LOCATION CHANGE! Oct 9, 2:00-4:30pm – Myers Brown, “The Belmont’s Landscape”

Adelicia Acklen, Portrait by William Brown Cooper
The October 9 meeting of the Nashville Rose Society will not be at Belmont as planned. The meeting will be held at Cheekwood in the Frist Learning Center in the meeting room on the courtyard level (see details below).

History buffs as well as rosarians will not want to miss the October 9,2022, meeting of the Nashville Rose Society at Belmont University. Our speaker will be Myers Brow, Executive Director of Belmont Mansion. His presentation will explore the gardens and landscaped environment surrounding Adelicia Acklen’s summer home, Belmont Mansion.

The home featured gardens, statuary, aviary and zoo and included a steam engine powered water tower to provide irrigation. This unrivaled wonder impressed Nashvillians and outsiders alike but was heavily damaged by the Union troops who constructed earthworks on the property during the American Civil War.

Myers is a Fellow and a current officer of the Company of Military Historians and is on the advisory boards for the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association. Prior to joining Belmont, he served as Director of Archival Collection Services and Chief Historian at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. He previously worked as a curator with the Tennessee State Museum, the Alabama Historical Commission, and at the Atlanta History Center. He also served as the chairman of the Tennessee War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.

He is the author of two books: Images of Tennessee’s Union Cavalrymen (published in December 2008) and Images of Tennessee Confederates (April 2011). He served as editor of the Best of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Volume 5, Nathan Bedford Forrest and the Confederate Cavalry in West Tennessee (published April 2013).

The Frist Learning Center “New Meeting Room” is on the 1st floor. It is smaller than the Potter Room so it will be a bit tight (they say it can accommodate 30 people theater style). Enter Cheekwood through the back gate at 111 Cheek Road and park either in Lot C, which is located next to the Frist, or Lot D, which is a bit further away but still within walking distance of the Frist. The main entrance to Cheekwood will be very crowded with visitors and quite a hike from the Frist Learning Center. Once you enter the building, there is an elevator to the left or stairs straight ahead. Once you come up the stairs or elevator, take a left to get to the meeting room. It is not marked, but on the map in front of the elevator it is identified as “Meeting Room”. The Cheekwood Campus Map shows the parking lots and the location of the Frist Learning Center.


October 8, 10:00am-5:00pm – Fall 2022 Open Rose Gardens

Here in Nashville, the summer heat is gone (we hope) and the roses are loving it! This is the time of year that many gardens have one of their best flushes of rose blooms.

Three of our members, Ron Daniels, Gene Meyer, and Marty Reich are opening their gardens from 10am – 5pm on Saturday, October 8. In addition, you won’t want to miss the Rose Garden at Belmont University and the Lynn Anderson Rose Garden at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Ron Daniels, Nashville Rose Society Master Rosarian and Master Gardener, will host his Gadwall Abbey Open Garden at 1000 Gadwall Circle, Hendersonville. Ron has over 170 award winning roses of all types and many companion plants in his Gadwall Abbey Garden.

Gene Meyer is known for the Old Garden Roses (OGRs) that are in his garden along with his hybrid teas and miniature roses. Gene is the Tenarky District Committee Chair for OGRs. Gene’s garden is located at 5111 Country Club Dr. in Brentwood.

Marty Reich is one of the Nashville Rose Society Master Rosarians, and most recently her rose “Mango Blush” won Queen of Minifloras at the 2022 Tenarky District Rose Show last month. Marty also grows winning hybrid teas and miniature roses. Her garden is at 5020 Dovecote Drive, Nashville.

The Belmont University Rose Garden may be seen anytime during the day on Saturday or Sunday. You can park in the Belmont Mansion Visitor Parking – the garden is to your right as you walk up to the mansion. On Sunday, October 9, you can visit the garden before the NRS Monthly Meeting which will be held at Belmont University. Our speaker will be Myers Brow, Executive Director of Belmont Mansion. His presentation will explore the gardens and landscaped environment surrounding Adelicia Acklen’s summer home, the Belmont Mansion. Guests are welcome to the meeting. You can walk to the garden from the meeting parking in the Ayers Garage at 1515 Wedgewood Avenue.

The Lynn Anderson Rose Garden at the Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Memorial Park may be seen on Saturday afternoon or all day Sunday. The Lynn Anderson Rose Garden honors country music star Lynn Anderson at her final resting place. The Rose Garden features 114 “Lynn Anderson” hybrid tea roses hybridized in honor of her and her 1970 classic hit song “(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden”. The garden is to the right of the main building of the funeral home at 660 Thompson Lane, Nashville.

Get out and enjoy the (predicted) sunshine and pleasant temperatures. The roses will be beautiful!


2022 Tenarky District Rose Show Results

Linda Bowen’s Crescendo – Best in Show
The 2022 Tenarky District Fall Rose Show & Convention was held at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens on September 17-18, 2022. Hosted by Nashville Rose Society the Rose Show & Convention was quite a success.

There were 62 registrants and about 38 exhibitors from Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Wisconsin. We were honored to have Diane Sommers, president of the American Rose Society, as an exhibitor, judge, and banquet speaker.

Linda Bowen with her award winning entry – Crescendo
The Show classes included:

Division I – Horticulture
* Section TD – Tenarky District Challenge Classes
* Section A – Miniature Rose Challenge Classes
* Section B – Miniature Roses – Single Stem Entries
* Section C – Large Rose Challenge Classes
* Section D – Large Rose – Single Stem Entries
Division II – Rose Arrangements
Division III – Rose Photography

Linda Bowen, member of the Nashville Rose Society, was the winner of the day. She took away awards for the Best Novice, King of the Show, and Best in Show with her entry of hybrid tea Crescendo.

And now for the Courts!

Miniature Roses-Single Stem – Section B-Class 8

RoseShown byCertificate
QueenSwirly PopJeff & Cindy GarrettARS
KingDottieDiane SommersARS
PrincessDaddy FrankGene MeyerARS
CourtSweet MallieJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS
CourtOlivia RoseDiane SommersNRS
CourtArcanumKeith & Martha GarmanNRS
CourtEdistoGene MeyerNRS
CourtMagic ShowJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS

Miniflora Roses-Single Stem – Section B-Class 9

RoseShown byCertificate
QueenMango BlushMarty ReichARS
KingVernon RichardRicky LockhartARS
PrincessSpice of LifeBarbara TaubeARS
CourtConundrumJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS
CourtGift of LifeJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS
CourtPat ShanleyJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS
CourtCabooseJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS
CourtShamelessJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS

Hybrid Tea or Grandiflora – One Bloom per Stem – Class 34

RoseShown byCertificate
QueenRing of FireJeff & Cindy GarrettARS
KingCrescendoLinda BowenARS
PrincessBlack MagicLinda SchorkARS
Royal CourtKristen SingerGene MeyerNRS
Royal CourtHot PrincessJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS
Royal CourtHot PrinceGene MeyerNRS
Royal CourtBig RedJeff & Cindy GarrettNRS
Royal CourtLouise EstesRicky LockhartNRS

Rose Photography

Class 1-One Exhibition Bloom, HT, Gr, F SubjectPhotographerAward(s)
Grand AmoreKathy BrennanBest in Class, Queen, Gold

For the list of all the winners, click here.

Thanks to our Rose Show Judges!

The American Rose Society judges that give so freely of their time and resources are essential to the success of any rose show. They often travel many miles giving up their weekend time because they love roses, and they appreciate the rosarians and rose societies they serve. The Nashville Rose Society greatly appreciates our 2022 panel of judges.

Horticulture Judges
* Howard Carman – Louisville Rose Society
* Linda Jansing – Louisville Rose Society
* Mike Thompson – Holston Rose Society
* Paula Williams – Louisville Rose Society
* Connie Baird – Nashville Rose Society
* Mary Ann Hext – Bowling Green Rose Society
Arrangement Judges
* Barbara Taube – Nashville Rose Society
* Diane Sommers – Gateway Rose Society, Greater Milwaukee Rose Society
Photography Judges
* Annie Owen – Nashville Rose Society
* David Dahl – Photographer


For more photos, visit the Tenarky District Facebook Page.

Click any individual photo to begin the slide show. Once the slide show begins, click on the image to zoom in.


Pick-Your-Own-Bouquet Workshop with The Rose Society

As the weather cools, what does a rose garden need to thrive? Ron Daniel and John Wendler, Co-Presidents of the Nashville Rose Society, led a workshop on Sunday, September 18, 2022, that covered fall activities like fertilizing, spraying, watering, deadheading, and winterizing roses.
Continue reading “Pick-Your-Own-Bouquet Workshop with The Rose Society”

NRS 2022 Fall Grand Prix Rose Show Winners

NRS 2022 Grand Prix Rose Show Winners

The 2022 Fall Grand Prix Rose Show was held during the Nashville Rose Society regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Sunday, September 11, 2022, in the Potter Room at Cheekwood Gardens & Estate. The purpose of the Grand Prix is to give members a chance to learn about and practice exhibiting roses.

Continue reading “NRS 2022 Fall Grand Prix Rose Show Winners”