The American Rose Society with 21,000 members and the Houston Rose Society with over 2,500 members are honored to host members of rose organizations from the 34 member countries of the WFRS from around the world.

Houston, the 4th largest city in the United States, is an international city with 54 foreign government consular offices. Visitors are often overwhelmed by the size of Houston. Contrary to what most people believe, Houston is a green city with its miles of meandering bayous (small rivers). Lovely arboretums and botanical gardens showcase local flora. The city streets are lined with towering oak and pine trees.

Texas 2000 World of Roses Convention will include six days of knowledgeable and interesting speakers, a world class rose show, rose exhibit, a trade show, tours to private, public and display gardens, Space Center Houston (NASA), museums and Houston city tours. Special events include a book signing "Wine & Roses" dessert party with authors of rose and gardening books from around the globe, and a "Truly Texas Evening" rodeo/barbecue with "country and western" dancing.

Pre-convention tours are planned, so whether you arrive from the East or the West, you can join other rosarians on the final segment of your trip to Houston. From the East, meet with rosarians in Orlando, Florida to enjoy 6 days of southern gardens as you travel by motor coach to Houston with the "Rosarians' Tour of the South". From the West, rosarians will meet in Hollywood, California to enjoy roses, gardens and other activities of the American Rose Society Pacific Southwest District Convention and Rose Show, "Rose Odyssey 2000".

A post-convention tour from April 25 - 27 will go to the gardens of the American Rose Center in Shreveport, Louisiana, home of the American Rose Society, and our nation's largest garden dedicated to roses (over 40 acres of roses). The "Everything's Coming Up Roses" tour will also include a visit to the Tyler Rose Gardens with over 30,000 bushes and over 400 varieties of roses.

The headquarters for the 12th Convention of the World Federation of Rose Societies and the American Rose Society Spring National Convention is the JW Marriott Hotel in Houston's Galleria area. All convention activities will take place at the JW Marriott Hotel, including the ARS Spring National Rose Show, rose exhibits, convention meetings, seminars, trade show, exhibits, banquets and several special events. All convention tours will depart from the JW Marriott Hotel.