I agree Olga. It was a wonderful day! Visiting Robert's and Connie's spectacular gardens was very soothing to the soul. It was also great to talk roses face to face with our cyber friends. I am already looking forward to the next rose gathering.

Kathy

I second Olga, It was a great day to enjoy time with old and new friends talking about all things roses. Even the weather behaved for the most part.

Thanks again to Robert and Connie for opening their beautiful gardens to all of us.

Liz

I feel really sorry I could not go to Connie's. Oh well, maybe next time...
I would like to thank Robert for hosting this wonderful gathering, for the generous gift of roses, for great time spent in his garden.
Robert, once again, I love your garden, it is so romantic. The setting is awesome and you've done a great job putting the garden together.
I hope next year I could invite everybody to my garden. It is just two years old and does not have beautiful mature roses (as Robert's) but it has 'lots of potential' :)))
Marina

We had such a great time! There were about 20 people here, all of whom brought something really yummy to share for lunch ... no one left the table hungry, believe me. We all met new friends and reconnected with ones we knew already.

Olga, it was wonderful to meet your husband. I look forward to rooting your Lady Hillingdon cuttings.

Kathy, now it's my turn to wander in your garden. I'm tied here on weekends for a while (*grin*) but we'll work out something. Thank you for the bucket of iris.

Liz, it was great to see you and Sunni ... and thank you for bringing Barbara.

Marina, my garden is also two years old. Some of the roses are sticks with a flower on top right now. Others are 25' ramblers. It's fun.

Sharing your garden with friends is what gardens are meant for ... make plans to be here in October, for the Third Annual fall social. I'm fairly certain that it will be the first weekend in October. Mark your calendar.

Connie

P.S. I had my camera in my pocket all day, and I didn't take a single photo. We should have done a group mug shot. Rats!

What a wonderful wonderful day! Robert's and Connie's gardens were simply magnificent! Miracles do happen (with lots of hard work). Robert's garden is only 4 years old and Connie's 2; yet both looked like long established gardens with huge plants draping the fences and tripods. We nourished ourselves with the roses and enjoyed a glorious pot luck lunch (wonderful surprises here also). It was SO NICE to revisit with GW friends whom I had met before at previous gatherings and to match new faces with GW names. Civilization at its best. And anyone who thinks roses don't smell should visit these gardens. Thank you Robert and Connie for having these gatherings; it was a wonderful, wonderful,wonderful day.
Jim

Absoluely the best memorial Day I'vehad. Thank you Robert&Connie not only for sharing your gardens but for making it possible to meet everyone else. What a wonderful group of people we are! I urge everyone who couldn't make it to come to the Fall Festival.

What an amazing day! I STILL can't stop smiling.

Yes, thank you both for one marvelous Monday. I never knew Monday could smell so nice. It was really a pleasure to see both of your gardens. I really enjoyed seeing some of you again and meeting others for the first time. What a nice way to spend the holiday.
-Stephanie

I posted on the other message already but thanks again for having us over. It is always great to see both of you!

I certainly enjoyed sharing my garden with all of you. It was such a treat sharing my passion with others who understood. The weather, the roses, and the company all conspired to create a day of enchantment. I'll never forget this time.

As always, Connie, your gardens are beautiful. I love your French ramblers. Your roses are surpassed only by your hospitality.

Robert

Who took pictures?

Connie

I did, but I have not really looked at them yet. I will get them posted on photobucket.

Liz

Hi

I am posting the pictures and I hope I do this right. I just wish I had taken more pictures at Connie's, but it started to rain. I know others took pictures so I hope more will post as I totaly forgot to take pictures of her fantastic front yard rose beds. Enjoy

Liz

Here is a link that might be useful: Memorial Day Open Houses in Virginia

Please do post pictures for those of us who missed this occasion!
Thank you!

The pictures are wonderful! Thank you for posting these and I'm hoping for more. The roses are so unbelievably lush. We just got our notice from the water company that our water use is being restricted so I feel fortunate that I can at least see beautiful roses in a rain-drenched landscape on this forum.

Ingrid

Thank you for the photos! It looks lovely!

What beautiful gardens. I see why everyone was so happy to have visited such well laid-out and well-tended gardens. Robert, you and Connie have done great jobs of your respective gardens. I look forward to the many pictures in the years to come. Keep up the GREAT work.

Thank you so much for these wonderful pictures. I'm so sorry I was unable to join you.

The gardens are amazing-

Florence

Liz, thank you for posting these wonderful pictures! I wish I could have joined you all.

Carla

Carla

You are most welcome. I just wish I would have taken pictures of the front of Connie's house and the rose beds there are just as stunning.

I do go up Connie's way a few times a year on business, so next time I will make sure I take more pictures.

Liz