THE BIRTH OF THE NEW ORLEANS OLD GARDEN ROSE SOCIETY

by Maureen Reed Detweiler

on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the society

In the spring of 1986, an article in the Times Picayune introduced me to the wonderful world of old garden roses. The accompanying photograph showed a pretty lady named Charlotte Fonseca  in her rose garden here in New Orleans. A few of the roses named in the article were familiar to me because my Grandmother Reed had grown them.

I wanted those roses. Even though I had never gardened, I was determined to have those roses. I found Charlotte’s address in the telephone directory and wrote to her asking for her assistance. She phoned me a few days later and we talked for an hour. She cheerfully agreed to teach me all she knew. She subsequently became my close friend. She now lives in Shreveport and her name has changed to Charlotte Haring.

I planted my garden, read every rose book I could find, joined all the old rose societies and read their journals. At social functions and other gatherings, I  talked about old roses to anyone who was polite enough to listen to me. After a while, I longed to have an old rose society here in New Orleans where I could meet people who shared my love for the old beauties. I began to keep a card file of everyone I met who showed the slightest interest in such a society.

Then in January of 1993, I received a phone call from Rosemary Sims. She said she wanted to start an old rose society and had asked Karin Geiger to help her to do so. Karin told Rosemary to call me because she knew that I was planning to start such a society.

In February 1993 we mailed invitations to our inaugural meeting  to all the names I had collected in my card file. On March 9, 1993, the first meeting of the New Orleans Old Garden Rose Society was held at Longue Vue Gardens. Thirty-nine charter members joined that night. By May 1993, we had 75 members.

Officers 2019:

President Peggy Martin/Karen Snyder

VP Peggy Martin/Karen Snyder

Treasurer Freny Thunthy,

Financial Sec. Margaret Delord,

Rec. Sec. Donald AYO

Historian Leo Watermeier,

Publicity Chair Maria Lambert

Horticulture Margaret Ganier