November 3, 1:30-4:00 pm – “Saving & Starting Seeds”, and Chili Cook-off

Don’t forget! Daylight Savings Time Ends!!
The speakers for the November meeting of the Nashville Rose Society will be two members of the Davidson County Master Gardeners – Susanna Hadley and Joan Clayton-Davis. The meeting will be held at the Ellington Agriculture Center Ed Jones Auditorium, 440 Hogan Road,Nashville, TN 37220. This venue has excellent parking and easy entry.

Joan Clayton-Davis, Coordinator of the Master Gardeners of Davidson County Speakers Bureau

Joan Clayton-Davis is Coordinator of the Master Gardeners of Davidson County Speakers Bureau, which educates the community on gardening, horticulture, etc. at libraries, schools, community organizations and churches, reaching more than 500 people each year. Joan has been a Master Gardener since 2014 and received the University of Tennessee Extension 2017 “Outstanding Master Gardener Award” Central Region. She is a retired Health Communications/Social Marketing Consultant.

Read more about Joan’s family history of farming and gardening since 1913 in her interview with the Nashville Public Library on blog post “A Master Gardeners Story”.

Joan will present “A Beginners Guide to Saving Seeds”. Seed saving is the practice of saving seeds or other reproductive material from open-pollinated vegetables, grains, herbs, and flowers for your use from year to year.

Susanna Hadley, Second Vice President of the Master Gardeners of Davidson County
Susanna Hadley has been a Master Gardener with the Master Gardeners of Davidson County since 2023. Currently serving as the Second Vice President, she acts as a bridge between the garden leads and the executive board. In addition, Susanna is the co-founder and Experience Director of Nashville Lawn Care, where she and her husband focus on meeting both commercial and residential landscaping needs while expanding into gardening and community garden support.

A Nashville resident since 2007, Susanna’s love for gardening intertwines with her passion for cooking and advocating for equitable food access. She has also contributed her time to organizations like The Nashville Food Project and Restoration Pointe, further reflecting her commitment to the community.

Susanna will teach us “How to Start Seeds” – how to choose good seeds, how to store seeds, containers for starting seeds, media for starting seeds, and techniques for starting, germination, and getting new plants ready for planting.

It is also that time of year for our annual Chili Cook-off. Everyone will vote for the best chili and the best cornbread – a good chili needs a good cornbread! Cook up a batch of your favorite recipe and bring it to the meeting. One thing is for sure, no one is going home hungry.

Finding the Center
From I-65: Take Exit #78-A east on Harding Place. Take a right at the second light onto Trousdale Drive. Travel south on Trousdale for approximately 1.5 miles. Turn left on to Hogan Road at the four-way stop. Hogan Road ends at the front gates of the Ellington Agricultural Center. Note: all buildings have identifying lawn signs for your convenience.

From I-24: Take exit #56 west on Harding Place to the Nolensville Road intersection at Walmart. Turn left onto Nolensville Road and travel south 1/10 mile and turn right onto Edmondson Pike. Travel 1 1/2 miles on Edmondson Pike. The east entrance to Ellington Agricultural Center is on the right.

Finding a Building
To the Ed Jones Auditorium: Enter the front gates from Hogan Road. Bear to your right. The Moss Building (antebellum style mansion) will be on your left at the top of the hill. Follow the drive until you reach the auditorium (a large white barn-like structure that sets at the end of the lawn behind the mansion.) It is located at 416 Hogan Road.


October 19, 10:00am – 5:00pm – Ron Daniels Gadwall Abbey’s Annual Rose Tour

Ron Daniels, Nashville Rose Society Master Rosarian, will host his Gadwall Abbey’s Open Rose Garden & Book Signing on Saturday, October 19, 10:00am – 5:00pm at 1000 Gadwall Circle, Hendersonville, TN 37075.

Ron has over 170 roses of all types and many companion plants in his Gadwall Abbey Garden. Ron’s garden produces many Rose Show winners and has been featured on Talk of the Town.

If you have not seen Ron’s garden, put this on your calendar!


October 13, 1:30-4:00 pm – Suzanne Horn, “David Austin & The Romance of English Roses”

Suzanne Horn is a successful exhibitor, speaker, writer, Master Consulting Rosarian, and horticultural judge
The Nashville Rose Society is pleased to have Susanne Horn as our presenter for the October, 2024, meeting. Suzanne will be joining us virtually via GoToMeeting from her home in Glendale, California. Suzanne’s program will cover the history of David Austin Roses and what makes them truly romantic. She will explain the family lines of these roses, varied forms and growth habits, shade tolerance, fragrance, growing tips, and their varied uses in the garden. Suzanne will share information and photos about her favorites among the English Roses for display in the garden, on the show table, and as cut flowers for the home. She will also discuss the lasting legacy of the late David C.H. Austin.

Suzanne is the 2023 Guy Blake Hedrick, Jr. Award winner and the 2023 Silver Honor Medal winner for the Pacific Southwest District. Suzanne has been growing show roses since she joined the American Rose Society in 2000, after being encouraged to pursue exhibiting, which she undertook with a fierce passion. She won her Best Novice trophy in 2000 (her first year) and won her first Queen in 2001. Since diving into the deep end of the exhibiting pool, she has won 1,390 trophies in 148 rose shows, including 107 Queens of Show and four “Best of Show” awards. She has been winning District and National trophies since her first two years of exhibiting, winning 44 District and National challenge trophies with hybrid teas, floribundas, shrubs, old garden roses, miniatures, minifloras, and polyanthas. She currently grows 450 exhibition roses of all types, all in containers.

Don’t forget – The October meeting will be the SECOND Sunday of October. Plan to attend the Tenarky District Fall Convention on October 4-6, in Bowling Green.

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.

Nashville Rose Society members may join the meeting virtually. For more information on how to log into GoToMeeting, please see Marty Reich’s email to NRS members. Non-NRS members are welcome to attend the meeting in person at Cheekwood.


October 4-6 – Tenarky District Fall Convention & Rose Show

The 2024 Tenarky District Fall Convention & Rose Show will be held October 4-6, 2024, at the Warren County Extension Office, 5162 Russellville Road, Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Sip & Snack on Friday evening and the banquet on Saturday evening are at the Holiday Inn University Plaza in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Convention hotel.

The Convention and Rose Show are hosted by the Louisville and Bowling Green Rose Societies.

The Rose Show will be held on Saturday, October 5. Doors open at 5:30 a.m. CDT . The Placement Committee and/or exhibitors will place horticulture entries from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. CDT. Exhibitors will place Challenge Class entries. Judging begins at 10:15 a.m. CDT. The show will be open to exhibitors when the judging is completed and the awards table is arranged. The Show will be open to the public from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. CDT and is free to the public.

For information on the events of this fun-filled weekend, click here.

Click here for the Rose Show Schedule.

Registration is required for all participants. Full payment must accompany each registration form. Exhibitors MUST be registered and have an exhibitor’s number on entry tags. Entry numbers will be on name tags at registration or may be obtained from the registrar prior to the show. Registration must be received by September 30 for food tally. Anyone registering after September 30, will not be able to attend the banquet.The registration form is here.

Hotel accommodations are at the Holiday Inn University Plaza in Bowling Green, Kentucky. There are a limited number of rooms at the Convention price! There are other events on this date, so make your room reservation very soon! The deadline for the Convention price is September 3, 2024. Click here to reserve your room.

Please plan to attend!


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”.