I hope you will decide to register for the Heritage Rose Foundation meeting.
One of the great thing about HRF meetings, compared with some other types of
conventions, is that they always have a lot of "meat" in the conferences -- yes
they're enjoyable too, but a real educational experience.

Yes, the great bulk of the cost of the Disney tour goes directly to Disney.
Sorry about that. I rather resent it too. At least that tour is an optional
add-on.

The $160 registration fee reflects the real cost of putting on such a
convention. I wish it could be less, but it can't, if we're to end up in the
black. It could be substantially more expensive -- neither I nor any of the
other workshop speakers are receiving any remuneration, and we are paying full
registration ourselves. For what it's worth, note that it does include 2
lunches, 2 coffee breaks, the reception at the opening, and the gala banquet.

As for the sale -- it should be quite amazing -- roses that are simply never
seen nor sold in the USA. And no, it will not be open to the public. I'm sure
that will annoy some, but think about it -- if you paid your $160 and drove
down from Toledo, would you appreciate folks driving in off the street for that
one event, and buying the rose you had your heart set on, out from under you?
I think the registered attendees would be justifiably quite displeased. We'll
certainly hope that, at some point, these roses will be multiplied up and enter
the commercial market. But for now, there simply aren't enough of them.

Certainly, the HRF is not trying in any way to be exclusivist. We want as much
participation as possible. And we think you'll agree, post facto, that it was
well worth the registration fee. I hope you can attend.

Malcolm Manners
Host for the meeting, and Secretary, HRF.