Roses from California
What an exciting and proud experience it was for me to be invited to assist with
judging of the American Rose Society's national show in Palm Springs - California. The rose convention was held over five
days (11th-15th November 2009) at the Doral Dessert Princess resort - a hotel big enough, a map was needed to get around it.
As it was my first trip to the USA, I was quite overwhelmed with being in places I had only ever seen
in films and documentaries. Alcatraz at San-Fransisco, Yosemite national park, where the giant redwoods live. But arriving
at Wasco near Bakersfield, was something else. One rose is nice to look at, but 5 million roses grown by Weeks nurseries,
one of the biggest rose growers in the world. I just could not pull myself away from the place. The soil didn't appear
fertile, and didn't look like it would grow any roses, but I was informed that it was very fertile and full of nutrients.
The rose bushes certainly looked full of life, vigorous, with plenty of strong stems.
Back to the show, judging with America's best judges was a great experience. The standard of roses
on show was excellent, not a mark on any of them. Plenty of hybrid tea's, loads of minis and mini-floras, not a good year
for the floribundas they said. But the floral decorations were wonderful, as was the photographic competition featuring roses.
It's been many a long year since I have seen a couple of hundred people queueing to see a rose show. In the afternoon
of show day, I was asked to demonstrate staging a bowl of 18 hybrid tea's with all the left over blooms.Pauline Martin
demonstrated staging a mixed bowl of roses, all this while Ray Martin did a lovely 'Powerpoint' demonstration on UK
bowls of roses. My grandaughter Lowri worked the projector, a real UK presentation. One of my lasting memories of Palm Springs
I'm sure will be the friendliness and kindness of the American people I met there. Can't wait to return.
Mike Thompson
|
| Queen of the minatures - Kismet |
|
| Polyantha's in picture frame |
|
| Nine Minature Roses |
|
| Hal Reynolds Garden |
|
| Hal Reynalds Garden |
