News and Events

        THE 2026 ROSE SHOW EXHIBITOR BOOK IS NOW AVAILABLE!   (see below)

In 2026, the Fort Vancouver Rose Society will be enjoying its 73rd year of growing and celebrating the rose.  All are WELCOMED to attend meetings and events as described below:

NEXT MEETING:  THURSDAY, MAY 7:   We're having an ICE CREAM SOCIAL at the May 7 meeting and roundtable presentations on aspects for the 2026 ROSE SHOW on May 30.  There will be experts to help both aspiring and seasoned rose exhibitors for each section of the show:  Horticulture, Artistic Design (arrangements) and Photography.  So come for the in-service on what you need to know to exhibit at the show AND for a delectable bowl of ice cream with yummy toppings!

     All FVRS meetings are open to the public; everyone is welcomed to attend!  See you 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, in the Parish Hall at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 426 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., in Vancouver.

2026 ROSE SHOW:  The 2026 Rose Show "A Rosy Affair," presented by the Fort Vancouver Rose Society, is open to the public from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30  at the Clark County Event Center at The Fairgrounds in Ridgefield. It is anticipated to be the largest rose show in the State of Washington. Both parking and admission are free, and there is no exhibitor entry fee.

     Judging of beautiful roses grown in the Pacific Northwest will be governed by current American Rose Society rules and procedures. Roses include hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, old garden and shrub roses, climbers, miniatures, minifloras and micro-miniatures in addition to arrangements of large roses, miniatures minifloras and micro-miniatures. The show includes a Photography section competition as well!

     Rose exhibit entries (Horticulture) and rose arrangement exhibit entries (Artistic Design) will be accepted from 7:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Photos (5x7) can be mailed to arrive by May 27 to Kathy Fry (13108 NE 22ndStreet, Vancouver, WA 98684) or entered by 8:00 a.m. on the day of the show, May 30. Novices (includes first time exhibitors) and students (youth 18 and under) are welcomed. An Award/Trophy Ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m.

     New this year, the show will feature a Garden Market where show visitors can purchase rose care/gardening products from local vendors. And, rose care experts--members of The Fort Vancouver Rose Society--will be on site to provide information and answer questions regarding rose care. 

     For more information regarding rose exhibit entries (Horticulture) and rose arrangement (Artistic Design) exhibit entries, contact Julie Goggin at 360-609-1749 or Sally Rossetto at 360-573-8033. Contact Kathy Fry at 360-823-3155 regarding entering 5x7 Photography

FVRS Teaches Basics of Floral Arranging at Tsugawa Nursery - May 3

     Registration is necessary to attend this space-limited class.  FVRS experts will teach the basics of rose floral arrangement and what judges are looking for when entering floral arrangements in contests (such as county fairs, rose society competitions, etc.).  This will be a great parent/child class, too, as most competitions have a youth category.

     Register at Tsugawa Nursery by calling 360-225-8750 or sign up at the nursery at 410 East Scott Avenue in Woodland.

FVRS at 2026 Camas Plant & Garden Fair:  FVRS will again have a booth at the annual Camas Plant & Garden Fair on Saturday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  This will be our third year, promoting FVRS at this wonderful community fair.  Volunteers to help setup, work at the booth and cleanup are being recruited now.  See the April FVRS newsletter (click the NEWSLETTER menu tab above) about FVRS involvement at the Camas fair.

LEARN TO PRUNE!

    Consulting Rosarians Jim Swenson and Louis Rossetto completed the 2025 Rose Care Seminars.  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.

   Consulting Rosarian Leslie Mowers, who is also our CR Member-at-Large on the 2026 FVRS Board, will spearhead this effort in 2026.  See below for the schedule of spring 2026 seminars:

Rose Care Seminars - 2026:

     DONE!  Sunday, February 22, at 12:30 p.m. at Tsugawa Nursery

          410 E. Scott Avenue, Woodland 98674

     DONE!  Saturday, February 28, at 10 a.m. at Yard 'n Garden Land

          1501 NE 102nd Street, Vancouver 98686

     DONE!  Saturday, March 7, at 11 a.m. at Dennis' 7 Dees

          10006 SE Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver 98664

     DONE!  Saturday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Tsugawa Nursery (see note)

          410 E. Scott Avenue, Woodland 98674

          *NOTE:  Seminar is part of Tsugawa Nursery 45th Anniversary celebration

COMMUNITY ROSE GARDENS WORKDAYS

     FVRS had its first workday in the community gardens on Wednesday, March 11.  My word what a bunch of hardy souls arrived at the Esther Short Park Rose Garden to prune and weed in the rain!  A rough count of those participating added up to 13.  FVRS Board Consulting Rosarian Member-at-Large Leslie Mowers organized the event and, since it was such a soggy day in the dirt, made the executive decision that we'd not advance to the Covington House Rose Garden to complete our workday of spring pruning the community gardens.  Covington waited a few days until three FVRS members did it all on a dryer day!

     The society maintains the two rose gardens for the enjoyment of all who visit the Esther Short Park and The Covington House.  The public is always welcomed to join FVRS volunteers on workdays to help maintain the gardens throughout the growing season for the community.  Just show up with your questions and pruners.  YOU WILL LEARN ALOT about pruning and deadheading roses if you participate... don't miss this valuable learning experience!

     The NEXT WORKDAY is Tuesday, May 5, at the Esther Short Park Rose Garden.  Start time will be 9:30 a.m.  We thank ALL OUR WORKDAY VOLUNTEERS as many hands make light work.

NEXT ANNUAL ROSE SHOW

          When:    May 30, 2026

        Theme:    A Rosy Affair

     Location:   Exhibition Hall at the Clark County Event Center

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 p.m. to 4 p.m.

EXHIBITORS: 

     The FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book focuses on information of interest to just the exhibitor.  On the day of the next rose show, the Society will provide a dedicated FVRS VISITOR Rose Show Book to all the visitors who arrive during our show hours of 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

     The FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book includes General Instructions for the Horticulture, the Artistic Design and the Photography sections of the show.  If there are any differences between the FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book PDF file website file (below) and the hard copy distributed at the show, the hard copy will be the official book.