News and Events

IN 2023, WE ARE CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF ROSES!  ALL ARE WELCOMED TO OUR MEETINGS AND UPCOMING EVENTS DESCRIBED BELOW.  Our 68th ANNUAL ROSE SHOW, held JUNE 24, was one of the highlights of the year for FVRS.  Check our September newsletter on society "happenings" and look for the upcoming October newsletter! 

(NOTE:  We've kept the 2023 Rose Show Exhibitor Book on this webpage as an example of the rules and guidelines FVRS follows each year.  See all you exhibitors in 2024 for another fabulous show!)

2023 MARKS 70 YEARS FOR FORT VANCOUVER ROSE SOCIETY

     This year FVRS celebrates its 70th Anniversary.  The society is planning a number of festive, celebratory events to mark this special year.  Orders were taken at the May 4 meeting for FVRS apparel toward celebrating our 70th Anniversary year and the society enjoyed a marvelous garden tour on Sunday, July 23.   The society held a 70th Anniversary Year Celebration at its September 7 meeting...a fabulous time that included our annual in-house rose show, a special taco bar (yum!) and celebratory cake and toast to another 70 years of everything roses.

2023 GARDEN TOUR

     Our 2023 Garden Tour on Sunday, July 23, was a huge success.  Four rose gardens were visited with a pulled pork meal served and enjoyed at the fourth garden.  Huge thanks to our 2023 Garden Tour hosts:  Samson & Taylor Ramirez, Bob and Roberta Britt and their son Bobby, and to Pete and Maggie Mikalatos. 

NEXT MEETING:  THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 7 p.m., in the Parish Hall at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Vancouver.   Dr. Deborah Erickson, our featured speaker, will provide a presentation on "How to Grow Roses in Pots."

ARRANGEMENT WORKSHOPS

     The society was thrilled to provide Arrangement Workshops to its membership and to the public in the spring.  Julie Goggin, Arrangements Chair, offered workshops every Wednesday prior to the FVRS General Membership meeting held the first Thursday of each month February through May.  Julie and others then brought the arrangements created in the workshops to every General Membership meeting to be a learning experience as well as to be enjoyed by all.

     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 2023 FVRS 68th Annual Rose Show and our In-House Rose Show on September 7.

     The fall workshops have just been announced (see below) with the schedule of 2024 workshops to be developed by the arrangers at the November 1, 2023, workshop.

         Wednesday, October 4 at 2 p.m.  THEME:  "All You Need is A Good Stick"

               1301 NW 43rd Street, Vancouver 98660

         Wednesday, November 8 at 2 p.m. THEME: (to be announced)

               13108 NE 22nd Street, Vancouver 98684

         Wednesday, December 7 at 2 p.m.  THEME:  Holiday Arrangements

               13108 NE 22nd Street, Vancouver 98684

LEARN TO PRUNE!

We had 20 FVRS members and guests at the Esther Short Park Rose Garden on Saturday, March 11, 9 a.m.   FVRS maintains the nearly 100 roses in this garden and it was time for spring pruning and cleanup.  Everyone brought their sharpened pruners, loppers, rakes and gloves and did a wonderful job of preparing this community garden for the growing season!  Later, three members--Pete Mikalatos, Louis Rossetto, and Samson Ramirez--did quick work of pruning and spring cleaning at the Covington House Rose Garden.  Both the Esther Short Park Rose Garden and the Covington House Rose Garden are maintained by the Fort Vancouver Rose Society--all volunteer help toward providing rose beauty in the community.

     We had 11 FVRS volunteers at the Tuesday, September 19, 8 a.m. pruning and cleaning up at the Esther Show Park Rose Garden.  Thank you, all!

     The next pruning and cleanup of the community gardens will be 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 24 (October 25 will be our rain date); and 9 a.m. Friday, November 10, will be the day we "close" the garden for the winter months.  Any questions, contact Jim Swenson at 360-574-6009.

ANNUAL ROSE SHOW:  2023

          When:    Saturday, June 24, 2023

        Theme:    CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF ROSES

     Location:  First Evangelical Church, 4120 NE St. Johns Road, Vancouver 98661

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

Entries ............……………........................  7:00 a.m. to 10:15 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.

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: 

     For the 2023 FVRS Rose Show, the EXHIBITOR 2023 FVRS Rose Show Book focused on information of interest to just the exhibitor.  On the day of the 2023 FVRS Rose Show, June 24th, the society provided a dedicated VISITOR 2023 FVRS Rose Show Book to all the visitors who arrived during our show hours of 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

     Exhibitors will find the printable EXHIBITOR 2023 FVRS Rose Show Book attached below.  The book includes General Instructions for both the Horticulture and the Artistic Design segments of the show.  If there were any differences between the EXHIBITOR 2023 FVRS Rose Show Book PDF file web copy and the hard copy distributed at the show, the hard copy was the official book.

     Until next year's EXHIBITOR 2024 FVRS Rose Show is written, this site will provide the 2023 show book for exhibitors below as an example of the rules and guidelines followed by FVRS.  See all of you in 2024 when FVRS provides another exciting and beautiful rose show for all the community!

DIRECTIONS TO THE 2023 FVRS ROSE SHOW

First Evangelical Church

4120 NE St. Johns Road

Vancouver, WA 98661

Directions to Rose Show from I-5 Southbound

At Exit 2, take ramp right for WA-500 East toward Orchards; Take ramp right and follow signs for St. Johns Blvd; Turn left onto St. Johns Blvd; Road name changes to St. Johns Rd; Go to First Evangelical Church, 4120 NE St. Johns Rd, Vancouver, Washington.

Directions to Rose Show from I-5 Northbound

At Exit 2, take ramp right and follow signs for E 39th St; Take ramp left for WA-500 East toward Orchards; Take ramp right and follow signs for St. Johns Blvd; Turn left onto St. Johns Blvd; Road name changes to St. Johns Rd; Go to First Evangelical Church, 4120 NE St. Johns Rd, Vancouver, Washington.

Directions to Rose Show from I-205 North or South

At Exit 30, take ramp right for WA-500 West toward Vancouver; Take ramp right and follow signs for St. Johns Blvd; Turn right onto NE St. Johns Rd; Go to First Evangelical Church, 4120 NE St. Johns Rd, Vancouver, Washington.

IMPORTANT:  AFTER GROOMING AND ENTERING ROSES, EXHIBITORS ARE ASKED TO PLEASE MOVE THEIR VEHICLES TO THE UPPER LEVEL PARKING LOT.