Winning the Rose Show Race

NOTE from the Editor:  Sorry this blog is being posted later than anticipated. JB

This past month, since early April, the local rose society of which I am a member, began to plan for its annual Rose Show.  The commitment to a time at the end of April had to be made many weeks ago, indeed months before the show.  There were all the practical details that had to be worked out: getting a venue that was the right size, location, and cost.  There was also a matter of locating all the material infrastructure and making sure it all got to the venue on time.  The Board of the Society had to be on board, as it were, and ready to help with advertising in local newspapers, fliers and printed forms.  Judges had to be recruited from neighboring rose societies who were qualified to judge, and arrangements made to provide food, coffee, and some comforts – like a comfortable chair to rest in.  (Fortunately, there was one person who had the experience and energy to spearhead this considerable effort.)  I can assure you the drama built as the time grew near. 

I could tell from my own ruminations, that it took a lot of mental preparation.  The basic question was “do I have enough blooming roses to make the stress of preparation worth while”.  And then all that was left for us interested individuals who wanted to show their roses was the wait for the plants to flower.  The weather – which even hopeful and ardent group members couldn't control – was the wild card.  It had been wet and cold during February and March and the roses were moving along slowly.  Buds were forming.  Aphids were finding their places on the foliage and the buds.  It was a race against time since local weather conditions made all the difference.  The flowers couldn't be picked before the morning of the show if they wanted to be at their best.   

Then it was like graduation day; everyone was up and ready to get their flowers primped and cleaned and labeled for showing.  It was as calm as getting a room full of high school seniors ready for graduation.  It appeared to be helter-skelter with mostly two platoons of people working simultaneously.  One group busily setting up tables, putting out labels so people knew where to put their plants, preparing the various water containers, and generally fretting.   Another group were on the perimeter finding ad hoc places to clean and prepare their roses.  For most of the tasks, individuals went from one group to the other fluidly. 

Some people who usually show up, just didn't.  No roses!  Their gardens just didn't produce.  Very disappointing for all.  But the show must go on – and it did. 

Very presentable showing.  The judging began at 10am, so the roses had to be in place.  After the judging was lunch for the judges and then the show was opened to the public.  The place had to be folded up and put back in its original, pre-show form, by the end of the day so at about 4 pm the entire troop of workers and those who showed had to put the place back together.  Since the show was felt to be successful, the last burst of energy could be mustered.  So even though nature wasn't fully cooperative, the force of the calendar overcame natural reluctance.  Rose-joy was not to be thwarted.