From: Clare Russell <crussellbermuda@gmail.com>
Subject: BRS FEBRUARY 1st MEETING AND MORE...
Date: 29 January 2019 at 11:49:04 PM GMT-4
To: Clare Russell <crussellbermuda@gmail.com>
Bcc: rmasters@link.bm

Dear BRS Members,
 
I am looking forward to gathering for our next GENERAL MEETING on 1st February, 2019. 
 
Thursday 31st January, 2019    9am (bottles) AND 1pm (chairs) Set-up Horticultural Hall
Friday 1st February, 2019        10.30am Welcome Refreshments.  11am Meeting and Bench (Unlimited entry)
 
PROGRAMME                           BRS 65th Birthday 1954-2019: A retrospective
             Presenter: Past President Essie Hans
 
Some of you enquired whether there was to be a February lunch meeting, as typically we have gone out for lunch and had an overseas speaker. This year our overseas speakers will be joining us in March (Michael Marriott, David Austin Roses, and his partner, Rosie Irving, BBC Gardeners World), hence we are having a “Hort Hall with full Bench” meeting in February.  In the past we have celebrated the BRS decade birthdays (50th, 60th etc.) with great fanfare; however, our 65 years certainly merits recognition - what we have built as the foundation of the future we can look forward to! Essie’s presentation for our 60th was very well received; she has kindly updated it to include the recent years.  We have welcomed numerous new members in the last five years, and hope they, too, will enjoy the “from whence we came”. I hope you will all come to the meeting to show your roses and participate in this month’s programme.     
 
FEBRUARY FLORAL ART TITLES (Valentine’s theme, of course!)
Class A & B – ‘Cupid’s Arrow’
Class C – ‘Hearts and Flowers’
Class D – Shadow Box
Class E – Novice - A design in a tea cup
IF YOU WOULD LIKE HELP WITH AN ARRANGEMENT IDEA, FELICITY IS AVAILABLE ON THURSDAY 31st  JANUARY, AT HORT HALL AT 9.30AM. PLEASE CONTACT HER TO LET HER KNOW ON 737-2000 or felicityrholmes@gmail.com Thank you, Felicity!
 
HOUSEKEEPING
∑         Keep bringing those mugsJ Mugs that have been left behind can be retrieved on Friday.
∑         Set-up: Can you help on 31st January?  Two different times, this month only>>>
Arrive at 9am (bottles) OR arrive at 1pm (chairs). 
Many thanks to Lully Gibbons and Katie Fetigan (bottles) and Linda Tailford and Martin Russell (chairs).
∑         Bench: Who can help on 1 February 8-9.30am receive roses, assist exhibitors, place exhibits on the bench?   
Many thanks to Mina Peniston (recording), Susan Swift and Gill Bergl (ribboning), Jeanette Vallis (bench), and Kathy Watson, Nancy Wadson, Diana Antonition, Jeni Southern (judges)
∑         MINGO’s refreshment table: thanks to those who always contribute. New contributors are encouragedJ
∑         The January 2019 General Meeting minutes will be posted at the February meeting for approval.
THANKS TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, MANY OF WHOM WORK WEEKLY, OR MORE, ON BEHALF OF BRS.
SONCY
Request from Peter Carpenter: who grows Soncy please? 

“Friends of the Botanical Gardens”

The office of the Curator of the Botanical Gardens is exploring the idea of establishing a group of stakeholders to become “The Friends of the Botanical Gardens”. As a start, the Presidents of BRS, Garden Club, Orchid Society and Botanical Society met recently with the Acting Curator and her immediate colleagues. Five members from each society have been invited to participate in a brainstorming session which seeks input regarding the use of the Botanical Gardens and ideas for its further development. Please email me if you are interested in participating – it would be a week day evening, date TBA (likely before the Ag Show), for about an hour to an hour and a half, refreshments served. I think this is a very interesting concept, it showcases BRS and provides a community service.
 
Heritage Rose Foundation

BRS is a founding member, and as such has a permanent seat on the HRF Board of Trustees. Past President Peter Holmes has completed a three year Trustee term, and Past President Marijke Peterich succeeds him for the period 1.1.19 – 31.12.21. Thank you, Peter, and congratulations, Marijke. BRS and HRF are closely aligned with regard to their guiding principles. I encourage you all to visit the HRF website http://www.heritagerosefoundation.org/ We have had news from Stephen Scanniello, President HRF that there will be an event in June. Details to follow...
"Our next membership meeting will be held at the Elizabeth Park rose garden in West Hartford CT. This event will take place over the weekend of June 22. We’re putting together the details as I write this. We’re hoping that Marijke and other members of the BRS will be able to attend." (S. Scanniello 26-1-19)

TULO
Exciting news...new plants are beginning to be transferred from Home Propagators over to Tulo. Watch this space.

WATERVILLE
John will have a report for you on Friday. Needless to say, the Waterville volunteers hard work has really paid off. The garden looks lovely. GO SEE!
 
COMING SOON 
MARCH 1-8 inclusive: Michael Marriott/Rosie Irving visit (details TBC).
The three presentations (below) at Hort Hall are open to BRS and GCB membership and their guests.
 
March 1: BRS General Meeting 11am Hort Hall. 
Presenter: Michael Marriott, Senior Rosarian and Technical Manager, David Austin Roses
Topic: David Austin and his English Roses, including how to breed roses and showing them at the Chelsea Flower Show.
 
March 7: Hort Hall 6pm (with light refreshments).  Garden Club Bench and Floral Art will be on display.
Presenter: Michael Marriott                                                                                                      
Topic: Using roses in the garden showing how versatile they are
 
March 8: Garden Club General Meeting 10am Hort Hall. 
Presenter: Rosie Irving, BBC Gardeners World and more.
Topic: TBA
 
March 1-8. We are very grateful to those BRS members who have indicated their availability to drive, open their gardens, offer hospitality such as lunch, tea and other activities that extend a rosy welcome to our VIP visitors during their week in Bermuda. More offers welcome. There will be other events during the week open to members. Details to follow shortly when the programme is finalised.
 
APRIL 6, 10-13: Ag Show 2019.
The volunteer roster is filling up thanks to so many of you! Let’s try and complete it on 1 February, or email me please.
Attached is the roster so far. Please check if your name is in your preferred slot; or if you haven’t yet put your name down, have a look at the remaining slots to see if any of them would work for you. Back-ups are welcome.
 
Friday 6 April: We will need a work party to touch up paint, tidy and clean Montrose Mews (as many as possible)
Wednesday 10 April: Bench set-up helpers (5) and receivers of roses (4).  Felicity is looking for collectors/helpers with the Specimen Bench (several)
Wednesday 10 April: We need help putting Marshall’s Island roses in their display vases (2)
Thursday 11 April: We need receivers of roses (3), judges (1), judges’ stewards (5), tally officer (1) 
Saturday 13 April: We need (1) more steward for a two hour Saturday 13 April, 9-11am
Saturday 13 April: We need (3) more people to clean up at 5pm. 
 
And finally… 
As we celebrate the BRS 65th birthday, it is an appropriate time to share with the BRS membership that your Executive is seeking ways to restructure the leadership of the Society in such a way as to make it more accessible and the commitment shorter (currently six years). Your views are encouraged, and any proposed amendments would be presented for approval by members at a Special General Meeting with due notice given, as per our constitution. You can find our constitution on our website: www.rosesinbermuda.com

That's all, for now!
Best to you all
See you soon!

Clare

Clare Russell
Bermuda Tel  +1 441 236 8199
Bermuda Cell +1 441 335 3400
Email: crussellbermuda@gmail.com
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