You can download this and other Vintage Gardens’ newsletters, in our RESOURCES section with topics ranging from the history of the Hybrid Musk roses and the Noisettes to the story of Vintage Gardens, how it began and the struggle it faces to continue.

OPEN GARDEN FOR MAY, 2009
Voluntary donations of $5 per person.
FREE to all current members of the Heritage Rose Foundation! www.heritagerosefoundation.org

Once again we open the gates of our private garden in Sebastopol this May. There is no charge for entry but we entreat you to offer a $5 donation to help to maintain this extraordinary collection of old and classic roses, and to benefit the Heritage Rose Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes the preservation of historic roses.

PLEASE NOTE that the garden is NOT AT OUR NURSERY SITE! The nursery is reserved for propagation and shipping and is not open to the public. The Garden is located at:

3003 Pleasant Hill Rd. in Sebastopol, California 95472

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The garden will be open this year a couple of days less than in past years, so please pay close attention to the following times and dates. We don’t want to frustrate you with the gate closed when you arrive.

OPEN GARDEN DATES AND TIMES

From 10 am until 3 pm on the following dates:

Saturdays, May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Sundays, May 3 and May 10

BAND PLANTS WILL BE FOR SALE AT THE GARDEN.
ROSE ORDERS FOR PICK UP AT THE GARDEN MAY BE REQUESTED.

EL CERRITO CELEBRATION OF OLD ROSES

On Sunday, May 17, the Heritage Roses Group produces the most extraordinary rose show on earth at the El Cerrito Community Center, on Moeser St. near Ashbury in the city of El Cerrito, home of the founder of America’s old rose movement, Miriam Wilkins. This is not the rose show that you’ve come to expect. There are no competitions for the best grown roses, just thousands of stems of old roses on display identified by name and grouped by their antique classification. It’s a place to look, smell, learn and enjoy. Vendors of old roses, modern roses, and wonderful companion plants provide an opportunity for you to take home plant treasures galore.

If you are able to assist in any way, please contact Gregg and he’ll connect you with the right person.

LIKE TO CUT FLOWERS FROM OUR GARDEN?

If you’d always wanted to wander around our garden with a pair of clippers and cut flowers, this is your chance! On Saturday morning, May 16th, we ask for volunteers to cut sample flowers from our garden for us to take to the Celebration of Old Roses for the educational display. We never have enough helpers. Email Gregg if you’d like to join in and he’ll reply with details.

FRIENDS OF VINTAGE GARDENS—DIRT DAYS IN MARCH AND APRIL
The Friends of Vintage Gardens have been hard at work since the autumn, helping me to ready the garden for our May open house. Half of the garden was weeded in advance of the pruning season, and several Friends have spent days with Gregg at pruning, sharing his knowledge and honing their abilities while helping to progress the work of cleaning up thousands of roses from the collection.

This spring Luanne Wilson, our fearless leader of the Friends, has announced two dirt days to help with weeding, mulching, labeling and more planting. These will take place on March 14th and April 11th, from about 9 or 10 am until mid-afternoon. Everyone brings a dish for a grand pot-luck lunch. The Friends always welcome anyone who wants to join in; just email to Luanne for details.

Contact Gregg or Luane, if you’d like to join the fun

OUR GALLON ROSES ARE RETURNING HOME from Garden Valley Ranch. We will no longer offer our roses in Petaluma, and are not offering nursery pick up there any longer. The challenge of maintaining a group of plants in another nursery has been more than we can manage. We regret having had to make this decision, but we know it will result in our focusing even better on doing what we do best; replicating our collection and providing you with the largest selection of rare old roses available anywhere in the world!