A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, even if it’s a floribunda or a grandiflora. Even a polyantha shrub rose is pretty pleasant to the nose.
Tomorrow is the big day for the St. Albert Botanic Park’s annual Rose Show, the biggest event of its kind in the Edmonton metropolitan region. Rain or shine, there will be scores of amateur and professional horticulturists alike bringing their best, brightest and nicest smelling creations down to the beautiful garden in the river valley for the show.
Richard Plain, chair of the rose committee and one of the co-founders of the park, explained that many people look forward to this one event. It is a competition but there is otherwise very little pressure.
“This is not a show just for experts. This is a show for everybody. If you have a rose bush that’s been blooming in your backyard and survived the rain then all you need to do is cut off a rose that looks good to you, leave a long stem with leaves on it and put it in a water bottle, bring it down to us, and we’ll put it in the right category. If it needs anything done to perk it up, we’ll help you out.”
He said the show is popular and successful because of its inclusiveness and also for how it doesn’t force exhibitors to incur any expenses. Depending on the weather, there could be few or many exhibitors vying for prizes in a number of categories including Best Hybrid Tea, Best Floribunda or Grandiflora, and Best Rose of the Show. There’s even an audience favourite prize for all attendees to judge.
“It’s open to anyone in St. Albert or in the Capital region,” he said. “It’s a very good all-around event open to the general public without any out-of-pocket charge.”
Entries can be brought down to be registered between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. with judging to take place by noon. Afterwards, all attendees can view the exhibits until 4:30 p.m. when the prizes will be awarded. To keep everyone entertained during this florid Sunday in the park, there will also be artists and musicians to add to the cultural atmosphere.
The park also recently opened the doors to a new gift shop for its visitors.
Annual Rose Show<br />with artists and musical entertainment
Free admission<br />Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.<br />St. Albert Botanic Park<br />265 Sturgeon Road<br />(next to the Legion Memorial Baseball Park)<br />Call 780-458-7163 or visit www.stalbertbotanicpark.com for more information
