News and Events

In 2024, the Fort Vancouver Rose Society is enjoying its 71st year of growing and celebrating the rose.  All are WELCOME to our meetings and events as described below.  Recently, the highlight event of our calendar year took place on Saturday, June 29, when the Society held its 69th Annual Rose Show.  HUGE thanks to all our exhibitors and volunteers who helped organize and staff the show.  So many folks we dare not try to list them all...but we must give special thanks to Kathy Fry who organized the first-ever Photography section of our annual rose show.  It was a huge success...so many photos! 

Next Meeting:  December 5:  The next General Membership meeting of the Fort Vancouver Rose Society will be our annual holiday dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory (730 SE 160th Avenue in Vancouver) on Thursday, December 5; doors open at 6:30 p.m.  Beyond the fabulous meal, the Society will hold its annual installation of officers and members at large.  Enjoy a very pleasant meal and meaningful installation ceremony on December 5.  Reservations are $27 per person and are due to Margaret Snitzler by Sunday, December 1.  Details can be found on Page 7 of the FVRS November newsletter (click on the webpage "MORE" above).

WORKSHOPS

     The society was thrilled to, once again, provide Arrangement Workshops this year to its membership and the public.   Arrangements Chair Julie Goggin held the first workshop of 2024 on Wednesday, January 31, at 2 p.m.   We're grateful to FVRS member Kathy Fry who offered her heated garage to host the 5 workshops held this spring.

     A huge thanks to Julie for spearheading this renewed effort in our society to teach floral arrangements with our beloved roses.  She has sparked the talent in many and given confidence to her workshop students, many of whom exhibited at the 2024 FVRS 69th Annual Rose Show in June and provided beautiful centerpiece arrangements at our In-House Rose Show this year on September 5.

     The first two fall workshops were held Wednesday, October 2 and November 6, both at 2 p.m. at the Vancouver Elks Lodge #823, 11605 SE McGillivray Blvd, Vancouver.  The next is scheduled for Wednesday, December 4.  This last workshop of 2024 will be held at 2 p.m. at the home Kathy Fry (13108 NE 22nd Street in Vancouver).  Please notify Julie Goggin at jhgoggin@comcast.net or call 360-609-1749 if interested in attending.  This December workshop will feature creating holiday centerpieces for the FVRS annual dinner meeting December 5.

LEARN TO PRUNE!

    Consulting Rosarian Co-Members-at-Large Jim Swenson and Louis Rossetto arranged the following rose seminars at local nurseries.  We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with these businesses, devoted to offering the best products for us to use in our gardens.

Rose Care Seminars - Spring 2024:

     DONE!  Saturday, February 24, at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Yard 'n Garden Land

          1501 NE 102nd Street, Vancouver 98686

     DONE!  Saturday, February 24, at 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Tsugawa Nursery & Greenhouse

          410 E. Scott Avenue, Woodland 98674

     DONE!  Saturday, March 2, at 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Dennis' 7 Dees

          10006 Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver 98664

COMMUNITY PARK WORKDAYS

     FVRS held its first workday of the year at the Esther Short Park Rose Garden on Friday, March 8.  FVRS helps to maintain this community garden as well as the rose garden at the Covington House.  We do this for the city for the enjoyment of its citizens.  At the July 12 workday, we had 20 hardy rose gardeners pruning, weeding, raking and mulching the park garden in glorious sunshine.  That figure includes little Miss Nora who, with her cute smile, added to our delight being in the garden and working in beautiful weather.  After several hours, our work at the downtown garden was done; and 8 of the group then traveled to the smaller Covington House Rose Garden off of Main Street to give those roses much-needed attention.

     The public is always welcomed at our workdays.  Just show up with your questions and pruners.  YOU WILL LEARN ALOT about pruning and deadheading roses if you participate in these workdays... don't miss this valuable learning experience!  The fall workdays, starting at the Esther Short Park Rose Garden, are as follows:

     DONE!  Friday, August 23, starting at 8:30 a.m.

     DONE!  Friday, October 11, starting at 8:30 a.m.

     Monday, November 11, starting at 9:00 a.m. (Veterans Day)

     We thank ALL OUR WORKDAY VOLUNTEERS as many hands make light work!

NEXT ANNUAL ROSE SHOW:  2025

          When:    Saturday, June 28, 2025

        Theme:    (TO BE DETERMINED)

     Location:   Exhibition Hall at the Clark County Fairgrounds

Free and open to the public, the Fort Vancouver Rose Society rose show features competitors from throughout the Pacific northwest who grow their roses at home.  New rose growers are welcomed and encouraged to participate! Members of the Fort Vancouver Rose Society are available to help new competitors.

FREE ADMISSION - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DURING SHOW HOURS  

Show Hours: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

SHOW SCHEDULE

Horticulture & Arrangement Entries ............……………........................     7:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Photography Entries.................................................................................     7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.

Hospitality ...……………................................................................................     8:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

Novice/Junior Entry Table...…….............................................................     9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Photography Judging.................................................................................    9:00 a.m. 

Judging/Clerk Instruction …………………………….......................................  10:30 a.m.

Judging .........….……...………………….………………............................................  11:00 a.m.

Luncheon ...………………………….………….......................................................  12:30 p.m.

Show Hours ...………………...….....................................................................    1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Trophies Awarded ...…………………….…..............................………...............    3:00 p.m.

Removal of Arrangements/Tags...……...................................…………….    4:00 p.m.

Show Breakdown .........…………………………………......................................    4:30 p.m.

EXHIBITORS: 

     As in 2024, the 2025 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book will focus on information of interest to just the exhibitor.  On the day of the 2025 FVRS Rose Show, June 28, the Society will provide a dedicated 2025 FVRS VISITOR Rose Show Book to all the visitors who arrive during our show hours of 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

     Until the 2025 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book is published (spring of 2025), exhibitors will find the printable 2024 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book attached below.  The book will, of course, be edited for 2025; but we have left the 2024 book on this webpage so that it can be reviewed for how the FVRS organizes its show.  The book includes General Instructions for the Horticulture, the Artistic Design and the Photography sections of the show.  When published, if there are any differences between the 2025 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book PDF file website file and the hard copy distributed at the 2025 June 28 show, the hard copy will be the official book.

DIRECTIONS TO THE 2025 FVRS ROSE SHOW

Clark County Fairgrounds

17402 NE Delfel Road

Ridgefield, WA  98642

Directions to the Road Show from I-5 Southbound and Northbound and from I-205 northbound will be provided on this webpage soon!