Author: NRS Webmaster

December 5, 2026, 2:00-4:30pm, NRS Year End Holiday Party

Enjoy the holiday spirit with your fellow Rose Society members and guests at the 2026 Nashville Rose Society Year End Holiday Party! The party will be held on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 2:00-4:30pm. The party will be held at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, located at 3421 Belmont Blvd, Nashville.

The Community Foundation is located at the corner of Belmont and Woodmont – easy to find and parking is great. Enter the parking lot from Belmont Blvd. The lobby of the building and our meeting room is directly in front of you. There will be a sign on the door.

NRS will provide turkey, ham, rolls and drinks, and dinnerware; members are asked to bring their favorite dish.

There will be a short program with end of year items. We will be drawing for five winners of $50 from those who completed the NRS Member Survey by November 11, 2026, (need not be present to win).

We have the room from 1-4:30 for those of you who help set-up, and we have to return the tables, etc. when we finish.

2026 Nashville Rose Society Membership Survey

DEADLINE: November 11, 2026 11:59 pm CST

Please participate in the 2026 NRS Membership Survey. If you do not have a link or copy of the survey, check your email from Marty Reich or contact Liz Louie, LLouie.nrs@gmail.com. The survey is available to NRS members only! By completing the survey in full, and submitting it by November 11, 2026, you will be entered into a drawing to win $50 (cash or check).

Every few years, the Nashville Rose Society surveys the membership to better understand their interest and needs.

What would encourage you to attend more meetings?

Our meetings are on the first Sunday or Monday of the month. In the past, we had our meetings at Cheekwood in Massey Hall on Sunday afternoon. For the past 2 years, Cheekwood has moved our meeting day and time to Monday evenings in Massey Hall. A potential meeting location for Sunday afternoons is the Calvary United Methodist Church at 3701 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215. Would you prefer to meet Sunday afternoon (2 – 4 pm) or Monday evening (6:30 – 8:30 pm)?

We are interested to know what types of programs and topics would you would like to see at our monthly meetings.

We are also interested in knowing more about you and how you might like to be involved in the Rose Society.

Please answer all the questions on the survey. Your input is invaluable to us to help make our society works for you and meet your needs. Your personal information will be kept private and not made public.

NOTE: By completing the survey in full, and submitting it by November 11, 2026, you will be entered into a drawing to win $50 (cash or check).

The survey is available to NRS members only!

Dr. Mark Windham – “Holistic Rose Care”

The Medley of Roses – 2026 ARS Convention & Rose Show was honored to have as one of our speakers Dr. Mark Windham. Dr. Windham was a Distinguished Professor of Ornamental Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. For the last 14 years of his career, Mark worked toward developing management plans for Rose Rosette Disease (RRD), studying the virus’s mite vector, and searching for disease resistance. He was part of a multistate team that discovered genes for resistance to RRD in roses.

Most recently, on October 4, 2026, at the Medley Convention he received the 2026 American Rose Society Gold Medal of Honor. His presentation is entitled “Holistic Rose Care”. He graciously shared his presentation with us to post on the website.

A rosarian must be a nutritionist, soil scientist, pathologist, entomologist, and expert of many other professions to successfully grow healthy, vibrant roses. Often actions we take to solve one problem leads to other challenges. In this presentation, he explores a holistic approach to rose care to maximize rose health and vigor without breaking the bank or robbing us of our most valued commodity: time.

Click here for the presentation.

The following are the handouts for Dr. Windham’s presentation:

Rose Diseases

Rethinking Blackspot Management

Rose Garden Oddities

Rose Insect Pests

Rose Rosette Disease

Early Detection of Rose Rosette Disease

Foliar Diseases

Downy Mildew

Rose Diseases: Identification and Management

Diagnosis of Ornamental Plant Diseases

NRS Member Marty Reich receives TENARKY Silver Medal

Marty Reich receives the Silver Medal from Howard Carman, TENARKY District Director
Marty Reich, Nashville Rose Society Master Rosarian, received the Tenarky Silver Medal on Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the Medley of Roses – 2026 ARS Convention & Rose Show banquet.

Marty was presented with the Silver Medal, the highest award that can be given by an American Rose Society District, by Howard Carman, the TENARKY District Director. Howard had these kind words to say about Marty as he introduced her.

“Everyone I talked to fully agreed with my choice for this silver medal and I think it is well overdue.

“This individual is one of the mainstays of the Nashville Rose Society and a keeper of the history of the NRS and also, she won her first queen of show a couple of years ago and wins district classes with her roses.

“I was amazed at the efficiency of the work she does with the recording of winners at the TENARKY shows.

“She is currently serving as recording secretary for TENARKY.

“The winner of the 2026 TENARKY silver medal award is Marty Reich.”

Saturday, October 17, 10:00am – 5:00pm, Ron Daniels & Becky Willoughby Open Gardens

Nashville Rose Society members, Becky Willoughby and Ron Daniels, will open their gardens to NRS members and the public on Saturday, October 17, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Becky Willoughby at Willoughby Farm
The Willoughby Farm at 169 Horntown Road, Gallatin, Tennessee, is where “A Rose Named David” sits on a hill overlooking the farm. What began for Becky Willoughby as a love of roses has grown into a garden of more than 320 bush roses, representing many different types and varieties, all planted in a self-designed, English-inspired garden setting. As you walk through the garden, you’ll find numerous arbors, trellises, and obelisks supporting an additional 36 climbing roses. Each rose seems to have its own personality.

Growing roses in Zone 7b has certainly come with its challenges. Freezing temperatures and unexpected cold snaps, pest pressures, and late summer heat waves can take their toll. But every season brings something new to learn and enjoy, which is part of what makes this garden so special. Roses bring endless inspiration, opportunities to stay active, and many dear friendships and mentors. Becky says, “I’m grateful to share my garden with you, and I hope it is able to bring you inspiration and joy like it has brought me”.

Ron Daniels’ Gadwall Abbey
Ron Daniels’ garden, known as Gadwall Abbey Rose Garden, located at 1000 Gadwall Circle, Hendersonville, is a carefully designed landscape of beauty, learning, and hospitality that has earned admiration among rose enthusiasts and visitors alike.

Established in 2013, Gadwall Abbey is Daniels’ third rose garden. Rather than simply planting roses wherever space allowed, Daniels approached the project with clear priorities: accessibility, strong plant performance, and ease of care. The result is a garden that balances serious rose growing with thoughtful design.

Today Ron’s garden has more than 150 roses spanning an impressive range of classes. Visitors will find climbers reaching upward, sturdy shrub roses, exhibition hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas, miniatures, and mini-floras. Old garden roses and species roses share space with modern varieties, including beloved selections from David Austin. Even tree roses add a vertical element to the display.