Society Meetings: 7:00 pm social time, program starts at 7:30 pm on fourth Mondays (except summer or holidays), Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach OR online via Zoom. (Zoom link emailed to members before meetings.)

Upcoming Programs and Events


  • January 27, 2025 - GPBRS Meeting at Mounts Botanical Garden, 7:30 pm. Program: “Pruning for South Florida” with ARS Rosarians, Mike Becker and Bill Langford.

  • February 8 and 9, 2025 - Winter Plant Sale at Mounts Botanical Garden, Admission: Adults $20, Senior, Military or College Students is $18. Saturday: open to public 9 am – 4 pm; Sunday: open to public 9 am to 3 pm. Winter Sale Info.

  • February 24, 2025 - GPBRS Meeting at Mounts Botanical Garden, 7:30 pm. Program: “Fertilization and India Fertilizing Protocols” with Denise Abruzzese.

  • February 28 through March 2, 2025 - Deep South District Mid-Winter Meeting, “Roses In Paradise”. Best Western Gateway Grand Hotel, Gainesville, FL. Vendors: Angel Gardens, K&M Nursery, Nelson’s Southern Roses, Rose Petal Nursery, Jim’s Purely Organic.

  • March 24, 2025 - GPBRS Meeting at Mounts Botanical Garden, 7:30 pm. Hands-on Program: “Rose Arranging” with an Italian floral designer from Blossom Express.

    • 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.