Potomac Rose Society upcoming events

Join Rose & Jon Gazarek for the PRS RUN FOR THE ROSES Garden Party! (2 May 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join PRS for the 3rd Annual Run for the Roses with Rose & Jon Gazarek:

PEAK BLOOM SEASON STARTS HERE!

We hope that you will join PRS on Saturday, May 2, from 2–4 pm at the stunning Southern Maryland garden of Rose and Jon Gazarek, where they cultivate over 150 varieties of roses across ⅙ of an acre of companion plantings. From espaliered fruit trees to native plants, clematis, and a garden designed for all-season beauty, almost every tree features a rose climbing toward the sky — a true feast for the senses.

This organic, chemical-free garden uses pine fines instead of peat, incorporates Pennsylvania fieldstone and reclaimed bricks, and thrives despite blackspot challenges in the Coastal Plain eco-region near the Potomac. Recognized as a Monarch Waystation, a Certified Wildlife Habitat, and Bay-Wise Certified—and the recipient of the 2025 Prince George's County Beautification and Sustainability Award— it’s a haven for both roses and pollinators. Rose and Jon are proud Master Gardeners and ARS Consulting Rosarians; follow their seasonal updates on Instagram @rosegazarek and @dmvgardener.

As luck would have it, our rose season kickoff coincides with the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby, affectionately called “The Run for the Roses,” where a lush blanket of red roses has crowned the winner since 1883. In the spirit of this iconic race, we’re inviting you to wear your finest Derby-style hat!— with prizes for the best hats and best overall Derby flair!

Rose & Jon welcoming guests with a bespoke wreath featuring David Austin Wedding Roses.

Enjoy light refreshments while wandering through a garden that truly lives up to the “Run for the Roses” name. Registration remains open through April 30, and directions will be provided to all registrants in advance.

Don’t miss this perfect spring celebration of roses, community, and Kentucky Derby flair!

Consulting Rosarians will earn one continuing education credit for attending this event.

Photos courtesy of Jon Gazarek: 1. 'Marianne' 2. Zéphirine Drouhin 3. "Laguna" at sunset 4. "Jasmina"

Mother’s Day at Rose Hill: Katy Banks’ 5th Annual Open Garden Event (Rain or Shine) (10 May 2026)

Sun, 10 May 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Join PRS Board Member and Heirloom Roses Ambassador Katy Banks for her Fifth Annual Open Garden at Rose Hill — a milestone year for this beloved Mother’s Day tradition.

Home to more than 500 roses, Rose Hill in peak spring flush is nothing short of extraordinary. Towering climbers, romantic arches, and obelisks wrapped in bloom create layers of color and fragrance at every turn. The spectacular Honeymoon™ rose arch makes a breathtaking entrance, while Lavender Lassie and The Generous Gardener drape the stone façade with cascades of romantic bloom. Throughout the garden, thoughtfully placed structures showcase Katy’s remarkable collection and her eye for design.

Last year, Rose Hill was featured in Southern Living magazine — national recognition of the beauty, artistry, and dedication that define this exceptional garden. Katy is also an Heirloom Roses Ambassador, a PRS Consulting Rosarian, and a third-generation rose grower. Her knowledge is as abundant as her blooms, and guests will gain inspiration and practical insight along with the visual splendor.

Katy hosts this open garden event each year on Mother’s Day in honor of her mother — her greatest supporter — and her grandmother, who first inspired her love of roses. It is a celebration of family legacy, shared passion, and the joy of growing roses.

This year, guests will also enjoy live music by the Sandpiper Jazz Collective, creating an elegant soundtrack for enjoying the garden and reconnecting with fellow rose lovers.

If you have ever wanted to see what 500+ roses in full spring glory look like, this is the garden to experience.

REGISTRATION OPENS ON APRIL 14!

You can follow Katy on Instagram at @roseladykaty. Registration for this event will open in April, and the address will be sent to registrants during the week before the event.

photos ©Patricia Lyons Photography for Southern Living Magazine

ROSES IN THE CITY! From Garden to Vase with Jennifer Porter (16 May 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Roses in the City!

From Garden to Vase with Jennifer Porter

Join the Potomac Rose Society on Saturday May 16 from 10 AM to 12 PM for Roses in the City!—a spring Open Garden event at the urban home of Jennifer Porter in the 16th Street Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC.

This intimate 1/8-acre city garden showcases what is possible in a compact urban space, featuring more than 100 roses—including floribundas, grandifloras, English shrubs, and climbers—interplanted with thoughtfully selected, pollinator-friendly annuals and perennials to ensure continuous color and seasonal interest. Many of the companion plants are chosen specifically to attract beneficial insects and support a thriving garden ecosystem. Visitors will see climbing roses trained on obelisks and fences, along with clematis woven throughout the beds to add vertical interest, texture, and seasonal layering.

Jennifer also enjoys arranging flowers, and is known for her lush, garden gathered bouquets that she generously shares with fellow rose lovers. Her plantings reflect this dual passion for garden and floral design—featuring roses and companion plants not only for their performance in the landscape, but also for their beauty and excellence in the vase.

Jennifer began gardening seriously when she moved to this home eight years ago and fell in love with the beauty of roses to create arrangements to enjoy indoors. Her plant selections focus on disease resistant, cutting-friendly rose varieties, complemented by peonies, dahlias, heirloom mums, hydrangeas, and a small raised-bed cutting garden. Along the front of the house and in containers, her favorite rose, Bolero - is cherished for its strong, fruity fragrance and manageable size.

This open garden offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy spring blooms, gather inspiration for urban gardening, and connect with fellow rose enthusiasts. Light refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there!

Registration now open!

ARS Consulting Rosarians will earn one continuing education credit for attending this event.

All images courtesy of Jennifer Porter.

Join PRS at the Beautiful Waterfront Garden of Kimberley Dean: The Rose Geek! (23 May 2026)

Sat, 23 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Experience Kimberley Dean’s Waterfront Rose Oasis!

Join PRS on Saturday, May 23, for a visit to Kimberley Dean’s stunning 12-year-old waterfront garden, a true rose lover’s paradise. Marvel at over 1,500 roses in peak bloom, set among perennial companion plantings, a formal boxwood parterre, abundant trees and shrubs, and flourishing wildlife. From the vibrant colors to the intoxicating fragrances, every corner of this garden is a feast for the senses.

Want a sneak peek? Explore Kimberley’s garden on her Rose Geek YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRoseGeek.

REGISTRATION COMING SOON!

Light refreshments will be served. Directions will be shared closer to the date. Rain date: Sunday, May 24.

Photo 1 courtesy of Kimberley Dean. Photos 2 and 3 courtesy of Lisa Mundy.

If you're interested in exploring Southern Maryland, here is Kimberley's list of fun things to do in St. Mary's County:

*******************************************************

Visit St. Mary's: (website)

Waterfront Dining:

14 miles away: Menu — Fitzie's Marina Restaurant and Pub

37 miles away: SALT Waterfront Kitchen

WINE/Distilleries:

14 miles away: Port of Leonardtown Winery

15 miles away: Xella Winery and Vineyard, 26781 Laurel Grove Rd, Mechanicsville, MD 20659-5453

18 miles away: Tobacco Barn Distillery | Handcrafted Bourbon & Whiskey

19 miles away: Southern Trail Distillery Spirits Handcrafted in Southern Maryland

24 miles away: Corteau Vineyards, 38713 Golden Beach Rd, Mechanicsville, MD 20659

EVENTS:

13 miles away: Renaissance Faire in Southern Maryland | St. Marys County MD Tourism

25 miles away: Waterfront Horseback Rides in Southern Maryland | St. Marys County MD Tourism

12 miles away: Glass Blowing Class in Leonardtown, Southern Maryland | St. Marys County MD Tourism

Photo 1 courtesy of Kimberley Dean. Photos 2 and 3 courtesy of Lisa Mundy.

Nature’s Network: Harnessing the Soil Food Web ~ A New Paradigm for Rose Culture ~ (20 Sep 2026)

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Nature never uses a bag of fertilizer—so why do we?

As the global community switches to regenerative agricultural practices to secure our planetary health, the Potomac Rose Society is thrilled to welcome Leslie Lewis, Soil Food Web School board member, and founder of Living Systems Soil, LLC , for an exclusive deep dive into the microscopic world beneath our feet.

During this session, you will discover how to transition from a "chemically-dependent" garden to a self-sustaining ecosystem.

You'll learn the secrets of Mycelium—the vast underground networks of fungal hyphae that can extend for miles. These hairlike "arms" act as a living superhighway, delivering nutrients and water directly to your roses while shielding them from disease and pests.

That's right! If you feed your soil the right way, you may never have to feed your roses again!

We will also cover:

How to brew your own Actively Aerated Compost Tea (AACT) at home—a potent biological "shield" for your plants.
Which common gardening practices are hurting your soil's microbiome?
The specific "superfoods" that turn soil fungi into your rose's new best friend.

As a certified consultant and Board Member of the Soil Food Web School, Leslie is at the forefront of the movement to preserve the legacy of the late Dr. Elaine Ingham. She will share transformative insights on how living microorganisms—not chemicals—are the vigilant guardians of your garden’s health.

"The living microorganisms in the soil are the overlooked foundation of planetary health."— Leslie Lewis

This event is FREE and open to the public. Registration and more details coming this summer, so mark your calendar!

ARS Consulting Rosarians will earn one credit towards recertification for attending this program. A recording of the Zoom presentation will be posted to the MEMBERS ONLY section of the PRS website.

Photo Credits: 1. Mycelium, courtesy of Alex Hyde, 2. courtesy of Leslie Lewis