On the one hand, I can make the Heritage Rose Foundation
meeting in November, and it's only a couple hours away
from where I live...and I really want to get some of the
uncommon roses likely to be at their fund-raising sale.

On the other hand, $160 is a bit much. I'm interested in
the discussion on the Bermuda roses, and probably the
propagation workshop would be worth sitting in on, but
mostly it's the sale I'm interested in. I've been to the Bok
Tower Gardens a couple times on my own, I don't wanna
go to Epcot even for a horticultural tour (and Disney is
milking it -- $170 more even for a full-day tour is pretty
gauche of The Mouse, by damn: they're not gonna sacrifice
one penny, it seems, for the goodwill of plant fans and
mavens; the press seems to be the only entity with members
who are likely to get in free -- read Carl Hiassen on the
subject). I can do without the banquet, as I'm driving home
every evening anyhow.

What would you do? I don't know whether the public
will be invited to the plant sale, and I wouldn't want to
barge in...

Mark., eternal cheapskate

"Mark. Gooley" wrote
What would you do? I don't know whether the public
will be invited to the plant sale, and I wouldn't want to
barge in...

If it is the sale you are really interested in and you aren't sure
that $160 will get you in to it, I sure wouldn't go. That's ten bare
roots plus shipping or thereabouts!!

Mark., eternal cheapskate

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.

I see your point: I know that these conferences rarely if
ever turn a profit (used to be involved in scientific and
engineering conferences myself, back when I was in grad
school, and ended up doing some of the dirty work when
my advisor was program director or such. And it'd hardly
be fair to let the general public in on the rose sale...and
lord knows I've blown enough cash on exotic plants I've
proceeded to kill through poor horticultural practice (not
potting them on soon enough, then leaving them without
irrigation for a few days while I was away, so that they
died simply of being dry) -- roses are, thank Heaven, a
bit more forgiving, usually, than sequoias, warm-climate
firs and spruces, and near-tropical bamboos. (Unless deer
prune every new shoot and leaf -- lost my R. brunonii that
way just as it was starting to bloom.)

I think I'll bite the bullet and pay the fee and show up for
most of the proceedings. Thanks for your polite response
to my peevish posting...

Mark., from the soggy flatwoods rich in phosphate