50th Annual Rose Show Today

The Spokane Rose Society is hosting its 50th annual rose show today from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Spokane Valley Doubletree, 1100 N. Sullivan Rd. Admission is free and open to the public.

Between 25-50 exhibitors compete in the rose show, with more than 300 blooms on display, said Tom O’Connor, show chairman.

“We’re hitting a pretty good time for rose blooms,” said O’Connor. He expects to see a “whole mass display of all kinds of roses, colors, sizes. Lots of fragrance too.”

People planning to compete in the “Golden Memories” show should arrive with their roses between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. There is no cost to enter the competition, and non-members can join the society for $6.

Roses are judged on form, color, substance, balance, proportion and foliage. Several types of roses will be displayed, with categories for hybrid tease, floribundas, miniature and shrub.

“It’s a learning process, and it’s fun chatting with people about their successes and how they deal with disease and insects,” O’Connor said.

Rose experts will offer hourly breakout sessions between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., on topics ranging from insects to displaying roses.

A private awards banquet will begin at 6 p.m..

Michigan rose expert Bunny Skran, a candidate for vice president of the American Rose Society, will give the keynote address. The first Spokane rose show was held at the Davenport Hotel in 1947.

, DataTimes