June is National Rose Month, which was established in 1959 to support the effort to make the rose the national flower of the United States.
On November 20, 1986, President Ronald Reagan, signed Proclamation 5574 declaring the Rose to be The National Floral Emblem of the United States of America. With this proclamation, the Rose took its place among the beloved patriotic symbols of our nation, symbols that include the American Flag; the Great Seal including the U.S. Motto; the Bald Eagle; the National Anthem; the official March; and the National Tree, the Oak.
June was chosen because it is when roses are in peak bloom and are a popular choice for weddings. June is a beautiful time in Tennessee! Enjoy your roses!
The Sumner County Master Gardeners invite you to join us for our 3rd annual self-guided tour of some of Sumner County’s most unique and beautiful gardens. Rain or Shine. Admission is free. Experience five colorful and creative gardens throughout Sumner county.
Begin your tour at any location: Click to open in Google Maps
122 Tamaras Way, Hendersonville
Cathy Davidson, a Master Gardner for 25+ years, uses water features and painted garden art as the focal points for her backyard garden. With an eye for both color and texture, she uses striking ground covers and a beautiful palette of trellis climbers, such as native trumpet honeysuckle, and cottage flowers including hydrangea, daylillies, poppies, iris, and coreopsis to give a sensory experience and create a happy habitat for birds and pollinators.
130 Riviera Drive, Hendersonville
Experienced gardener John Hicks built a wealth of knowledge about shade-loving plants in the years he spent transforming his yard into a woodland oasis. Japanese maples, hydrangeas, ferns and hostas, including Empress Wu, the world’s largest hosta, line the paths surrounding a babbling waterfall to create a peaceful garden. John lost a few trees after the December tornado and used it as an opportunity to plant a bed of wildflowers.
1164 Kimberly Drive, Goodlettsville
Container gardener Dan Sheppard creates a cozy outdoor sanctuary surrounded by vibrant gardens planted in his eclectic terracota pot collection. Bamboo provides privacy and shade behind a fish pond and patio entertainment area, which is bordered with a sloped garden filled with cone flowers, clematis, rhododendron, bottlebrush buckeyes, hydrangeas and more.
1280 Goshentown Road, Hendersonville
Bruce and Alice Mitchell created a rustic, whimsical paradise on this tucked away wooded property with a log home and structures reminencent of the county’s early history. Gardens are filled with native wildflowers, sun and shade-loving plants, and artistic features built from materials on property, including a tree decorated with blue glass bottles and a vegetable garden fence and trellis made from tree limbs. There’s even a koi pond.
441 Gibbs Lane, Gallatin
Since staring Okrashire Farm in 2018, owners Bob and Jennifer Kuhle have incorporated ecologically sound practices, which helped them earn certification as a Tennessee Smart Yard. A greenhouse and rain water collection system help support the self-sustaining farm, which is known for its acres of wildflowers. Colorful zinnias, cosmos, black-eyed Susan and bachelor’s buttons surround a charming shed and fairy garden, where bee balm, lavender, yarrow and herbs grow. Along with an orchard, a shade garden and milkweed areas, this garden is a butterfly and bee haven. Vegetables are grown, too, and Jennifer makes unique okra ornaments, which will be available for purchase.
Best in Show – “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”, shown by Barbara TaubeThe 2024 Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show was held on Saturday, May 25, in Massey Auditorium at at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens.
The Show classes included: Division I – Horticulture
* Section A – Miniature Rose Challenge Classes
* Section B – Miniature Roses – Single Stem
* Section C – Large Rose Challenge Classes
* Section D – Large Rose – Single Stem Division II – Rose Arrangements Division III – Rose Photography
Hot Princess, Queen of the Show, by Ricky LockhartBarbara Taube, Nashville Rose Society member, won the Best in Show Award with her beautiful arrangement, “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words”. Ricky Lockhart, member of the Bowling Green Rose Society, won Queen of Show with Hot Princess. King of Show was won by Linda Bowden, Nashville Rose Society, with Veterans’ Honor, and Elizabeth Coleman won Princess of Show with Crescendo. Novice Queen of the Show was Dolly Parton won by Emily Magli.
Joan Fontaine,White Gold,Bliss Perfuma,Touch of Heaven,Madame Anisette,Moondance,MariaMathilda, French Lace, Crystal Palace
Barbara Taube
Royalty, Gold Certificate
Section B
Modern
Class 3
“Smile You’re on Candid Camera”
Black Magic
Lori Emery
Blue
Class 4
“Wide Angle Lens"
Veterans’ Honor
Mary Ann Hext
Artist , Bronze Certificate
Class 5
“Liquid Crystal Display”
Ring of Fire
Lori Emery
Blue
Section C
Oriental (East Asian)
Class 7
“Pretty as a Picture”
Celestial Night, Munstead Wood
Mary Ann Hext
Blue
Section D
Table Class
Class 8
“Say Cheese”
Warms My Heart, Tangerine Skies
Janie Hagan
Court of Etiquette Award
Section E
Special Classes
Class 9
“Red Eye”
Celestial Night
Barbara Taube
Blue
Class 10
“Polaroid-The 60 Second Excitement”
Ring of Fire
Mary Ann Hext
Duchess, Silver Certificate
Class 11
“Kodak Box Camera-You push the button, we do the rest.”
Veterans' Honor
Mary Ann Hext
Duke
Section F
Traditional Miniature Rose
Class 14
“Mega Pixel”
Mariotta
Mary Ann Hext
Mini Royalty, Mini Gold Certificate
Section G
Modern
Class 15
“Shutter Speed”
Memphis King
Barbara Taube
Blue
Class 16
“Chromatic Aberration”
Spice of Life, Night of Magic
Barbara Taube
Mini Artist, Mini Bronze Certificate
Class 17
“Golden Rectangle
Night of Magic
Barbara Taube
Blue
Section H
Oriental (East Asian)
Class 19
“Rule of Thirds”
Spice of Life
Barbara Taube
Mini East Asian, Mini Silver Certificate
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 2024 panel of judges.
Horticulture Judges
* Howard Carman – Louisville Rose Society
* Barbara McFarland – Nashville Rose Society
* Glenn Fuqua – Memphis & Dixie & Nashville Rose Societies
* Mike Thompson – Holston Rose Society
* Paula Williams – Louisville Rose Society
* Barbara Taube – Nashville Rose Society
Arrangement Judges
* Bobbie Reed -Atlanta Rose Society
* Sara Coleman – Atlanta Rose Society
Photography Judges
* Paula Williams – Louisville Rose Society
* Glenn Fuqua – Memphis & Dixie & Nashville Rose Societie
We are very excited about the June 2, 2024, meeting of the Nashville Rose Society which will be a walking tour of three member rose gardens in East Nashville! Please return to this web post for any weather related updates.
The NRS business meeting will be held at 1:30 at the garden of C.I. Aki and Jen Yoder’s Boscobel Garden. BRING A CHAIR! After touring the Boscobel Garden, we will walk to two other nearby gardens of Liz Louie and Ashley King, returning to the C.I. and Jen’s garden for snacks and refreshments.
Each of the gardens is unique.
Golden Celebration from C.I. and Jen’s GardenMixing the elegant with the wild, Boscobel Gardens draw on the charms of old English cottage gardens with David Austin climbers and shrubs, and a mix of wild grandifloras that lead down a path towards a small rose forest of hybrid tea roses, floribundas, and more climbers. Jasmine, wisteria, and honeysuckle vines add an infusion of warm fragrance to the burst of rose bushes and perennial flowers. Sets of bistro chairs and tables spread along the grass for taking in the moment while a bamboo grove looks out from the back of the garden.
Liz Louie’s Rose MedleyLiz’s Rose Medley is a collection of roses mainly in containers and pots. There’s no rhyme or reason to placement of roses. They just end up where there’s space or by whim. Be prepared, it’s a yard in constant flux, not a garden (yet).
Ashley King’s Holly Street GardenAshley King’s Holly Street front garden is a mix of roses and other perennials. It is always changing, and this year represents a garden that finds a way to bloom even when it cannot be cared for in the way it would best flourish. No pesticides are used due to butterfly host gardens in the back, so she relies mostly on beneficial insects and soil health. This season’s garden message is “Enjoy the blooms even when garden life and regular life get chaotic! ”
Saturday, May 25 – 1 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 26 – 11 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Cheekwood Botanical Estate & Gardens
1200 Forrest Park Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 3720
Rose Study Garden – Photo Courtesy of Cheekwood Estate & Gardens ‘Neil Diamond’ Best in Show at 2023 Nashville Rose Society Show exhibited by Marty Reich
The rose preparation area will open at 6 a.m. on Saturday. Horticulture entries will be placed on the exhibition tables by show personnel from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Challenge exhibits will be placed by the exhibitor. Judging will begin at 10:30 a.m.
To enter Cheekwood before 9:00 a.m., come through the back gate that is accessed off of Cheek Road, unload at the front or back of Botanic Hall, then park in one of the reserved parking spaces in Parking Lot A.
The Rose Show will be open to the public from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
NRS Rose Show Events
On Sunday, May 26, from 10 – 12:00 p.m. the Cheekwood Pick Your Own Bouquet Event (registration required, see Cheekwood’s website) will be held. Participants will leave with their own bouquet of roses from the Rose Study Garden. Ron Daniels, ARS Master Rosarian and NRS Past President, will be available during the event to answer any questions about how to grow and care for roses.
At 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Ron will present a free seminar to the public on the “Basics of Growing Roses”.
Following the seminar Ron will have a “Meet the Author & Book Signing” for his new book Rose Therapy.
We look forward to seeing you at the Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show!
