Temecula Valley gardens during the Thanksgiving holiday. The cooling nights will soon cool the soil and reset the roses' biological clock to slow down and go into some kind of dormancy.

Roses need a four- to six-week dormancy period during the winter months. During dormancy, the plants go through natural hormonal changes that prepare them for the next growing season. Dormancy is triggered by a variety of factors. Cold temperatures (including frost) slow the plant's metabolism while cold rains chill the soil, further slowing growth rate.

You can help promote dormancy by not deadheading or pruning this month. Allow the rose "hips" to mature so they can send hormonal signals to the plant that it's time to rest and marshal it's energy for a vigorous growth spurt in the spring. Just the same, be sure to monitor your plants when daytime temperatures are warm: They still need to be kept hydrated! Also, do NOT fertilize until after your major pruning in January or February. And then only after a couple inches of new growth.

On the topic of pruning: Some gardeners in the Temecula Valley are anxious to prune their roses in December. That's understandable because we haven't had a hard frost yet even though the average date for first frost in our area is November 17. Pruning now not only prevents dormancy, but also produces tender new shoots that will most likely be killed by the next hard frost. So, bottom line: Please wait four to six weeks after the first frost to do your major "spring" pruning. In the event that there is no frost or freeze it is typical to prune by mid-February.

I mentioned last month that the Asian "chili thrip" is spreading rapidly in the Southwest and is becoming a global threat. This pest is extremely successful and particularly resistant to conventional control methods. The chili thrip is even smaller than the western thrips we're familiar with. It works in similar ways, only more devastating and more difficult to control. It doesn't seem to have any preferences except new growth of almost any plant and blossom. Gardeners with whom I've spoken use several different products to gain some control, but a regular program is necessary with applications weekly at least. Its damage resembles the effects of Roundup over spray or rose virus: severely stunted and very narrow leaves, stems, and buds.

Cool, moist air promotes mildew and rust, so be watchful for these fungi. Be prepared also for spraying with a dormant spray immediately after the spring pruning. Read the label and be sure to buy enough to thoroughly cover plant and garden bed. I find that a two-gallon pump sprayer with 2 gallons of mix will cover about 15 rose plants after pruning.

There is still time to order that new rose you have been dreaming about. Garden stores may still be adding to their list of orders, or go to your favorite online nursery and make your order. There are many fine new roses that you simply must have. Many are more disease resistant than in the past. Most nurseries or wholesalers no longer print catalogs, so for a list of current roses available from each you will have to go online.

A few new varieties I find of interest are: At Last (floribunda, good apricot color, fragrance, disease-resistant); Bordeaux (floribunda/WineRed, large blooms, heat tolerant, disease resistant); Easy Spirit (floribunda/White, Hybrid T form, fragrance, hybridizer Tom Carruth, disease resistant, lasting form); Frida Kahlo (floribunda/Scarlet Redstriped gold, small clusters, mild fragrance, disease resistant, compact, hybridizers Christian Bedard & Tom Carruth); Gaye Hammond (Bright Yellow with touches of orange, slight fragrance, disease resistant, bloom making machine); Parade Day (Grandiflora/Fuchsia Pink Striped White, strong fragrance, hybridizer Christian Bedard, holds color); Flowerland (Shrubby, Pink, low (1.5') growing habit, 60—65 petals, fragrant; it would be great for small spaces or enmass); Golden Iceberg (mild spicy fragrance).