News Release Distributed 01/07/14
BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter is cooperating with the American Rose Society Gulf District to present a midwinter workshop on rose care Feb. 7-8 at the Natchez Grant Hotel in Natchez, Miss.
The program is being held for members of the American Rose Society, Master Gardeners, home gardeners and others interested in roses, said LSU AgCenter horticulture professor Allen Owings.
Louisiana and Mississippi rose society presidents and Gulf District board members will meet on Friday afternoon. An evening buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. will include entertainment provided by illusionist David Himelrick, who is also a horticulture professor at the LSU AgCenter.
Saturday educational programs will begin at 9 a.m. with many presentations on rose-related topics. A luncheon will feature 2013 Gulf District award presentations.
The keynote speaker will be Mark Windham, plant pathologist at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, who will address rose diseases.
Other speakers will include Don Adlong with the Central Arkansas Rose Society; Leo Watermeier, curator of the Armstrong Park Rose Garden in New Orleans; Mississippi State University entomologist Blake Layton; Jim Mills with K and M Rose Nursery in Buckatunna, Miss.; Tim and Cindy Riley with the Mississippi Old Garden Rose Society, and rose hybridizer Gene King from Monroe, La.
The program will include a silent auction, and new roses from K and M Rose Nursery will be available for purchase.
Registration for the workshop is open until January 27. Registration including both the Friday night dinner and Saturday program is $60. Saturday-only registration is $35.
More information and a registration form for the workshop is available from Owings at 985-543-4125 or by email.
Rick Bogren