Looking Forward to the NRS 2024 Program Year!

The Nashville Rose Society Programming Committee is working hard on our monthly meeting calendar for 2024.

A few programs to look forward to in the next few months include our first meeting on February 4, which will be a fun and informative roundtable discussion, “Buzz Session: Rose, Thorn and Bud”, led by our own Consulting Rosarians. On March 3, Ricky Lockhart from Morgantown, Kentucky, and Consulting Rosarian member of the Bowling Green Rose Society, will share his 25-year rose story – which has been a blooming success! Bette Fields will share her tips and tricks for creating beautiful flower arrangements for family and friends on April 7. We are excited to announce our “Rose Garden Crawl and Progressive Picnic” on June 2, starring our very own rose gardeners and their beautiful gardens in East Nashville!

Be sure to mark your calendars for the coming year!


February 17 – 2024 Tenarky District Winter Workshop

Are you ready for an exciting winter workshop in February? Are you ready to see your friends from around the district and catch up on news and see what new roses they have ordered? If your answer is yes, then you will want to hurry and register for the upcoming event.

The Winter Workshop will be held on February 17,2024, at the Hampton Inn, 2606 Hwy 49 W, Pleasant View, TN 37146. The venue has moved to a new location for several reasons. As you know, traffic, high hotel prices, and high rental for space have been major concerns. The hotel is about 30 miles from Nashville so traffic is not a problem. The price of the hotel is reasonable, and the hotel is new. If you have a new puppy (or other pet) you don’t want to leave at home, no problem; the hotel is pet friendly! We will also have several great speakers.

Dr. Nar Bahadur Ranabhat, from the University of Tennessee Crossville, is in the Entomology and Plant Pathology Department. He will be discussing his research relating to advances in Rose Rosette Disease.

Ken Schmidt, from the Carolina District, will be judging our photo contest and will give us valuable tips on how to take quality photos of our roses.

Dr. David Zlesak, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls and has had many accomplishments. He has been the coordinator of the Northern Earth-Kind trial and the director of the American Rose Trials for Sustainability ®. He has published numerous articles on diseases and hardiness of roses and other plants. Dr. Zlesak is also is well-known rose breeding. He has had numerous successful introductions you are familiar with including the “Oso”® series, the Pretty Polly® series, and numerous other roses. He will be discussing his sustainable roses and his goals of producing plants that are hardy and disease resistant.

Photographs must be entered by 9 a.m. with a welcome from our director. Seminars will be at 9:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Following lunch, our district business meeting will be held with the final speaker after it. We plan to conclude by 3:30-4 p.m. Click here for the Photography Schedule.

Click here for the registration form and the schedule of events. Information can also be found on our district website at tenarky.org on the home page. This is your opportunity to hear some outstanding rosarians share their rose knowledge, enjoy lunch with rose friends from across the district, enter in our 5th annual photography contest, purchase some new roses, and have an enjoyable winter day!

MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND!!


NRS 2023 Awards and 2024 Executive Board

The 2023 Nashville Rose Society December meeting and Christmas party was held at the Ellington Agriculture Center Ed Jones Auditorium on December 3, 2023. The evening was filled with good food and fun gift exchange, the announcement of the 2023 Society awards, and introduction of the 2024 Executive Committee members.

2023 Bronze Medal Award

Gene Meyer, recipient of the Nashville Rose Society 2023 Bronze Medal Award.
The 2023 Bronze Honor Medal, the highest award that can be presented by a local rose society, was given to Gene Meyer for his outstanding support of the Society during the past year. Gene is an American Rose Society Master Rosarian and the NRS Consulting Rosarian Chairman. He organizes and conducts the Spring and Fall Grand Prix Rose Shows and serves on the NRS Annual Rose Show and the Programming Committees. Gene supports the rose community in our area by judging the Wilson County and the Tennessee State Fair Rose Shows.

2024 Executive Committee

The 2024 Executive Committee members of the Nashville Rose Society were introduced at the meeting and Christmas dinner.

The next term of the Society president position will be co-led by Janie Hagan and Liz Louie. By sharing the responsibility of president, Janie and Liz will be able to bring more leadership to the Society and to the rose community in Nashville.

Diane Coleman (Recording Secretary and Webmaster), Bob Bowen (Member-at-Large), Janie Hagan (Co-President), Gene Meyer (Consulting Rosarian Chair, Grand Prix), Ron Daniels (Rose Study Garden Manager), John Wendler (NRS Rose Show Coordinator), (front row) Gary Spencer (Treasurer), Lori Emery (Tenarky District Director), Marty Reich (Membership Chairman and Rose Leaf Co-Editor), and Liz Louie (Co-President)

Other members of the Executive Committee, not shown, are Lani Rossman (Programming Committee Chairman), Pam Brown (Rose Leaf Co-Editor), Martha Garman (Corresponding Secretary), Lisa Schaaf, Angel Cohen, Rose Markham, and Karin Bailey (Hospitality Committee), Mary Hext (NRS Rose Show Committee), and Nancy Jones (Member-at-Large).

Ron Daniels and John Wendler
As a show of appreciation, the Nashville Rose Society acknowledged out-going co-presidents, Ron Daniels and John Wendler, for their outstanding contributions and leadership of the Society for the past six years. Their accomplishments include the development of the Rose Study Garden at Cheekwood and growing and strengthening the membership of the society during the COVID crisis.

Rose Dresses!!

Members of the Nashville Rose Society are well known for their rose fashions.

Heidi and Jose Gonzales
Liz Louie

Heidi and Jose Gonzales are new members of the society, and Heidi is in full swing with roses! She ordered her beautiful dress online at The Pretty Dress Company, www.theprettydresscompany.com, in London, England. It specializes in classical cut dresses and Heidi especially likes 1950’s vintage. They have several dresses with roses on them, for those shoppers among us. (She assures us that she does not vacuum in high-heels and dresses like Mrs. Clever!)

Liz Louie found her rose felted shawl when she was visiting her sister-in-law in Vancouver, BC. She was passing by the Alarte Silks Studio Gallery, alartesilks.com, and saw this shawl on a mannequin. She had to have it!

Getting Ready for 2024

The Nashville Rose Society leadership team is working hard to get ready for 2024. The Programming Committee is working to identify monthly meeting programs that will be interesting and educational for our membership. If you have suggestions or ideas for programs, please let us know.


2023 Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show Results

Best of Show – Neil Diamond
The 2023 Nashville Rose Society Annual Rose Show was held on Saturday, October 14, 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

Marty Reich with her Best of Show entry, Three Roses – Neil Diamond

Marty Reich, member of the Nashville Rose Society, took away the award for the Best in Show with her entry of three hybrid tea roses Neil Diamond. In addition, Marty won Challenge Class 3 – Three Mini or Miniflora Roses with Mango Blush, Challenge Class 7 – Miniflora in a Bowl with Mango Blush, and Class 15 – English Box with Veterans’ Honor.

Ricky Lockhart, member of the Bowling Green Rose Society, won the most trophies (20), including Queen of Show with Moonstone and King of Show with Ring of Fire. Gene Meyer won Princess of Show with Mohana.

And now for the Courts!

Hybrid Tea or Grandiflora Roses Court

VarietyShown byCertificate
QueenMoonstoneRicky LockhartARS
KingRing of FireRicky LockhartARS
PrincessMohanaGene MeyerARS
Royal CourtLet Freedom RingRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtGeminiRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtDonna’s GraceRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtParis de Yves St. LaurentRicky LockhartNRS
Royal CourtGirls' Night OutRicky LockhartNRS

Miniature Roses Court

RoseShown ByCertificate
QueenRenegadeGene MeyerARS
KingPink PearlGene MeyerARS
PrincessPerrineRicky LockhartARS
CourtCaptivatingGene MeyerNRS
CourtArcanumRicky LockhartNRS

Miniflora Rose Court

RoseShown byCertificate
QueenFirst ChoiceGene MeyerARS
KingWhirlawayRicky LockhartARS
PrincessGarden QueenRicky LockhartARS
CourtGame ChangerRicky LockhartNRS
CourtWright TouchGene MeyerNRS

Rose Photography

SubjectPhotographerAward(s)
Class 3-One Open Bloom, any type roseAngel FaceRita WebbBest of Class, Gold - Queen
Class 6-Creative InterpretationMixed BouquetNeil RickBest of Class, Bronze - Princess
Class 7- ArrangementJulia ChildLinda BowenBest of Class , Silver - King

Rose Arrangements

SectionClass-TitleRosesShown ByAward
Section ATraditional
Class 2-“Broken Promises”Broken PromisesLanni WebbRoyalty, Bronze
Section BModern
Class 4-“Fried Circuits”Mr. CalebLanni WebbArtist , Silver
Section COriental (East Asian)
Class 5-“Kintsugi”Francis MeillandLori EmeryEast Asian (Oriental)
Section DTable Class
Class 7-“Don’t Cry Over Spilt Milk”BeverlyJanie HaganCourt of Etiquette Award
Section ESpecial Classes
Eligible for DuchessClass 10-“Rock Bottom”Easter Basket, TranquilityBarbara TaubeDuchess
Best NoviceClass 11-“Whiplash”Day BreakerLinda BowenNovice, Gold
Section FTraditional
Eligible for Mini Royalty:Class 13-“Cracked Eggs”Perrine, ArcanumLanni WebbMini Royalty, Mini Bronze
Section GModern
Eligible for Mini Artist:Class 15-“Possum on the Half Shell”Memphis KingBarbara TaubeMini Artist, Mini Gold
Eligible for Mini East Asian (Mini Oriental):Class 17-“Springing a Leak”Bridal SunblazeMary Ann HextMini East Asian (Mini Oriental), Silver

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
* Mark Nolen – Indianapolis Rose Society
* Linda Kimmel – Indianapolis Rose Society
* Mike Thompson – Holston Rose Society
* Paula Williams – Louisville Rose Society
* Barbara Taube – Nashville Rose Society

Arrangement Judges
* Barbara McFarland – Huntsville-Twickenham Rose Society
* Glenn Fuqua – Memphis & Dixie Rose Society

Photography Judges
* Paula Williams – Louisville Rose Society
* Linda Kimmel – Indianapolis Rose Society