I am an ACTIVE member of two local Southern California area Societies:
Santa Barbara RS (which celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year, and
Ventura Co. RS, which is younger, but very active.

Both get turnouts of 40+ members on meeting nights, and are a lot of fun.
Which Society is yours?

Jeri

Thanks for replying, I'm in the Riverside area, do you know anyone from their rose society?

I belong to three local societies, but only actively attend one of them. We get 30+ for each meeting, usually have interesting programs, delicious goodies to eat, and time to talk roses with other members. Give it a try. I think you'll enjoy it.

I'm an active member of my local rose society. I joined last year, and we always have a good turnout. In our group there are a great mix of people. Some have been growing roses for years and some like me have been growing roses for just a few years or have just started. I have found it to be a great place to get information on what works best in our area.

Liz

Thanks, you guys have encouraged me to go. can someone also tell me if I have to be a member to attend?

I've been active in our Cherry Capital Rose Society for a number of years. We have about 100 members and it is a very friendly, vibrant organization. Check out our website at www.tcroses.org. We do a member survey every fall, and then plan all of our events based on the survey input. Three or four of our meetings during warmer weather include a garden walk in one or two member's gardens, and we always have some kind of hands-on event as well. We have started to co-host with certain groups at some meetings which has been very successful. Last year we co-hosted a meeting with the local camera club - they met in a member's garden and taught us how to take rose pictures, while we taught them how to grow roses. This year we are co-hosting a meeting with the local Ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) group, and another with the local Master Gardener's Association. I love this group and have learned so much from them. The public is invited to all of our meetings - they don't have to be a member to attend, but often choose to join afterwards.

I started our local Society ,Stephen Decatur Rose Society a few years ago. We now run about 25 members. We have a lot of fun. Cause they are mostly new rose growers, I teach Roses 101, and they are learning a lot! Our people come from as far as 30 miles to attend.
I am a member of three Societies. I visit the ones I far from at least once a year, to give a program and then I also show at their Shows. I always have fun at all of them!
These members have a wealth of rose knowledge to share with you!

It's not fair. No such thing as a rose society here unless I want to drive for 2.5-3.5 hours.

On the other hand, our local garden club has a few rose growers--as in Knock Outs or the latest HT. What is weird about that last group is how lovingly the HT owners talk about all the chemicals they use on their HTs and their yards in general. I'm not kidding--they truly "appreciate" how chemicals have made rose gardening, not to mention gardening in general, so much easier. A regular "love-fest" for the virtues of garden/yard chemicals.

I find it difficult to carry on extensive conversations with them.

But at least I have my Rose Forum--thank goodness!

Kate

gymmom -- I probably do know some of their members -- I just don't know them AS Riverside members. :-)

Jeri

President (my last year). We invite visitors to attend a meeting to get to know us. After that, we prefer that you join. Each society sets their own rules.

We hold a beginner's forum led by one of our Consulting Rosarians before each meeting to allow new rose growers to ask questions in a less public forum. We have a great mix of members, hold a rose show, have booths at a couple of garden shows (including the NJ Flower and Garden Show next week) and answer questions at a couple of local garden centers in the spring.

I am very, very, lucky, we have a great society.

Most Southern California Societies are happy to welcome guests to any meeting.
And while we hope you like us well enough to join, we're not going to worry if you don't.
Only, IF you join, you'll get the Newsletter (Our societies have some good'uns.)
In fact, you might could get the Newsletter on-line, in full color.

So if any of y'all are up in Ventura or Santa Barbara Counties on the second or fourth Thursdays
of most months, give me a yell, and come on down and join us.

Jeri

I was acquainted with a late founder of the Riverside rose society, Zelda Lloyd, and my great aunt and uncle also knew her. I'm not sure if I know any current members. (I do know Jeri up in Ventura-- Hi there!)

I've gotten a lot out of my participation in rose clubs over the years. I would imagine it is a friendly bunch, that their meetings are open to the public and that you'll have fun.

Hi there Petaloid!

I was privileged to meet Zelda Lloyd, and you know, she personified the wide range of people
who love roses.
Did you know she was a Ziefield Follies girl? AND an exhibitor of Great Dane dogs.

If you look around you can find some unfriendly people involved in roses -- but you really
have to LOOK. :-)
Most rose folks are born with a Missionary Complex.
They're LOOKING for people they can teach about roses.

Jump right in.

Jeri

Thanks everyone. Well I did go tonight, my husband was nice enough to go with me and boy am I glad he did, it was really hard to find in the dark. Everyone was really friendly, about 20 in all. We played a rose game and then the minutes were read. They had a man talk about propagation, they were suppose to have a slide show accompany it but that didn't happen so he is going to come back next month and do a hands on demonstration with everyone. I'm really glad I decided to go, thanks everyone.

I also wish there was a local rose club. When I checked with the ARS, I learned that the nearest meeting was a 2 hour drive which was impossible with my work schedule.

If I ever get to retire, I may follow Dan's lead and try to resurrect the local chapter.

Harry, you'd be a natural for that.
I suspect that If You Built It [a society], They Would Come. :-)

I wish Old Roses were your "thing."
I'd be bugging you to start a Heritage Roses Group (which is a lot easier to do).

Jeri

I never got to meet Zelda Lloyd, but I grew the rose named for her. It had a beautiful single bloom, but the plant needed some of those Great Dane genes. I was sad to give up on it, but it never got more than 4 inches or so tall. It just didn't like our winters.

Sadly, her rose struggled here, too.
I always feel badly when a rose with a special name doesn't want to grow for me.
That one sure didn't.
I gave it up with regret.
Phil, I wish you'd met her.
I didn't really get to know her, but saw enough of her to know that she was a fun lady.

Jeri

The ARS has a special promotion on now you also might want to consider. It is:

"The 4-month trial membership, available to all NEW (NOT renewing) members of a local society, continues to be in force for the foreseeable future. All that is required is
that the local society President send a list of new members with street
addresses, phone numbers and email addresses to Laura Pfender, Membership
Director of the ARS, at laura@ars-hq.org." Vol. 2, No. 11 ARS & YOU

Just to expand on that a little, you get a four month FREE ARS membership. You receive two copies of the magazine as they come out as part of this membership. At the end of the four months you can decide if you want to become a dues paying member of the ARS or not. There is no obligation. This gives you time to see what the magazine is like, learn about the other benefits of ARS membership, and decide whether you would like to be an ongoing member based on some experience and not just guesswork. It's pretty nice deal.

I would rejoin the ARS if:

1) I could download the magazine as a .pdf

2) Direct where my charitable contribution (dues) goes like United Way. I would direct 100% of mine to support of public rose gardens (with no ARS O/H) which could include the ARS gardens in LA.