February means Valentine’s Day and what flower says
Valentine’s Day more than roses?
At our February meeting Sherry Shaft from the Madison Rose Society presented a program on growing roses in Wisconsin.
Sherry has been growing roses for over 30 years and grows around 300 rose bushes in her
garden in Sun Prairie. She is a Consulting Rosarian as well as a Certified
Horticulture judge and an Arrangement judge for the American RoseSociety. Sherry judges several rose shows each year in
several states, including the Wisconsin State Fair, and has judged rose growers trials of new
roses in France, Scotland and California. She also exhibits at many shows each year.
Sherry is currently serving as Secretary of the Madison Rose
Society, and has served as President and Vice President. She is also the Chairperson of the North
Central District Arrangement judges. She is a Master Gardener, and spends many hours
volunteering at Olbrich Botanical Gardens and at rose related activities.
Sherry went through the various types of roses from grandifloras to miniatures and hybrid teas, showing us lovely examples in each category that are easy care and hardy enough to do well in Wisconsin.
She also covered care and maintenance of roses, including organic disease and pest control, making the care of roses far less intimidating than many of us had thought.
Sherry then shared some drop-dead gorgeous images of gardens in France from her recent trip. Wow, we all want to go!
