Competing for any award in an American Rose Society (ARS) show can be challenging and difficult. There have been a lot of changes in competition at rose shows over the last twenty-three years. I personally think the competition has become much more intense. Conversely, the roses we exhibit are much easier to transport and groom. This makes successfully exhibiting roses today about the same challenge it was years ago.

When some rose grower decides to enter the local rose show, I doubt he or she realizes how addicting and fun this facet of rose growing can be. I am sure they do not have any idea of the dedication and work involved in winning the awards on a regular basis. If they are true rose exhibitors, they will dedicate themselves to achieving the goal of winning the top awards. This will mean countless hours of work and experimentation to achieve their goal. All of us have looked for the "secret" to winning the top awards at the rose shows. The remainder of this article is an oversimplified attempt to guide exhibitors to my definition of the "Secret". That definition is WORK. Let us break the word down and see what it means.

W is for Water.

Water is the thing that makes everything work in our gardens. Without sufficient water, your roses will not compete with the "big dogs" at the rose shows. Virtually all the successful exhibitors I know have watered their roses more than the generally recommended amount of one or two inches of rain equivalent per week. The more you water, the better your roses will be. The substance will increase and your bushes will reward you with larger competitive roses. You have to forget the water bill and the time invested. Sufficient water is a must for quality roses. Always remember that, when in doubt, water. This can solve more problems in your garden than any other single thing.

O is for Organics.

More and more exhibitors are realizing the benefits of organic feeding. Mother Nature has been using organics to feed her garden ever since time began. We can learn from her or ignore this tried and true method of fertilization. Organics will produce prize-winning roses if you use them correctly. Being enthusiastic rose growers, we always think more is better. There is no need to overdo the organic feeding. Purchasing a reliable pH meter and monitoring your pH will allow the nutrients that organics provide to feed your roses. Chemical fertilizers can change the pH and cause problems in your garden which require the application of another chemical to correct. (Editor’s note: Chemical fertilizers are usually acidic in nature and tend to lower the pH of the soil. To raise the pH back to a good range for growing roses, lime in normally required.) You will feel your current program with chemical fertilizers to be like the "dog chasing his tail" after using organic feeding for several years. It does take some patience to adjust you garden to the organic feeding since all of us are skeptical of something new. After several years of organic feeding we have found that our pH fluctuates very little and that no corrective chemicals are required.

R is for Roses.

While all of us have our favorites when we first start growing roses, these varieties are seldom the ones that win consistently at the rose shows. It takes a lot of careful study to change our garden to a competitive one that will win consistently. There are all types of ways to accomplish this. Most rose growers simply build additional beds to accommodate the additional "winning" varieties they have seen at the rose shows. This can become a problem creating a garden that takes too much time to maintain, therefore making rose growing less than a hobby. As we get older, time becomes more precious to us. There are ways to limit your garden and still be competitive at the shows. Observe what roses are constantly winning in your area. Subscribe to the Rose Exhibitor’s Forum and analyze the show results for your area, not the entire country. (Editor’s note: The REF is a quarterly publication made available from the American Rose Society for only $10 per year. The editor is Robert B. Martin, Jr.) Just because a variety wins Queens consistently in one area does not mean it will do the same thing for you. Another consideration is knowing which roses do well in your gardens "micro climate". If you have a "hot" garden, the lower petaled, fast opening varieties will probably do poorly. And naturally, If you have a "cool" garden, the large multi-petaled varieties will not be you most competitive varieties. Be patient when a new variety starts winning at the shows. If it is really that good of a show rose this year, it should be just as good in the next few years. This approach will help limit your garden’s size.

K is for Knowledge

Knowledge and experience are the two things you can not go to the garden shop or water department and purchase. It takes time to get all the growing techniques, varieties, and knowledge to enter your roses to achieve their maximum potential at the rose show. Some people are faster learners than others and will rise to the top of exhibiting roses in short order. Most of us will have to learn over a longer period of time. Reading articles devoted to exhibiting can be invaluable if applied correctly to our gardens. Meeting the winning exhibitors and letting them share their knowledge with you is essential. Attending local, district and national meeting will give you the opportunity to meet these exhibitors and growers to learn how to grow better roses. Analyze all the information you acquire carefully and apply it to your garden only after careful consideration. And most important, enter your roses in the rose shows and learn from successes and failures. There is nothing like the actual grooming and entering of your roses to teach you the techniques needed to win. Always be objective when you view the show after judging. This, along with the Guidelines for Judging Roses (available from the ARS) will help guide you to why the varieties won the top honors.

There are other considerations too numerous to mention in this article, but the observations listed above will be a good basis to get started on a successful approach to a winning garden. Always remember that showing roses is a hobby. Set your goals high and have some fun regardless of the outcome.