Have a wonderful time! I'm sure it will be glorious. It always is.

Unfortunately I will not be there this year. That is the one day in April when I have a commitment I cannot break for anything short of illness or emergency, my county's Master Gardener plant sale.

Rosefolly

I am so happy for the earlier date. Michael works every other weekend and must take time off to make it. This year the date is perfect for us. We wouldn't miss it. Any of you who haven't seen this wonderful garden please understand that it is incredibly worthwhile.

Someday, your neck of the west will be a family road trip. Indoctrinating my daughter. :-)

I would love to go. I'll see what I can arrange. Being a broke college student, though, I'm not sure I will be able to make it.

Is there any way to purchase a rose without being there in person?

Josh

Josh, we don't ship roses. Sorry. It would be lovely if you and others from afar could come - but if not this year, another one, I hope!
Anita

Having had aged-dog-related issues that prevented us from going in the past, I've made the resolution to drag our canines along and make the trip this year. It won't be as worry-free but I've been dying to see this garden ever since I've learned of it.

This may sound anti-social (and I confess to being a loner) but I've had some trepidation that visiting on Open Garden Day will be more about people and lots of hustle and bustle, and I won't have the opportunity to study the roses and have the garden more to myself as I would on some other quiet mid-week date. At the same time I would love to meet some of my forum friends very much. I'll just have to give this some thought.

Ingrid

The garden is three acres with a lot of big roses, so if you want to look at roses on your own, that's possible. The event ends at 2 and we fold up things pretty fast, and the cemetery should be open 7 till 7 (although sometimes the city sticks to winter hours and is 8 till 5). So, there are times that you can be fairly well on your own. For me, it's ALL hustle and bustle that day and I never see everybody that I'd like to see. Ingrid, if you do come, please try to stop me for a minute and say hello. The same goes for all the rest of you too. I really like connecting faces to people whom I know via the internet.
Anita

Anita, I wouldn't dream of coming to the cemetery and not meeting you. I know you'll be busy but hope you'll have time for a hello and a hug. I deeply respect all the time and effort you've expended on behalf of the cemetery in addition to having your own garden to care for. The forum wouldn't be the same without you either.

Ingrid

Thanks, Ingrid. Dogs on a leash are welcome in the cemetery, by the way!
Anita

Anita - thanks for the announcement! My DH and I will be there, and I think I have convinced a couple who are friends of ours who have never been there to come with us. They are gardeners, but only have one row of modern roses at their house - hope to convert them!

Jackie

Hi Anita, Just following up, is there a catalog for the event yet?
Looking forward to seeing what roses will be available and making the trip!
Thanks,
Priscilla

Jeri makes the catalog for us. We are hopeful that she and her DH will be there with all three DDs (dear Dalmations). We are aiming to have it ready at least a week before the event - earlier if possible.
Anita

I am so sad that I will miss this year's open garden and sale. But I'll make an effort to visit some other day during the bloom.

Ingrid, I would have liked to meet you. Hope you have a wonderful time. You should visit the garden the day before to really experience it in solitude.

Diane

We went last year both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday AM was quite busy what with the sale, auctions, and tours. Later in the afternoon we returned with cameras to quiet and found the same on Sunday. This year I think we will take our lunch and picnic late. I too am a quiet one with crowd aversion tendencies, yet found this a welcome happening. Perhaps it was the common love of roses that made it so. So, here's hoping we see you Ingrid, Pam, Pricilla, Anita and others we have yet to meet. It is such a beautiful and peaceful garden!

I can't wait! I've loved going the past two years. The only problem is that I really don't have any more space for roses! I'll just have to restrain myself and get something rose-related like a shirt!

Good idea, New Girl. I have a Cemetery Garden Tshirt that I really like.

Folly

Aprons - denim shirts - tshirts - there are other ways to spend your money at Open Garden! We have some heirloom iris too. Of course, we would not turn down a donation either. We are doing some big-ticket items this year after building up a fund - new markers for the plots, a new Historic Rose Garden sign, a new structure - we are making some wonderful improvements. Very exciting. Rather expensive (and totally out of our non-profit funds)!

Whether or not you can support us financially or with your time, we'd love to have you come and enjoy the roses.
Anita

What an exciting prospect! If I can manage to get there this year, I'll be especially excited to see Lady Roberts- last year, she had finished her Spring flush, and the remaining blooms were fried (it was almost 90 deg. the day I was there). Even so, the colors were still gorgeous! White Maman Cochet cascading down the side of a mausoleum is one of the most beautiful rose situations I have ever seen. Geez, just thinking about it has me twitching with rose-lust.

I hope to make it this year.

Actually thinking of making it a rosey weekend and visiting San Jose and San Juan Bautista too.

Or stretching the weekend out for some time in Gold Country.

See ya there! (I hope)

Nancy Lee and Ingrid I don't want to miss seeing you. Please don't hide out too much Ingrid!