I agree it is wonderful to meet real-life GW members. I did belong to a rose group near me for a while but continuing health problems have been very restrictive.

Your log cabin restoration sounds wonderful----please keep us posted as you progress--Pa-Md. is a lovely area----I live in Bucks County which is als a nice area---

Florence

Being by nature something of a loner, clubs and societies are not really my forte. What I have enjoyed is meeting and becoming a rose friend with one of the members of this forum who lives fairly close to me and being introduced to an experienced rosarian in my area by Jeri, whose garden I've seen several times and who's also introduced me to some local public gardens that he has planted with old roses. I attended a rose society meeting but felt out of my element since most of the members are interested in modern roses. I think there has to be the right chemistry between you and the society in question.

Ingrid

The closest OGR club is 4 hours away from me and I'm really not into hybrids which is what the closer Rose Groups are all about.

Like Ingrid groups are not my favorite thing but I love to see gardens and talk with knowledgeable gardeners, just not happening in my small small town.
I have learned more in this forum than I could have in years elsewhere.

Maybe like Groucho Marx I don't want to belong to any group that would accept me as a member. No that's not even true.

Denise

don't like people, only plants.

Oh, you guys!
Local affiliate Heritage Roses Groups were made for you.
:-)

Of local groups, Miriam Wilkins wrote: "Start out with a light heart, for you need meet only when you wish to."

A local HRG can operate in any way you wish it to. Most elect no officers.

My own local group (Gold Coast HRG) almost never "meets."
We have conducted a running on-line discussion for years now, and GC is the first place we turn with a question.
Our "meetings," if you may call them that, consist of periodic Rose Rustles, or a dinner gathering at some rose event. But not all go, of course.

We (Gold Coast) have a quarterly Newsletter, and charge dues, to support that.
But other HRG Groups have no dues, and no Newsletter.
Still others for one specific reason or another elect formal officers.
So you see, your local HRG can be as much, or as little, as you wish it to be.

I was just informed of a new group in the Central Sierra area of California, but we would love to have more Local groups in the East.

If something like that appeals to the anarchists among you, --G-- contact me, and I'll send you more information.

Jeri Jennings
Editor,
Heritage Roses Groups "Rose Letter"

Here is a link that might be useful: The Heritage Roses Groups

My DIL and I belong to the Central Fla. Heritage Rose Society, in Lakeland at Fla. Southern College, it is a good 1 & 1/2 hour drive on I-4, but we wouldn't miss it for the world, they meet on Sun. afternoons.. Dr. Malcolm Manners is a past-Pres. and gives us his expertise freely. There is a raffle of donated plants, I won a "Fairy" polyantha... after the meeting we go to the "cookie-room' and stuff our faces. There seems to be a fairly large membership and mostly mid-aged and younger folks, some old like me, a nice mix..... sally

I belong to our local rose society which usually meets less than 10 minutes from my house on Sundays. I have attended 3 meetings in 3 years but like others feel totally out of my element due to shyness. Additionally, building a garden from scratch has taken every weekend in my life for the last 3 years (well, almost). Maybe now that my garden is "built" I'll attend more but like others have said most of the folks grow HTs. Our newsletter editor grows OGRs though - by the hundreds! I invited the members who have email so maybe I'll meet some this Saturday at my Open Garden. That would be nice. Also, like Denise said, everything I know I learned here. It's definitely THE best graduate studies program available for rose gardening!!

Sherry

Well, see, I'm a loner too. BUT, I had this morbid epiphany that I had very few friends and fewer still that shared my interests. I overcame my natural shyness and joined a garden club even though at 50, I was a relative youngster. These are some of the nicest ladies I've ever met. :-)

Now see, meeting regularly is something I would normally talk myself out of--I like the freedom of choosing to participate-- or not. But, suddenly I found myself agreeing to be secretary, give presentations, do volunteer work and it is drawing me out of my usual reticence. (This is affiliated with National Federated Garden Clubs and there are certan things each club has to do) but that's just *this* group.)

I totally get the freeform social gathering--I'm into it. I just want to meet fellow earth travelers who can bring out the best in each other as far as the plant world is concerned. And I have met fellows from GW at the annual swap who are great people. But generally, once a year is *it*. I think this idea of Heritage Roses is a winner.

As far as I can tell, our Maryland Rose Society doesn't push HTs. This month's newsletter discusses the Cherokee Rose, R. Setigera (Prairie Rose), Eglantines, Species and Moderns.
I think that's great! And, they do volunteer work at an historic site called Cylburn. Just the same, I just think it would be nice to have more local rose friends like a few of you have mentioned!

After reading about the distances some of you travel, I guess I'll have to try to make those meetings that aren't conflicting with my schedule. Puts me to shame.

But I still would like to know who else is close enough to be considered a "Rosefriend"!

Suji

I'm not a clubby sort of person. I belong to two local generic garden clubs but mostly to drum up business and because my mother told me one should be involved in one's community. I joined the local rose society when I first moved her but it was strictly HTs and exhibition, so I dropped it. What I really enjoy is people just dropping in--or being able to drop in on others as I travel--and annual gatherings like Connie's and Robert's. Also, clubs always seem to have money issues--dues, fund raiders, treasurer reports--which I find tiresome.

You solve that by not HAVING dues.

Jeri

don't like people, only plants.

Me too...but I've gotten a lot out of the local garden club I joined. Connections to wholesalers for cheap high quality plants, and because meetings are held in member gardens, I've had the chance to see some gorgeous gardens. I've gotten used to the people...they really are not so bad. Plant lovers seem to be far nicer than average.

There are rose clubs but both are rather a long freeway drive on weeknights when the traffic is still bad, so I've never gotten to one.

I tend to overload myself with projects and such... (and well... work)... so, probably what would happen is that I'd got to a meeting or two a year at best.

... like I'm a member of my local kimono club. Learned a lot the first two years, and I just don't really have time to go to all the events.

and like hoovb said, traffic is atrocious! I tend to only go to events on weekends for that reason. "school night" and all.

I think it would be fun to meet some of you though at some event!

I was the president of our local garden club up until last year and am still very active in it. There is a rose society that meets about 20 min. away but I just haven't had time to join or attend meetings. I would like to, but with the gardening projects our local club does I feel I'm kind of tapped out.

I'm a member of our local large garden club which has had some excellent speakers which I enjoy. But the business part is a drag. Our local rose society is all about hybrid teas and what to spray them with, which is totally not me!

I think starting a Heritage Rose Group affiliate in this area would be the bomb!! Sounds like something I should research.

I belong to two rose societies, Richmond and Northern Neck. Richmond is old-school, encourages exhibition, and it has a long history that I am proud to be a part of. Do I exhibit? Sometimes ... OGRs when I have them at the right time for the show. This year the show conflicts with the opening of my nursery, so I'll miss it. All members want all other members of the society to grow roses and succeed, no matter what type of roses you choose to grow. People like me give the HT crowd another view of what a rose can be. Most members appreciate the added perspective, even if they don't add OGRs to their garden.

I also belong to two garden clubs ... Culpeper Garden Club, which is affiliated with the Garden Club of Virginia, and is another old-school type of club, and Four Seasons Garden Club which is more informal, lots of field trips, and is full of hard-core horticultural types. I am in awe of the knowledge that is around me when I go places with this crowd.

Suji, Maureen is planning to come to my place for the Garden Social on the afternoon of June 5. You two can carpool. It's a good time.

Connie

campanula,

we could start a rose club for misanthropes and refuse to hold any meetings. ;-)

I belong to the local rose society and have for several years. Also exhibit at the show in the fall. I've met many good people who are excited to find the OGRs and have added some to their gardens. As a matter of fact, I went to the April meeting yesterday (though I don't often go because of the distance) and had a good meeting with a program by our local county extention agent. It was on organic rose growing..

A good way to meet fellow enthusiasts is to volunteer at a local rose garden. I'm lucky in that I live in Sacramento and became a volunteer at the Historic Rose Garden in the Old City Cemetery. When I first went there, I had no idea of being a volunteer (no expertise, either), but Anita gave me a mini tour and convinced me to at least try it. I've been doing it for almost 2 years now, and it's been great! Not only have I learned SO MUCH - I've met a lot of really nice people. I don't make it to all the meetings, but I go when I can. But, really, the best conversations are when you are working, say deadheading a big Tea. People chat (or not, if they prefer that - some just like a quiet garden atmosphere) in a mild way, and it's very relaxed and enjoyable. Some of also go to coffee afterwards, and that's fun too.

Of course, not everyone is lucky enough to live near a place the Sacramento Historic Rose Garden - but even a public garden that doesn't have OGRs could maybe be "infiltrated" by OGR lovers and slowly be turned on to the idea of adding a few... We all know how THAT ends!

Laura

I used to belong to our local rose society but did not renew my membership because 11 and 1/2 out of 12 meetings were about modern roses.
I've been meaning to join our local Heritage Rose society, but health issues have delayed this, much of my free time is given to volunteering to caring for old and wild roses in our public garden.

Lux.

I belong to three local rose societies, although I generally just get to the meetings of one of them. That group always has a spring garden tour, and in recent years we have been holding it early in the growing season so we can enjoy the OGRs grown by some of our members. The program at our last regular meeting was about making flower arrangements featuring roses. Local societies can do things that interest more of their members if they just make the effort.

Suji - You are welcome to stop by my open garden near Brookeville on May 29 -30. A few folks come from near and far to see the garden and how it is changing year to year. This year with the devistation of 3 Blizzards and crushed roses, I'm guessing that we will have much of the wild look of years some time ago which some visitors may welcome again. With warm weather after the snow, my rose classes appear to be a few days ahead of schedule. However, there should not be a significan shortage of bloom. We always welcome rose enthusiasts of all sorts. I am even cultivating more visits by teasing a couple of local garden clubs with OGR talks this spring to come and smell the roses - even the HT folks sneak a peak sometimes (I may have a few of them as well). Please stop by and enjoy whatever we have and share some of your OGR stories and ideas as well. We'd love to share the garden such as it may be this spring. PS - The roses have already begun to bloom. Father Hugo's rose, Old Blush and Sophie's Perpetual have already begun to bloom and some HP's buds are showing color. What's not to love about zone 6b? Best, Nick

We have no local rose society, garden club, public rose or botanical garden in the province of Piacenza that I know of. I also hate to get out, dragging myself only with great reluctance to see even my dearest gardening friends. Also, evening meetings in Italy usually start at 9 p.m., roughly the time when I go to bed. My contact with the gardening and rose world is almost entirely through Internet and the rose forums and through a handful of gardening friends here. Lately I've been feeling a bit horticulturally deprived: time for some new input! Meanwhile, in our beautiful province which is somewhat starved when it comes to ornamental horticulture (we do have a good autumn garden show, Frutti Antichi at Paderna), I think my garden may one day become a local resource for people who are interested in roses, garden plants, and garden design--at least that's the plan.

I'm not the greatest person for going out and looking for organizations and activities, and there may be a lot more going on in Piacenza than I know about; but this has been my experience.

Melissa

I am a bit of a misanthrope as well. But sometimes it's good to connect with someone with whom you share a common interest, a reminder that there are a few people out there who are not complete idiots.

I always have extra plants, and have given many away on Freecycle, but lately am just not up to dealing with the philistines. Our freecyle group has a "community cafe" board, so I asked if anyone had an interest in antique roses, and met up with Sujiwan.

I would be interested in a local HRG group, if a "group" can consist of two people. As Sujiwan mentioned, I did try to start a club in my town several years ago. It was not rose-oriented though, I was just trying to spruce up the public areas of the "historic" part of town. Few people were interested, and I was the only person who had any plants and was willing to do any work. I am incapable of directing other people anyway, so the whole idea was ridiculous.

Maureen

A new Local Group has just formed in the Central Sierra foothills area (Northern CA).
It begins with two people -- both very experienced with Old Roses, and experienced Rose Rustlers.
We know of one other person who will likely soon join them, but in essence, they will be a resource to people who want to learn about the Old Roses of that rose-rich area.
Little-by-little, I think a few will join, but the group will likely never be big.
Not big, but very useful. So we are thrilled to welcome them.
You could probably initiate a similar small group, and be a resource for your part of MD.
And there's no reason why you could not emphasize other historic plants, along with historic roses.
I think they go together, myself.

Also, as I said, it is ridiculously simple to initiate a group that "meets" on line.
In fact, it gives you the ability to draw both experienced and inexperienced people who would probably have to travel a distance to be part of your group.

I know how to do this, because I've done it, and I know how well it can work.

Jeri

Jeri, you have mail.

The more I think about this, the more I think that I'm gonna jump in with both feet. We can all talk about this at my house while everyone is here in June. It could be a meeting!

As far as things go with 'traditional' rose societies ... join, and be the voice of old roses among the membership. There are other members who are intrigued by OGRs, and you will be the 'mentor' they need to make the leap and add them to their garden. Volunteer to work society events, and encourage the public to try OGRs.

Connie

i do not see the point; i garden to get away from people in general. if i need information i come on here. plus i don't think there would be a lot of guys my age that are into growing roses like i am.
my garden is open to anyone who wants to talk about it or have a glass of wine with me.

I formed a local heritage roses group for the greater Washington DC area back in the early 1980s. Upwards of 15 or more folks would turn out for a meeting when we had something or someone available to give us a talk. I had Leonie Bell and Henry Mitchell give talks and possibly Lily Shohan. It turned out that it was kind of a committee of 1 and sometimes 2 to get the ball rolling. It kind of ran out of gas when I did after a couple of years. Perhaps there are more folks around now with interests in Heritage roses. So thinking back I remember what worked and what did not then. That is not to say it shouldn't work in some form for an area. It might not be more than a garden party and plant swap, but it might be worth while looking into. As Connie said - perhaps at her place at the June 5th gathering. Best, Nick

We belong to two ARS Societies, and we get to most meetings.

We think we've been pretty effective missionaries, because there has been increased knowledge of and interest in, antique roses, in those groups.
We also give talks periodically, to other societies, and we see some response from that, too.

But our most enjoyable contacts are those within our own Local Group. Though we interact MOSTLY on line, we have close, warm friendships that are renewed whenever we do get together.

I think networking with others who love Old Roses has value, and is worth making a little effort for.
Connie -- You'd be a great addition.

Jeri