Dave,

Thanks for your reply. I'll respond to the specifics below.

dave weil wrote in message . ..
On 8 Mar 2004 03:45:51 -0800, (Dan Gannon) wrote:

(Dan Gannon) wrote in message . com...
everyone is welcome:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fragrant_mini_roses

Is there no interest among English-speaking people, in fragrant
miniature roses?

Probably only a little. Miniature roses has only a fairly limited
interest compared to, say hybrid teas or old garden roses. And now,
you've limited it even more to a tiny fraction of *those* roses.
Frankly, how much can you say about them?

OK, I can accept that. I am surprised how low the interest seems to
be, at least in this forum. I started another Yahoo group a while
back, and within 2 days, there were more than 100 members. With this
new group, which I *feel* is at least equally interesting and
promising, there are only 2 members so far, after 2 days. (And that's
including myself.) With the first (negative) response I received
here, and the glass of wine I had last night, those were essentially
the stimulii for my posting as irritably as I did. I apologize.

I'm not going to keep the Fragrant Miniature
Roses group open forever with no participation. This is quite
depressing.

Ummmmm, I'd say a couple of things. First of all, give it a little
time. You might get a few takers. Second, considering the narrow
parameters of the group, I wouldn't hold my breath. And third, I
wouldn't take it as a personal affront.

You're right, of course. I agree that the parameters are narrow,
*but* I think it's a compelling subject, for the following reasons:

I think fragrant miniatures have great potential, for use in planters
and pots, both indoors and outdoors. How else can one easily keep a
rose - which *smells* like a rose should - as a houseplant, or keep
quite a few of them on a porch or patio? Urban rose lovers everywhere
should rejoice - especially those who live in apartments or condos.
At least, that's what I think. I guess they haven't come around to my
way of thinking, yet. Perhaps I need to show them, convince them.

I know many have said it's difficult to impossible to keep them
indoors, but so far, I've had nothing but success with it.
Admittedly, I've had the benefit of experience, growing other
difficult plants indoors. But I think, with adequate instruction,
practically anyone could do it. And potted miniatures can easily be
moved - from indoors to out, to a table as a temporary or
semi-permanent centerpiece, etc. The micro-minis can even be grown
under small, inexpensive desk lamps fitted with compact fluorescent
bulbs. With fragrant micros, one needn't travel far to "smell the
roses." For a mini, a larger desk lamp would be suitable, though I'm
still conducting experiments.

At least I know speakers of many other languages are keenly
interested in this topic.

How do you know this?

By speaking with people in those cultures. The interest in fragrant
minis is particularly high in some urban areas. They merely don't
have ready access to the finer fragrant varieties. Further
development of fragrant varieties should considerably brighten the
prospects.

Need the English-speaking world lose out?

Now you're just being a drama queen. Sorry. I doubt that the
English-speaking world is going to collapse because they don't support
an extremely narrow interest group on Yahoo.

I apologize for being so dramatic. What I meant was, the
English-speaking world could well lose out, at least for a time, on
the applications I described above. People aren't mind-readers, so my
statement must have seemed obtuse. At any rate, it was admittedly
dramatic.

You decide. Right now, I'm feeling like I'm only going to
contribute in other languages. (Cantonese, Spanish, Thai, etc.)

Phooey!

Dan

Dan, Dan, Dan, this is no way to introduce yourself to this group.
First of all, it makes you look petty and small.

I had introduced myself here previously, in the form of 2 messages.
Not an extensive introduction, I admit. But I felt it was adequate to
illicit at least one positive response. After all, I was providing a
forum, not setting myself up as the sole authority on the subject. As
a newbie, I recognize I'm not much of an authority.

I was feeling disappointed and, yes, a bit angry. I suppose I was
considering my access to other cultures as a way to divert my efforts
to more attentive audiences. Why stay where there's no interest, when
others in the world are more interested? I can see very little reason
for it. I didn't expect to be greeted with such disinterest. Need I
evangelize? It seems to verge on the ridiculous. If people aren't
convinced of the value of the fragrant minis, after reading this and
my earlier messagess, I don't think they'll become convinced easily.
It's their choice, so let them go without, I say. In other words,
"Phooey!" I also had in mind the old adage, that people often don't
know what they have until it's gone. I was just expressing my
feelings, in an uninhibited manner. I am sorry if I offended anyone.

Second of all,
contrast the worldwide interest in roses to the interest in *your*
subject. And then look at participation in *this* group. It's not
exactly a flood of posts, you know. And so far, we haven't seen all
that much from you that would entice us to join such a group.
Hectoring isn't going to help. Miniature roses is but a portion of the
rose universe. They are interesting, but so are moss roses. Those who
love moss roses don't freak out when people don't discuss them all
that much.

Point well taken. With the huge number of rose gardeners in the
world, the amount of discussion here does seem very, very low. I
suppose there must be reasons for it.

Perhaps most people simply buy a rose, plant it, and watch it grow,
probably with minimal attempts to help it thrive, instead of making it
a more involved hobby and discussing it with others. Perhaps it's
influenced by traditional ways of thinking about roses - possibly many
people have the unspoken opinion that, "they're just supposed to sit
there and look pretty, and that's the end of it." Perhaps many of the
more enthusiastic rose gardeners limit themselves to browsing rose
catalogs, not seeking out discourse or expressing themselves in any
way but their rose purchases. Or perhaps many do discuss their hobby,
but not online. That could be partially due to demographics, such as
ages of rose keepers VS ages of those actively using online forums
like these - USENET specifically. I hadn't really considered that.

I'm glad that you have found a intense interest in this oft-too
ignored niche. But that's all it is - a niche. Heck, if it weren't for
Ralph Moore, it would be a mere curiosity.

It's a smaller niche than I had thought. But I think it deserves to
grow in popularity, for reasons already stated. New and future
varieties do play a large part in that.

I'd say that you're off to
a good start in being a specialist and your input and viewpoint will
be of great value, *if* you choose to share it with everyone, not just
the few individuals who share your passion.

Thanks. You're right. I shouldn't be so quick to discount the entire
group of English-speaking rosarians.

I have noticed that The Uncommon Rose up in your neck of the woods is
carrying some new interesting varieties this year. That's a good
thing.

That's true. I've already ordered five varieties from them. I expect
to receive them soon, probably this week. That should keep me happily
busy for some time.

Again, I apologize for being so grumpy and dramatic in my last
message.

Wishing you a good week,

Dan Gannon