Call for articles and brief biographical sketches

General Discussion
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Probably some of you planned to write and send me an article about breeding ground-cover or low shrub roses. Since I’m in the beginning stages of putting together the Winter RHA Newsletter, this would be a really good time to get that article written and sent. So far I’ve received ZERO contributions on this topic. Remember, this is your newsletter, so share your knowledge and ideas. It can’t happen without you.

Shrub roses, ground-cover roses, and no-spray roses of all sorts are very hot right now in the rose marketplace. One of the best-selling roses within recent memory is Knock Out (yes, by our member Bill Radler), and two of the AARS winners for 2005 are in this category. Both are touted for disease resistance and hardiness. This topic is quite relevant to what’s happening in the world of roses. More and more of these tough varieties will be coming along so that more and more people can grow roses without wearing masks and special apparel to protect themselves from what they have to spray on roses to keep the leaves healthy.

If you have some experience with a parent that might be good in crosses of this sort, please write about your experience.

If you made some other crosses and found an unexpected number of varieties of this sort among the resulting seedlings, write about that experience.

If you have reason to think that a variety or species you’ve worked with might be a good parent of such roses, write about it for the newsletter.

Got the idea?

Biographical sketches–

If you members have not yet sent in your short biographical sketches, send them in. I can use them now.

And if you’re enjoying the forum and you’re not a member yet, join RHA. There is no better value in the world of roses. I’ve posted the link below so you can find out how to join.

It’s not the easiest thing in the world, giving up that paltry $10 (US addresses–slightly more for overseas) for a year of newsletters and full membership, but somebody’s gotta do it, and it might as well be you and you and you and you and …

And even if you’re not a member and you’re within the sound of my keyboard, please send me an article for the Newsletter. It’s your humanitarian duty: you’ll feel better and so will I. The Newsletter frequently includes articles by non-members.

If you have any questions about how to get an article to me, or about what I’d like in an article (or what I’d like for Christmas or my next birthday), click on the link above and email me your message.

Peter

Link: www.rosehybridizers.org/join.html

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Dear Peter, Ok, I am joining! I’ve been lurking on the forum for a bit! I have joined the Pacific N.W. hybridizeres group. Do I send a bio by snail mail? Thanks! Robyn Swesey Arlington WA.

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Robyn–and anyone else,

Since you have internet access, please send bios by email if you can, either incorporating them in the message body or attaching them as word processing files (preferably .doc format).

I can deal with nearly any format except the default format of Microsoft “Works”–and if you have Works (not the same as Word) on your computer (it is supplied as a freebie on HP computers and a few others), you can still use it, but when you are ready to save the file, just choose “Export” and save it as a .doc or .rtf file.

Also–to everyone–

We still have lots of room for articles and brief bio sketches. (hint, hint…)

The “creature feature” symposium topic for the spring issue is the breeding of bicolors. If I have enough material, I’ll begin assembling that issue shortly after March 1. The sooner I get articles and notes, the sooner you get your Newsletter.

If you have used as a parent some bicolor variety that either did or (unexpectedly) did not give you a lot of bicolors, or if you have used some other, non-bicolor variety and have obtained a lot of bicolors from it, or even a few that you might not have expected from such a variety, we’d love to hear about your experience.

If you have a bicolor that sets a lot of seeds and looks as though it might be a good parent, even a short note about that would be welcome (along with a brief note about the climate where you live, since climate seems to affect seed-set). A lot of brief notes, once assembled, amounts to a lot of shared information.

Oh yes–

If you have a response to a previous article, or if you just five minutes ago finished an article on an earlier symposium topic and you fear that you’re too late, stop being afraid snd send in what you’ve written. We always have room for what you write. And, more than just “having room,” we welcome what you write. The Newsletter is YOUR Newsletter.

Peter