WFRS TRIENNIAL REPORT 2012 WFRS TRIENNIAL REPORT 2012 WFRS TRIENNIAL REPORT 2012 Published for the World Federation of Rose Societies By the Federation of Rose Societies of South Africa EDITOR Sheenagh Harris Assisted by Di Girdwood WORLD FEDERATION OF ROSE SOCIETIES Founded 1968 www.worldrose.org The World Federation of Rose Societies is registered in Great Britain as a company limited by guarantee and as a charity under the number 1063582. The objectives of the Society, as stated in the constitution, are: To encourage and facilitate the interchange of information about and knowledge of the rose between national rose societies. To coordinate the holding of international conventions and exhibitions. To encourage, and where appropriate, sponsor research into problems concerning the rose. To establish common standards for judging new rose seedlings. To assist in coordinating the registration of new rose names. To establish a uniform system of rose classification. To grant international honours and/or awards. To encourage and advance international cooperation in all other matters concerning the rose. Gérald Meylan - Immediate Past President, Sheenagh Harris - President, Helga Brichet - Past President, Ken Grapes - Past President in attendance at the 60th Anniversary of the Baden Baden Rose Trials - 2012 1 CONTENTS 2 Foreword – Ken Grapes 3 Preface – Helga Brichet 4 President’s Report 7 Official Visits of the President 10 Immediate Past President’s Message 15 WFRS Vice Presidents Reports 34 WFRS Officers 36 WFRS Standing Committees 37 WFRS Standing Committee Reports 45 WFRS Member Societies 46 WFRS Associate Members, Breeder’s Club and Heritage Rose Society 47 Friends of the Federation 49 WFRS Presidents Emeriti 49 WFRS Past Presidents 49 WFRS Awards 49 Gold Medals 50 Silver Medals 50 Rose Pins 50 World Rose Awards 51 Commemorative Medals 51 Literary Awards 52 WFRS Gardens of Excellence 53 WFRS Rose Hall of Fame 57 WFRS Old Rose Hall of Fame 58 International Rose Trials 79 WFRS World Rose Conventions 80 Convention Reports 94 Member Country Reports 197 Future of the WFRS 204 History of The Federation of Rose Societies of South Africa - 2 FOREWORD Since its foundation in 1968 by representatives of a dozen or so countries, the World Federation of Rose Societies has become one of the world's most eminent specialist plant organisations. It now represents no less than 40 national societies from across the world, each with a membership ranging from a room-full to many thousands - a substantial constituency in anybody's terms. It is well respected by its peer organisations as serious, forward looking and progressive, tributes which, over its forty-four year existence, it has earned from its success in spreading information and knowledge about the Rose This happy situation has been brought about by the work of many, and in particular, by the dedicated and faithful service of those who have held offices of responsibility in the Federation.This latter is exemplified in the person of our current President whose devoted work and indefatigable and extensive travels have been an inspiration to all. She has taken on the responsibility for producing this report. In 1997, it was realised that no permanent record of the Federation's affairs existed and it was resolved to remedy this by the publication of occasional reports. The first, published in 2000, included a history of the Federation and its work up to that date. Others have followed in 2006 and2009. These reports are not only our history but a valuable resource for all members, and indeed, for horticulturists and all who love the Rose. They should form an important part of all keen Rosarian's libraries. Although our Federation has serious aims and achievements, it is really all about enjoyment. Enjoyment of roses, rose places and rose people. And, lying behind the seemingly dry narrative of this report is a whole world of fun, of happy meetings and discussions and sheer pleasure at being closely involved with the world's favourite flower. All as it should be. Ken Grapes DHM WFRS Past President 2000-2003 3 PREFACE It is with the greatest of pleasure that I, born and raised in Cape Town, may introduce this fourth number of the WFRS TRIENNIAL REPORT ON ROSES, published in conjunction with the 16th World Rose Convention, hosted by the Federation of Rose Societies in South Africa at Sandton, adjoining Johannesburg in October, 2012. South African rose lovers have traditionally been great supporters of the World Federation of Rose Societies, and at the very first World Rose Convention, staged in Hamilton, New Zealand, they were also represented by Mr. and Mrs. Wise, the parents of our actual President, Mrs. Sheenagh Harris. Then the South African Rose Society itself hosted the 4th World Rose Convention, “Rosafari ‘79” in Pretoria, which proved to be an outstanding success. In the intervening 33 years the WFRS has grown by leaps and bounds and today can count on 39 national Member Societies as well as the support of an increasing number of Associate Members and professional rose breeders. Contact between members and supporters is maintained via the WORLD ROSE NEWS, available three times a year online, our web-site, www.worldrose.org, which is regularly updated with the latest news of rose trials and events occurring in countries around the globe, and also the WFRS ROSE DIRECTORY, annually available, also online. The present WFRS TRIENNIAL REPORT ON ROSES follows its predecessors, published since 2000, in updating the history of the Federation and the rose gatherings which have occurred in its members countries, spread across five continents to the present date. We are indeed grateful to the Federation of Rose Societies in South Africa, ROSA, for continuing this tradition and for producing an admirable publication containing articles of such sweeping range and discerning content. May all those attending the WFRS World Convention in South Africa, be it for the first time, or be they habitués to such events, including Regional and Heritage Roses Conferences, please remember to spread the word of the beauty of our favourite flower, the Rose. Helga Brichet Chairman – WFRS Publications Committee President – WFRS President 1997 - 2000 4 PRESIDENT’S REPORT Sheenagh Harris 2009 – 2012 It is 3 years AND 4 months since you, the members of the WFRS, appointed me as your incoming President at the closing ceremony in Vancouver. It has been a most memorable time and I thank Helga Brichet and Gérald Meylan who had the foresight (and courage!) to persuade me to stand.I might add it came as a complete surprise. For me, it has been a great honour and I like to think an honour for South Africa too. The only other time a South African has been President of our Federation was in 1976 when Professor Fred Ziady took on this role. As I have said before I believe I am the oldest President and the only one to be President and convenor of a convention at the same time! It has been an enormous undertaking and responsibility and something I do not recommend as I don’t believe I have done either job as well as I would liked to have done. At the same time I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. I have learnt an enormous amount and had the privilege of meeting so many rosarians from all over the world. During my term of office I visited 24 countries, several more than once, and wish I had had time to visit more. Living at the bottom of Africa doesn’t make travel easy particularly when most of the rose world is in the Northern Hemisphere. I visited the countries that invited me and attended as many rose trials in Europe as I possibly could as this gave me the best opportunity of seeing the greatest number of Rosarians from around the world. I am most grateful for the warm welcome received everywhere and the very generous hospitality. In particular I would like to thank Gérald and Christina Meylan who made it possible for me to attend as many rose trials in Europe as I did. Not only have I made some wonderful friends around the world but it gave me an excellent opportunity to promote ROSAFRICA 2012 and I am convinced this is the best way of exposing or advertising a convention. I would like to take this opportunity of recommending that all future Presidents promote the following World Rose Convention where ever and whenever they are visiting member countries of the Federation. I don’t really want to single out countries or rose functions but I cannot resist mentioning my ‘Royal Tour’ to Australia, which is how they referred to it. This was the initiative of the newly appointed VP for Australasia and it was my luck that the sculpture of our much loved David Ruston was completed during my ‘reign’ and needed somebody to unveil it. I shall always be grateful to have been given this honour together with visits to rose societies in all five States where I was welcomed like the Queen herself. 5 Improved or better communication was one of my goals for my presidency and I thought it would be easy with modern technology. I have learnt that for good communication there has to be the desire to do so both by the originator and the receiver and the essential spark to achieve this is enthusiasm. I believe it is essential that all Vice Presidents do their utmost to engender that enthusiasm in their own country and the countries in their area. In all my travels I was surprised to find how few Rosarians were conscious of the WFRS, the organisation to which their country belongs, let alone the work of the organisation.