Celebration of Old Roses, Sunday May 19, 2013

It's Rose-O-Rama season in our garden! Our Blue Girl, Graham Thomas, Butterscotch, Sally Holmes, Ispahan, Electron, Heirloom, Double Delight ... and many more ... are blooming like gangbusters, so I'm extra excited this year about the 33rd Annual Celebration of Old Roses, the very best event in El Cerrito.

Always held the Sunday after Mother's Day, this year it's on May 19th, from 11:00 to 3:30. Sponsored by the Heritage Roses Group, it's at the El Cerrito Community Center, which is just a few blocks east of the main drag in El Cerrito (San Pablo Avenue), at 7007 Moeser Lane (cross street Ashbury Ave).  The event and parking are free, and it's wheelchair-accessible.

The heart of the Celebration is the 100-foot display of roses. Everyone from expert rose cultivators to people who just have one rose bush in their yard bring cut roses to share and show off. The roses are arranged by type, so just by cruising the collection you'll get an education in rose-ology! Have a rose that you can't identify? Bring a bloom and get an expert's opinion.

In addition to the rose display, there's a great collection of arts and crafts and rose-related products for you to enjoy -a wonderful chance to get gifts for the rose and nature-lovers in your life. I've had a table with my artwork and crafts at the Celebration for the past eight years, and I'll be there with the things I make from my original photographs, rose and flower-related, including jewelry, scarves, decorated boxes, purses, cards, prints, and much more!

George always brings a vase full of the roses from our garden, and we'll have his wonderful handmade soap and all-natural beeswax candles. Go to smell the intoxicating roses, then stop by to say hello. If you have any questions about the show, please email me at HeidiRand@gmail.com

How are the roses blooming in your garden?

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