News and Events

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

NEXT MEETING:  THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5:    The FVRS membership will vote on the slate of 2027 Board officers and members-at-large at their next meeting, which will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 5.   The current FVRS Board is planning the programming details for the evening -- watch this space for November's program!

     All FVRS meetings are open to the public; everyone is welcomed to attend!  See you 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, in the Parish Hall at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 426 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., in Vancouver.

OCTOBER MEETING RECAP:  At the FVRS October meeting, Rachel Burlington, Curator at the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, was our guest speaker.  Her presentation included the history of the IRTG as well as personal notes on her life's journey toward her current position as the first female curator at the garden.  It was a most interesting evening about this beautiful garden in Portland's Washington Park, the oldest continuing operating rose garden in the world.

DECEMBER MEETING DATE CHANGE:    There will be no General Membership meeting on Thursday, December 3, at St. Luke’s. Rather, this year’s December meeting will take place on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, at 2 p.m. at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Vancouver. Members are encouraged to make their dinner reservations soon.  See the October newsletter (click on NEWSLETTER) for details.

LEARN TO PRUNE!

     Every year we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with local businesses, devoted to offering the best products for us to use in our gardens.

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 was part of the 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 most recent workday was Friday, September 11, at the Esther Short Park Rose Garden.  The anticipated next workday is Friday, October 9.  Join us at 8:30 a.m. in taking care of Vancouver's lovely rose garden at Esther Short Park.  As always, we thank ALL OUR WORKDAY VOLUNTEERS as many hands make light work.

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ROSE SHOW INFORMATION: Until the next rose show date, time and location are determined, interested exhibitors will find the downloadable 2026 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show General Instructions attached below. The next book will, of course, be revised with details of the 2027 show, but we have left the 2026 book on this webpage so that it can be reviewed for how the FVRS organizes its color-class show. The General Instructions are for the Horticulture, the Artistic Design (rose floral arrangements) and the Photography sections of the show.

NEXT ANNUAL ROSE SHOW

When:   Date in 2027 to be Determined

Theme:  To be Determined

Location:  To be Determined

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: (to be announced)

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 (2027 show hours to be announced).

The 2027 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book will include General Instructions for the Horticulture, the Artistic Design and the Photography sections of the show. If there are any differences between the 2027 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book PDF website file (to be available in 2027) and the hard copy distributed at the show, the hard copy will be the official book.