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:  SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5:    Our December meeting is our annual meeting and will be held on Saturday, December 5, at 2 p.m. at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Vancouver.  Reservations are needed!  See page 7 in the FVRS November newsletter (click on NEWSLETTER on the Menu Bar above for details).

     All FVRS meetings are open to the public and everyone is welcomed to attend!  Our usual meeting schedule is 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month February-June and September-December (unless otherwise posted on this website and in the newsletter).  We meet in the Parish Hall at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 426 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., in Vancouver.

NOVEMBER MEETING RECAP:   Consulting Rosarian Emeritus of the Pacific Northwest District-ARS Mary Hoover was our guest speaker at the November 5 FVRS General Membership meeting.  Mary, who is a treasured member of the Fort Vancouver Rose Society, shared about her passion in caring for the Memory Rose Garden at the Longview Public Library.  Her presentation slides were beautiful as they featured many of the 451 roses grown in the garden, established in 1965 and reimaged in 1985 as a Memory Rose Garden.  Mary said the garden is cared for weekly by the Friends of the Library (a group of dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers) who help care for the garden, raise funds and constantly strive to keep the garden revitalized to be enjoyed by library visitors and patrons. 

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 2026 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, November 6, at the Esther Short Park Rose Garden when volunteers winter cut the roses in preparation of November composting.  The next workday is Wednesday, November 11.  Join us at 8:30 a.m. on November 11 to help get all the roses composted for their winter "nap."  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 scheduled 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 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 (to be announced when the next show is scheduled).

The next 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 FVRS EXHIBITOR Rose Show Book PDF website file (to be available when the next show is scheduled) and the hard copy distributed at the show, the hard copy will be the official book.