I finally dropped out of ARS altogether about a year ago. I noted ironically, ARS magazine had been improving.
I think current leadership have been good for the organization.
That said, there was little in the magazine I couldn’t access via the net from other sources.
Exhibiting is still the focus of many older rosarians and rose societies. I’m not interested in exhibiting given the parameters as they exist today.
There is very little to draw a younger person toward ARS.
I also agree strongly that more weight should be given to regional ratings. We’ve lost a great number of roses that shine in certain environments.
In my opinion ARS would do well to let regional leadership carry more weight and shift focus to regional versions of the magazine that could offer more relevance.
It probably isn’t even appropriate for me to be the guy posting this – My interest in roses first began rather recently when I began renovating my first house and, for the first time had a yard. Then Katrina came through, and since then I have not concerned myself much with such luxuries/trivialities as rose bushes in front of an incomplete house, let alone hybridizing. I have never been a member of the ARS, so I have no insights. My lack of involvement has likewise precluded the level of jadedness some have. So putting the past aside, let’s discuss a future, and what we would like to see in American Rose Trials. Let’s be realistic and open-minded and recognize the needs of attracting a new, young audience, such as us Gen X and Y-ers.
It would appear that the ARS has serious problems, and a complete restructuring, and arguably a name-change, would be in order, if indeed they even continue to exist.
Indeed, I had begun this thread thinking of an alternative to the ARS.
I would love for others, including those from foreign countries having their own trials, to weigh in as well.
Should we recommence on another thread??
Thanks all, this is very interesting, if a little spirited!
“It would appear that the ARS has serious problems, and a complete restructuring, and arguably a name-change, would be in order”
I repeatedly come back to this issue of naming the organization, and American Rose Society, says to me: stuffy, outdated anachronism of a group. The word Society in particular is what I trip over. Perhaps what is needed is a kind of spin-off group that gets a complete makeover of image and agenda, image in particular. The way the ARS presents itself, IMO, is as an Old Boys Club that can’t/won’t loose its grip on an identity it created fifty years ago. That is not an organization that speaks to me. I can barely imagine what a dinosaur it must appear to be to someone 30 years my junior.
It seems like the inception of these kind of organizations where of noble cause but not always. People normally check back to the reason and bylaws first set up. Years can be jumped forward from the minutes of meetings to see if a deviation has occurred and if it was for the better or worse. There’s always a reason things go south.
Right now it has the country club, private club feel with multiple cultivars of the same type and hundreds of plants that would take full time upkeep what with high rate of fertilizers and spotless plant beds. There’s also not enough benefits in return 10%off is normal but as a distributor another 16%off is normal. Part of the funding I guess.
They are taking a big step to get back on the right track by asking for input, that takes guts and good sense, knowing there’s a lot of negative feelings about. The ten dollar trial is also good.
In case no ones noticed there has been a drastic change taking place in this country.
So, just as an example… Imagine if you will, in lieu of “AARS winner 2012” a rose has an “American Rose Trials” label saying something like:
A.R.T. Silver Medal Winner [where the metal of A.R.T. prize represents number of awards, from platinum to bronze, perhaps, and clarified as…]
Winner of 4 American Rose Trials
including
Gold Prize, Landscape, Gulf Coast region
Gold, Landscape, Mid-Atlantic region
Silver, Most Care-Free, Pacific Northwest
People’s Choice Award, Gulf Coast region
Or some similar form of meaningful designation…
Imagine, in otherwards, the umbrella organization merely serves to collate and seminate the information, and is not involved in the regional processes, and the results have meaning beyond “award winner”. Admittedly, there shouldn’t be an obscene number of ART awards, but a hybridizers could acquire smaller awards to build up credibility beyond the winner takes all AARS designation.
I was thinking about this today and I came up with an idea. I do not know how feasible the idea is but anyways. State Universities in America and Canada could step in. They could create their own regional trials by getting a four or five universities or even some of the better junior colleges together. They could charge an admission fee to run the program maybe even make a little off of it for their ag, horticulture or even forestry departments. The could weight the trails differently. Such as less on novelty and exhibition form and more on how a particular variety actually does in an area. I would suggest no spray and low water use (not as low water use as earth kind but less than normal). And since it would be universities all in a similar climate range say universities on both sides of the great lakes this regional award would what to take winter hardiness into consideration. Where a region made up of California, Nevada, Arizonia and Texas would have other concerns. I would suggest if this would be done that a limit would be put on the number of entries a company could enter. This would prevent the trial from getting out of size plus I think these companies probably have a good idea what their better roses already are. Plus I could see this leading to more rose research at univerities if they were more use to growing roses.
Again I do not know how feasible the idea is but it did interest me when I thought it up. It would certainly ave better meaning than the AARS award. And universities would probably be less guarded about results. Plus I like the fact the awards would be coming from a third party and not by an organization that is at times pandering to its corporate overlords.
I think landscape and horticulture oriented community colleges (the good ones, which some are excellent) would be beter suited. The state colleges, even the really good ag. types, tend to get “sticky” with administration, so to speak. For example, Clackmas Community College of the Portland Metro is very much oriented in public testing. They (the dept.) also have a lot of heart, which some colleges specificaly lack. I did not get any education there but I am familiar with them because they are the “go to” for pesticide laws and testing in my area, so I am familiar with dealing with them. I am sure there are quite a few CC’s like them.
btw, as a side note, I was always astonished that none of the rose societies (local or national) used education systems to their advantage, especially for recruition. To me it basically screamed “Screw your kind” to your generation. This was obvioulsy amplified with my experience in societies, as well as exhibiting. There are exceptions of course – some people had hearts of gold, but even they turned their backs and refused to return.
Well, so I’ve not actually checked in for several months, but I was wondering what the status of AARS actually is. I see their website is still up and running, and see no further discussions on this thread pretaining to regional trials for testing and marketing good rose varieties.
The AARS site is still up, and no press room releases implying any changes are in the works…
What gives?
From what I’ve heard, I think they’ve already selected 2 roses for 2012 AARS honors, a yellow hybrid tea named Summer Love and a red with yellow reverse florrie named Ketchup & Mustard. After that, there is talk of “reorganization,” and keeping the AARS brand going, but which will not include “test gardens.”
Which comes back 'round to the big important question: What will become of the network of test gardens? (Is it just me, or does that sound like keeping the bathwater while throwing the baby out?)
I was wondering about this recently too. There are so many questions and no crystal ball.
I have some of the old ARS books that chronicles the expansion of the western mold of rosedom onto the landscape and society, so to speak, but now decades of work sit on a very thin silver chord.
And then there are the companies that are “not thriving” which competed in the AARS every year. What of those?
I would not be specifically sad to see the AARS itself go away in its current form, but I would be really sad if the gardens and some sort of physical public relation between new roses and society ceased to exist.
Werent the 2000s supposed to be about flying cars? Just sayin… lol.
This past fall I went to Topeka and saw that the test garden at Reinisch Rose Garden in Gage Park is gone. The collection of AARS winners is still in the place it was, at the back end of the garden with 3 of most every winner that eve there was, but the actual test garden had been cleared and seeded with grass. So at ground level it looks pretty definite.
Meh 
I’d be pretty shocked if they did that to Washington Park. Its basically a national treasure. I think the entire Portland metro would fight back, especially since its a space of massive memories for so many – international travelers, locals, rosarians, HUGE culturally diverse weddings, etc, etc. I do wonder if its just gonna be Kordes, Star and Weeks sending in free roses now though… ? Bailey’s supplied Portland with tons and tons in several parks, but that ceased for obvious reasons. Bailey’s almost managed to help Peninsula Park in inner north Portland (gang haven) look like ya wouldnt get shot there, lol.
Paul Zimmerman sent me information about the Biltmore Estate Rose Trials they are trying to initiate.
On behalf of the Biltmore Estate I would like to formally invite you to enter the Biltmore International Rose Trials. Attached please find the rules and also a letter of Introduction from Parker Andes who is Director of Horticultural for the Estate. Parker, and the entire Biltmore organization, are very enthused about the Trials and are working towards making it a success for years to come.
Please excuse the informality of an email, but as we will be planting the first trial roses this spring we feel it is best to get this to you as quickly as possible.
The rules are pretty much straightforward and self-explanatory but do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. If you do choose to enter please let me know the following at your earliest convenience.
Your acceptance
How many cultivars. We are not totally limiting it per breeder this first season but we are thinking 3-5 max
How will the roses be arriving? Bareroot, container? Please see rules for details.
When you will be sending them. The Trial Rules explain in detail but essentially we can start taking roses March 1 for Mid-May Planting. All the roses will be equally potted in 3-gallon pots and grown in cold frames before planting to make sure they are off to a great start at planting time.
Paul F. Zimmerman
Paul Zimmerman Roses
PO Box 129
Campobello, SC. 29322
www.paulzimmermanroses.com
I have the blurb and the “rules” if anyone is interested. Kim
Meg,
On Sept 27th you posted;
"Of course there are many details to be worked out. But this can only be successful if we have as many breeders and introducing firms involved from the getgo. So my first question to you is
I would be very interested in seeing that, Kim. I unfortunately am not in any position to take charge of such (time, finances, connections, knowledge, experience…) but am quite seriously interested in seeing an umbrella organization that compiles, evaluates, and disseminates test/trial results. THe way I see it, the best way to maintain objectivity is to have as large a group of trials and judges as is possible. Is that something that could be a sub-set of this RHO? Is there a way to make such at the very least revenue-neutral for this organization?
I would be happy to contribute time to such when I can, and if my life were a little more together, I would even consider trying to take more initiative, but I fear I have little I could contribute aside from some enthusiasm for the idea.
Is there a list of the former trial gardens?
AARS is not dead, just trying to keep up with the times and become a relevant testing organization again. Not all the test gardens have been eliminated, the number has been downsized to 10 or so. The survivors have been kept because they could guaranty a no spray environment and were geographically relevant. More than 10 worldwide rose introducing companies have committed to this AARS 2.0 so far. Stay tuned.
Also for the record, there will be winners in 2012 and 2013 form the “old” AARS model, and these roses have won in a no spray environment.
to Bill Cashin–
The American Rose Center’s RHA Trial Grounds winners have been mentioned in the newsletter over the past several years. In the July-Aug 2009 issue of American Rose the ARS had an article about the winners for 2009 in the Shreveport trial grounds (Chuck Bock for Sniffer, Bill Hemphill for a pink shrub, unnamed). The ARS website does not have any information about the trial grounds winners. Perhaps it did have information before the virus attack that destroyed the site last year, but it doesn’t have information now. The ARS website has not been completely restored. Perhaps this information will be available on the site in the future.