Society Meetings: 7:30 pm on fourth Mondays (except summer), Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach OR online via Zoom. (Zoom links emailed to members before meetings.)

Upcoming Programs and Events


  • April 27, 2024 - "South Florida Roses 101: A Beginner’s Crash Course" with author Victor Lazzari at the Plant-a-Palooza - Mount's Spring Plant Sale, Mounts Botanical Garden, Exhibit Hall A, 11:00 am (NEW TIME).

  • April 27/28, 2024 Cool Roses selling roses on Fortuniana rootstock at the Plant-a-Palooza Spring Plant Sale, Mounts Botanical Gardens, Saturday: open to public 9 am - 4 pm; Sunday: open to public 9 am to 3 pm. Mounts Sale Info HERE

  • April 28, 2024 - Public Rose Seminar by GPBRS at Jupiter Public Library. 2:30 pm. Topic: "Growing Roses in Florida" with ARS Consulting Rosarian and Rose Show Judge, Bill Langford.

  • May 20, 2024 - GPBRS Meeting at Mounts Botanical Garden, 7:30 pm. Program: “Ask the Experts!” with ARS Master and Consulting Rosarians. Bring your questions!

  • July 2, 2024 - Public Rose Seminar by GPBRS at the West Boynton Beach Public Library. 2:00 pm. Topic: "Growing Roses in Florida" with ARS Consulting Rosarian, Denise Abruzzese.

  • September 23, 2024 - GPBRS Meeting at Mounts Botanical Garden, 7:30 pm. Program: "New Rose Sustainability Trials in South Florida" with Dr. Kimberly Anne Moore, Environmental Horticulturist, Associate Center Director and Professor. UF/IFAS, Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center.

    • Rose Hips and Hybridizing Roses

    Article by Denise Abruzzese, with information from Nate Fisher.

    Many thanks to Nate Fisher from Garden Roses LLC for presenting November’s (2023) event and for imparting such great knowledge to us. And thank you for taking the time to send us the rose hips! We have a cross between China Doll and The Fairy, both beautiful pink roses! China Doll is classified as a Floribunda or Polyantha and bred by Dr. Walter E. Lammerts (United States, before 1946). The Fairy is a Polyantha bred by Ann & John Bentall (United Kingdom, 1932)! It will be very interesting to see if we get any new rose variations and what they will look like.  

    There are many methods for hybridizing roses. Below are some basic steps to follow that are simple. Texas A&M University Rose Hybridization has a free online class you can watch at your convenience: https://roses.tamu.edu/rose-breeding-for-beginners/

    Basic Steps:

    1. Cut the pollen off the fertilizing rose and store it in a baby food jar overnight;
    2. The next day, take a partially opened “mother” rose bloom and carefully remove all the petals;
    3. Hold the rose on an angle or upside down and cut off all the pollen – being careful not to get any on the stamen;
    4. Use a paint brush and paint on the pollen from the baby food jar onto the mother stamen;
    5. Wrap the fertilized stamen in a small sheer bag so no insects can get to it and pollinate it with other rose pollen and label it with the rose parent names and date;
    6. Wait for the hip to ripen to red.  This could take several months. (Alternatively, you can go outside and pick a ripened rose hip. You just won’t know who the pollen parent is.)
    7. Once ripe, remove the hip and gently cut it open, removing the seeds and placing them for a few hours in water (4 parts) and peroxide (1 part) or a fungicide;
    8. Rinse off the seeds with fresh water
    9. Place the seeds on a damp paper towel. You can also mist the paper towel with the peroxide solution or fungicide.  
    10. Place the folded up paper towel in a zip lock bag and label it.
    11. Place the bag in the refrigerator for 6 weeks to 2 months;
    12. Remove each individual seed and plant in potting soil;
    13. Be sure to mark each pot with the parents’ names and date.