February 2016 Meeting: Sherry Shaft - Roses for Wisconsin

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!

After Sherry's presentation, Terry Wood from the Grant County Master Gardeners spoke to us about the upcoming Driftless Gardeners' Gathering they are are co-sponsoring with the Horticulture Club at UW-Platteville.

This new one-day event will take place on April 2, 2016 at UW-Platteville and will feature three workshops plus a keynote address by Lee Somerville, author of Vintage Wisconsin Gardens: A History of Home Gardening.