Darn, this was suppose to be a response to the other PNW roses thread.

I do not know what happened, but sometimes when you post right away on the same topic, you get rejected unless you chnge the title. I thought that was ALL I had done. I do not know how I started a new topic all together.

OK, then this one only concerns Kayli and Kathy.

Sorry guys.
Pauline

Hi Pauline,

Our Rose Society takes care of the "City of Coquitlam's" Centennial Rose Garden which is located beside the senior center - Dogwood Pavilion. We planted the garden 17 years ago and have maintained it in conjunction with the City ever since. This year, due to expansion of the building, and reconstruction of some parts of the rose garden, we are updating the garden and replacing some beds with newer roses. You may wish to look at our website. In the photos on the site, our beautiful 'Maigold' is no longer there because it black spotted badly, and the long hedge of iceberg is being replaced with newer varieties. Other than that, the rest of the roses will be left in place for the time being, although we would really like to replace some other beds eventually.

If you are in the neighbourhood please stop by. The garden is located at 624 Poirier Street, Coquitlam

Here is a link that might be useful: Fraser Pacific Rose Society

Kayli, thanks for your response and the information.

Wow I wish your rose society was close to where I live. It is all you would want in a rose soc. Wonderful web site (which I have added to "my favourites" and I can see why it won a prestigious award. Enjoyed it thoroughly and I would absolutely love to come and visit those gardens one day. Hopefully my daughter will take me when I plan one of my visits. I periodically go and visit them, her, my son-in-law and two grandchildren. She lives in Tsawwssen, and for me it is only a ferry ride away because I live on the north Nanaimo border, Lantzville. They were all just here last weekend. But of course, I would have to wait for at least next June to see the gardens at their best. But I am sure I will get there and will let you know.

We almost always go as foot passengers on the ferry, neither myself nor my husband ever plan on driving in Vancouver. One turns into a country bumkin with the oh-so-much less traffic on the island.:)

Does your society have any long distant members, heehee! By the way, how long a drive is it from Tsawwassen to Coquitlam?

Thanks again,
Pauline

Hi Pauline,

I have just come home from the Centennial Rose Garden where we work every Saturday morning, weather permitting. Presently we are getting it all cleaned up for winter and ready for planting the new roses. The new roses should arrive by the middle of the month. We strip the garden bare and do our major pruning now before they are sprayed and then hilled up for winter. We don't cut the canes back too far though, but sometimes one of the new garden gnomes gets a little carried away with their pruners. Today I noticed that one of our large shrub/climbers has been cut way back. Guess we'll need to put a sign on the poor thing so people know that it's not a hybrid tea!

I can hardly believe we are into November! We live quite a distance from the garden and it takes us about forty minutes to drive there, so we don't have much left of the day to work in our own garden nor the energy by the time we get home.

Do you know Lynnette Callen? Lynnette also resides on the Island (Comox) where she has a fantastic garden - Over an acre I believe. Lynette is a member of our Rose Society and was kind enough to visit us and give a presentation at one of our meetings last year on Old Garden Roses. I only have about six OGR's in my garden and don't like to try and tell others how to grow them. Lynnette is a very knowledgeable rosarian and just a great lady. I wish I had her knowledge and expertise where roses are concerned.

I know what you mean about "City" driving. Basically, we are the same. Last week end we went down to Vancouver Washington to the District Conference and we travelled by Amtrack rather than drive. It's was really nice to be able to read and be able to get up and walk around. We don't drive into the Big City (Vancouver) ever!

The drive to the airport from Coquitlam is about 45 minutes, so I would think the drive from Tsawwassen to Coquitlam would be an hour or under.

This conversation is about ROSES eh!!
And, you can get in touch with me through the FPRS website, questions or comments at the bottom of the home page.

Have a great week end!!
K

Hi Kayli, I did respond to this a couple of days ago, but it is out their somewhere floating in cyber-space. Boy, I get so choked when I lose a response. Just as I am about to hit the post button, then an alarming screen display says "Internet Explorer has encountered a problem, Internet Explorer will now CLOSE"!@#$%

Ah well, here we go again.

What an amazing job your society is doing to maintain the Centennial Gardens, such dedication too for yourself and your husband/partner to work there every Saturday, WOW! what a lovely place to have in a community. I remember, in my little part of England where we lived our first eight years of married life and reared our two children until they were age 6 and 4 before we emigrated to Canada, there was this beautiful rose garden where seniors would go or young mum's like me would wheel their prams and go to the park for a daily stroll, usually with a friend or family member with young'ns too and sit on the benches and enjoy the roses and the fragrance AND a packed lunch picnic:). (I often think that it was those days that put the bug in my ear and whispered "go grow" :).......and I did, as young as I was then, I started growing roses and I remember the names of each one I had. (all five of them, teehee!) Plus a few ole ramblers scrambling on the old stone walls. The last time I visited was in November four years' ago. I had to see it, even though it was not in season. I have a couple of pictures, if you do not mind me showing. Of course, in mid November there were no roses, but the many signs of them all sleeping and healthy looking and so unchanged in the 37 years we have been in Canada. I actually just googled it to see if there was a picture of roses in bloom, but alas not. Just a very old black and white picture of the gardens in 1955 also not showing the roses, but still a beautiful picture of the well kept gardens. I only realize now with the Google map, that it was actually one huge circular garden. hard to see that when you are at ground level. I have never been back in the summertime and doubt if I ever will, but this has prompted me to get a friend of mine to go for me and take a picture in June/July. I would love to see it again at that time.

Anyhow, sorry to be so long winded here.

Your question about Lynette! I certainly know of Lynette, but have not had the pleasure to meet her yet. We had a couple of e-mails back and forth when I first started up with the forum a couple of years ago...............This last summer I was hoping, and planned to go and visit Lynette's garden, if she would not mind, but, got so busy in my own, that I missed the opportunity. However, I really would like to get back in touch with her. Hmmmmmmmmmmm! she could be watching us as we speak, teehee!!!!! Anyhow Kayli, I was so interested to find out that Lynette is a member of your Rose Society. That really is cool. I went over the site again with a fine tooth comb, actually even read the March News letter that was posted and I was thrilled to see a super article of Lynettes there on Old Garden Roses.

It would be very tempting to join The Fraser Pacific Rose Society, if indeed you allow long distant members who really cannot logically participate in a lot of the activities, which involvement would normally be expected. So not sure how your membership would feel about this. I would imagine someone like Lynette would be a special and priviledged member to the group. Anyhow, it is certainly worth considering on my part if it is acceptable on the part of the society.

I better leave now, before this becomes another one of my epistles. But still would like to put up my pictures of the nostalgic garden I used to visit with my babies. (which by the way, I miss having something even half like that or your Centennial Gardens where I live)!

Thanks, Pauline

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PS - notice something. This was taken mid November - just about the same climate as we have here, honestly. But have to admit, our summers here in South coastal BC are way better!

Thanks for showing the photos of the garden Pauline. I can't get over how spacious the parks look over there. The rose beds are interesting with the triangle shapes and so tidy looking. I just love the neat and tidy look of roses put to bed for their winter nap. I'm sure the garden is quite lovely when in bloom.

You are very welcome to join our Rose Society if you wish. I'm not sure how much you will learn from it, but you never know. There is much to learn from this forum, but you may just find something interesting in our newsletter. We mail copies of the newsletter to members and we also email in pdf format - that may be something you would be interested in. There is a membership form on the website.

Thanks again for the photos - it has been very nice talking with you. K