Author: NRS Webmaster

Historic Christmas Freeze for Nashville Rose Society

The temperature in Nashville on December 22, 2022, was a balmy, sunny 50 degrees. By Friday, December 23, 2022 the temperature dropped to -1 degrees, marking the first time the city has seen temperatures below zero since 1996. In surrounding areas, the temperature was even lower, with windchill factors down to -17 degrees.

The frigid weather stayed around through the weekend. With temperatures not making it above freezing until Monday, Dececember 26, Nashville was at or below freezing for almost 84 hours.

The Rose Study Garden and NRS member gardens took a big hit, particularly the climbing roses. Even the RSG climbers that had some protection from the building they are attached to were severely damaged.

When Ron Daniels, NRS member from Hendersonville (north of Nashville), recently pulled back some of his winter protection to check his roses, he did find some green canes. Any Old Garden Roses, shrubs, and roses on their own root, should recover well. The roses will have to be cut back pretty low to take off the deadwood when we prune in the spring, but for now, keep your roses covered for protection. We could still have some freezing winter weather in Nashville.

Ron will discuss how to take care of your freeze damaged roses at the February 5, 2022, meeting of the Nashville Rose Society at Cheekwood. See the February meeting announcement for more details.

Roses Damaged from Christmas Freeze




Photos by Ron Daniels

Time for Roses: Come Home to America’s Rose Garden

Hello Rose Lovers! Time for Roses will be the theme of the 2023 ARS National Rose Convention to be held at the American Rose Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, May 5-7, 2023.

It is time to celebrate this “Crown Jewel” of the American Rose Society. Most of us have never been there but after seeing the great article and photos by Marilyn Wellan in the March/April issue of the American Rose, didn’t it make your heart desire to see the garden?? The clockworks design is amazing to see. This garden is our heritage and our home and now it has been transformed by the Great Garden Restoration into a stellar destination for all rose lovers. Continue reading “Time for Roses: Come Home to America’s Rose Garden”

NRS Monthly Meeting Calendar


The Nashville Rose Society Programming Committee, led by John Wendler, has been working hard to plan the 2023 monthly meeting calendar. The programs are subject to change, but save the dates. You do not want to miss one!

[print-me]
This year’s meetings will be organized somewhat differently from past years. Each meeting will be organized and led by a member of the NRS Executive Committee, one of our Consulting Rosarians, or a member of the Programming Committee. To date, we have volunteers for nine out of ten of the meetings. .

MonthGuest Speaker/TopicLocation
May 7NRS Spring Grand Prix Rose ShowEd Jones Auditorium, Ellington Ag Center
May 20Bowling Green Rose Show
June 11Jeff Garrett, “Rooting & Budding Roses”
July 9Peter Grimaldi, VP of Gardens at Cheekwood
August 6Austin Lohin, Bates Nursery landscaper, TBD
September 10Connie Baird, "Show Winning Rose Arrangement" and NRS Fall Grand Prix
October 1Louisville Rose Show
October 8Preparing for the Rose Show
October 14-15Music City Rose Show Massey Auditorium, Cheekwood
November 5Todd Breyer
December 3Christmas PartyEd Jones Auditorium, Ellington Ag Center

2022 NRS Christmas Party and Annual Awards

Gary Spencer with 2022 NRS Bronze Medal Award
The Nashville Rose Society 2022 Christmas party was a big success. The party was held on Sunday, December 11, at the Belmont University Ayers Academic Center. We had approximately 40 members attending including several new members.

One of the main attractions of the NRS Christmas party is always the food. The Society provided turkey, ham, and drinks and the members brought a wide variety of delicious side dishes and desserts. No one should have left hungry!
Continue reading “2022 NRS Christmas Party and Annual Awards”

December 11 , 6-8:00pm – NRS Christmas Party

Enjoy the holiday spirit with your fellow Rose Society members and guests at the 2022 Nashville Rose Society Christmas Party! The party will be held on Sunday, December 11, from 6:00 – 8:00pm at Belmont University. NRS will provide turkey, ham, rolls and drinks, and dinnerware; members are asked to bring their favorite dish.

There is also a gift exchange if you would like to be a part of it. Bring a gift costing no more than $20 suitable for a man or a woman. We will be entertained by the Belmont student who played the piano for us last year.

The party will be held in Belmont’s Ayers Academic Center, rooms C and D (the same rooms as our last Belmont meeting).

Please see Marty’s email for more information on the gift exchange and RSVP by Monday, Dec. 5 if you plan to attend.

Parking: The Ayers Academic Center is located 1515 Wedgewood Avenue at the corner of Wedgewood and 15th avenues. Turn into the short drive labeled “Inman Center” and then left into the Ayers parking garage. There are two elevator banks in the garage underneath the Ayers Academic Center – the South and North elevators. Members should park by, then use, the North elevators to the 4th floor. These open up directly across from our meeting room – which is Ayers C & D. It is not easy to find the meeting room from the South elevators!