Many local rose societies from around the country maintain a section of the rose garden. The Houston Rose Society has such a section.
One thing all these bushes need is a good pruning in February. Each year the Center picks a weekend to hold their annual pruning party and rosarians from around the United States show up to prune the roses. Houston always sends a group to the pruning party. The HRS group usually picks one hotel at which to stay. We try to all get together for a Friday night dinner at a local restaurant. Shreveport is a large city, and full of great restaurants. We arise Saturday morning and meet a another restaurant for breakfast as a group. Do you get the idea that we like to eat?
After breakfast we caravan to the American Rose Center (exit 5 off Interstate 20) and get to work. We prune all morning and then break for a great lunch put on by the ARC staff and the Shreveport Rose Society. There is a great picnic area at the ARC, with nice tables and great barbecue pits. A play area is nearby for any children. Lunch is a great chance to meet rosarians from all over the country. And the food. Oh yes, the food. You won't go away hungry.
After lunch, a moving somewhat slower, we continue pruning in the afternoon. Then it is time to break for dinner. Another great restaurant is picked and another friendly chow-down takes place.
Depending on how many show up, there may be a few roses left to prune on Sunday morning. With luck, all the work will have been done on Saturday. Either way, it is time for breakfast, then either back home or back to the ARC to finish up.
This is a really fun weekend. We attack the various areas of the ARC as a group, so there is much banter and fun all day Saturday. Pruning this garden is not the solitary activity it may be in your garden.
Please come join us for the next pruning party, and read about what we do and have done at the links below.
World Championship of Pruning Contest
Directions to American Rose Center in Shreveport, Louisiana
[Go Back to The HRS Main Page]
mail comments to HRS webmaster@burger.com