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Jeff and Cindy Garrett – Disease Resistant Rose Study

The Nashville Rose Society was honored, once again, to have Jeff and Cindy Garrett as our guest speakers at the August 11, 2024, monthly meeting. In addition to focusing on how to participate in the annual ARS Roses In Review program, Jeff discussed the work that he and Cindy are doing to test and evaluate disease resistant, specifically blackspot, roses in their garden.

Jeff and Cindy moved to their current home on Lake Chickamauga in 1989. Over the years they have continued to develop their landscape to its current capacity of just over 350 roses. Jeff and Cindy have allocated some of that space in their garden to test select varieties of roses in large pots. They change some of the varieties each year. They do fertilize and water, but do not spray for disease. Each year they evaluate which roses are most disease resistant.

Jeff and Cindy have both served their local society, the Tri-State Rose Society of Chattanooga, as President on numerous occasions. Currently they are editors of their local society newsletter, “Basal Breaks”. The Garretts have been honored with the Bronze Medal from their local society.

Click here for Jeff and Cindy’s presentation on Disease Resistant Roses – Fact or Fiction!

Here you will find a list (pdf) of roses in Jeff and Cindy’s test garden.

September 8, 1:30-4:00 pm – Fall Grand Prix Rose Show

Fall is one of the most beautiful times for our rose blooms! Hopefully, the brutal summer heat is on its way OUT!!

The Nashville Rose Society 2024 Fall Grand Prix Rose Show will be held during the regularly scheduled monthly meeting on Sunday, September 8, 2024, in the Massey Auditorium of Botanic Hall / Visitor Services Building at Cheekwood Garden and Estate.

The purpose of the Grand Prix is to give members a chance to learn about and practice exhibiting roses. A grooming room will be open at 1:00 pm. Experienced exhibitors will be there to help anyone needing help grooming their roses. All you need to do is know the names of the roses you bring. This show is an excellent opportunity to learn how to enter your roses in the Tenarky Rose Show on Saturday, October 5, 2024 in Bowling Green.

Click here to open the schedule for the Grand Prix.

The 2024 Tenarky Rose Show schedule will be discussed and there will be members who can help you fill out the tags that go on your entries.

Please note: The NRS Grand Prix rose shows are not sanctioned by the American Rose Society .

For more information on how roses are judged, visit the American Rose Society website, rose.org, and study the “Guidelines and Rules for Judging Roses”.

August 14 – Wilson County and Tennessee State Fairs Rose Show Entries

Bring your roses to the Fairs!

Both the Wilson County Fair and the Tennessee State Fair will be held in the James E. Ward Agricultural Center, 945 E. Baddour Parkway, Lebanon, TN from Thursday, August 15 through Saturday, August 24, 2024.

The Wilson County Rose Show is open to Wilson County Residents, members of the Wilson County Gardeners Guild, members of the Wilson County Master Gardeners, members of a Wilson County FCE Club, or members of the Nashville Rose Society over 18 years old. The Tennessee State Rose Show is open to any Tennessee resident over 18 years old.

Exhibits for both shows must be entered at the Expo Center between 2pm and 6:30pm on Wednesday, August 14. You must register before the entry date – one registration works for both the Wilson County and the State Rose Shows. There is no cost to enter in either show.

There is no admission charge to enter the Fair Grounds to submit your entries. Once the State Rose Show judging is complete, exhibits will be transferred (by the Fair) to the Made in TN Building where they will be displayed for the duration of the Fair.

Click the following for more information:

Tennessee Rose Show

Wilson County Rose Show

We hope to see you at the Fair!

August 11, 1:30-4:00 pm – Jeff Garrett, “Roses in Review”

Jeff Garrett, ARS Master Rosarian and National Trophy winner
The speaker for the August 11, 2024, meeting of the Nashville Rose Society will be Jeff Garrett, ARS Master Rosarian and National Trophy winner for rose exhibiting. Jeff’s program will focus on how to participate in the annual Roses In Review program. He will be discussing how to rate the various roses that you will be reporting on.

This will be the 99th time Roses In Review survey will be conducted. Rose growers everywhere can review new roses they’ve grown in their own garden. ​ He will explain the how this survey is conducted and why it is important for all rosarians to complete. The results of the survey from members of our district will be posted on Tenarky website. Results from across the country determine the ratings that will go into the 2025 American Rose Society handbook Selecting Roses, a rose-buying guide to more than 3,000 varieties that all ARS members receive each year.

Please note that everyone can participate in Roses In Review. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ROSE SOCIETY TO PARTICIPATE! Jeff is asking that you wait until after his presentation to complete the survey.

In addition, Jeff will also be sharing information on some disease resistant varieties.

In the early eighty’s, Jeff and Cindy Garrett bought a house in Hixson, Tennessee, and planted their first three roses. They just were not performing for them. After reading an article in the local newspaper by Lester Smith talking about growing good roses, they decided to give him a call. Lester invited them over to his garden, which they found to be absolutely beautiful. He took them under his wing and began mentoring them on growing roses. He also took them to a Tri-State Rose Society of Chattanooga meeting. They were hooked!

They moved to their current home on Lake Chickamauga in 1989. That spring they added two rose beds with about 96 plants total. Over the years they have continued to develop their landscape to its current capacity of just over 350 roses.

They have both served their local society, the Tri-State Rose Society of Chattanooga, as President on numerous occasions. Currently they are editors of their local society newsletter, “Basal Breaks”. The Garretts have been honored with the Bronze Medal from their local society.

They are both active in the American Rose Society and are Master Rosarians. They have won a National Trophy for rose exhibiting and have been honored with the Silver Medal from the Tenarky District of the American Rose Society. They have both also won the Outstanding Consulting Rosarian Award for the Tenarky District. For many years Jeff has been the Tenarky District Roses In Review Coordinator. They are also regional editor’s for the annual Horizon Roses publication.

After thirty years with TVA, they both retired in January 2006. They now spend most of our time playing golf and growing roses. The Garretts have found growing roses to be a great hobby. They both enjoy it and it provides a wonderful stress relief to their hectic lives. Perhaps the only thing better than the beautiful flowers is the wonderful friends they have made through their local society and the ARS.

Don’t forget – The August meeting will be the SECOND Sunday of August, due to construction in the Massey Auditorium of Botanic Hall during the first week of the month.

The meeting will be held in the Massey Auditorium of Botanic Hall / Visitor Services Building at Cheekwood Garden and Estate. The Cheekwood Campus Map shows the location of Botanic Hall.

Note: Admission to Cheekwood is not required – let the gate attendant know that you are attending the NRS Meeting in Botanic Hall.

How to Keep Roses Blooming All Season Long, According to Rosarians

Experts share the secret to encouraging roses to rebloom throughout the growing season.

By Madeline Buiano, Associate Editor, MarthaStewart.com

Meet the Experts

* Geraldine Mahoney, Master Rosarian for the American Rose Society, Pacific Southwest District
* Ron Daniels, Master Rosarian for the American Rose Society and author of Rose Therapy: My Journey of Growing and Caring for Roses
* Jeff Wyckoff, rosarian and former president of the American Rose Society

Provide Adequate Sunlight

Roses need adequate sunlight to encourage blooming. “As a rule of thumb, we try to plant roses where they will get at least six hours of sunlight a day,” says Geraldine Mahoney, Master Rosarian for the American Rose Society, Pacific Southwest district. “In our area, that means an optimal spot would be where the roses get morning sun and afternoon shade.”

Water Properly

Avoid over- or under-watering your rose bushes—just the right amount will promote healthy growth for longer. “Roses need about 2 inches of water a week,” says Ron Daniels, Master Rosarian for the American Rose Society and author of Rose Therapy: My Journey of Growing and Caring for Roses. “The higher the temperatures the more they will need watering. Between 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, water once a day.” Watering early in the morning is ideal. Daniels recommends using a drip water system with a timer to save water.

Fertilize Regularly

Keep roses blooming for longer throughout the growing season by applying a balanced fertilizer once or twice a month, depending on how the weather is in your area, says Mahoney. For example, when it is very hot, roses do not take up fertilizer as quickly so you can apply it less often. “Avoid fertilizing in the fall and allow the plants to begin shutting down for the winter,” says Jeff Wyckoff, rosarian and former president of the American Rose Society.

Prune in Spring

Major pruning is done in the spring to encourage growth. “The goal is cut all dead wood out of the bush and open up the middle of the bush so you have good air flow,” says Daniels. “This will help produce new canes that will produce rose buds.” Before pruning, check what the guidances are in your specific zone as timing may vary depending on what part of the country you live in.

Deadhead Regularly

In addition to pruning in spring, deadhead roses regularly throughout the growing season. “By cutting off the spent blooms the bush will produce new flowers,” says Daniels. “If you don’t do this they will produce a seed pod or hip and not a new rose. In most zones you will have three bloom cycles if you deadhead your roses.”

Ensure Proper Air Circulation

Roses need to be planted so there is plenty of room for proper air circulation, which ensures they have room to bloom. What’s more, proper spacing helps to keep diseases like powdery mildew in check and prevents insects from spreading through the garden. Mahoney recommends planting roses so the center of one bush is 3 feet apart from the center of the other in all directions. “We also try to keep a distance from the bushes to any walls or fences—this helps avoid reflected heat in the summer and lets the air circulate,” she says

Inspect Roses for Pests and Disease

Regularly inspect your roses for signs of pests and disease, which can limit bloom longevity. “In our yard, we try to take our morning coffee and walk through the garden,” says Mahoney. “That walk gives us a chance to check if there are signs of insects, is the water system working, is there damage from any wind or weather that we need to address.” Treat pests and disease quickly to keep it from spreading to your other plants.

Plant Reblooming Roses

One of the most obvious ways to get your roses to bloom for longer is to plant reblooming varieties. “Most of the modern roses that are sold are remontant or reblooming,” says Mahoney. “If they are fed and deadheaded regularly, you should have roses blooming on and off throughout the season for your area.” Roses that are classed as “old garden” or “species” roses may or may not be rebloomers, but the plant tag at your nursery should indicate if they will rebloom.

Reprinted with permission by MarthaStewart.com

Madeline Buiano, Associate Editor at MathaStewart.com, contacted Ron Daniels, Nashville Rose Society Master Rosarian, along with Geraldine Mahoney and Jeff Wyckoff, with questions on how to keep roses blooming all season long. This article is a compilation of their answers.

Photo Credits: Ron Daniels Gadwall Abbey Garden