Patrick posted on August 26, 2010 13:38
AS a vice-president for the North American sector of the World Federation of Rose Societies, it is my responsibility to include the communications of this organisation of some 40 plus countries, as they come to us.
As well,I have had great input from many directions ---Uruguay, South Africa, Italy, and Australia to mention a few. In the coming months I intend to distill some of the information and images that I am receiving and put them on this website. There is a wonderful world of roses out there for us all to enjoy. ~Patrick White
I intend to include on this website the Christmas greetings that have come to me from around the world ---greetings from members of the World Federation of Rose Societies, meant for all of us in the Canadian Rose Society.
In the meantime, look at the diary of our current WFRS president, Sheenagh Fraser, of South Africa. Appreciate her commitment!
“ I was away for 8 weeks at the end of April, starting with the Regional Convention in Chenzhou, China and then I attended 8 rose trials in Europe plus some time in England when I had a wonderful day at Chelsea. My daughter, Christine joined me at Chelsea and then I had 3 days with her and Joe in London which was so special. I took 19 flights on 7 different airlines, slept in 22 different beds in 56 days, met Royalty and nobility, appeared on TV 5 times, gave 21 speeches/ presentations and unveiled 2 plaques, was Godmother to a new rose – Royal Perfume, planted a rose and opened a rose festival in China, was President of the Jury twice at trials and presented the prizes at most of the trials and on and on. It was an amazing trip in 9 countries, but I am more than glad to be home.
There were also low times like when I was caught in Barcelona for 34 hours on account of the ash (and had no money) and on my second trip to China when I was on my own in Beijing in a Chinese hotel where nobody spoke English and there were embarrassing times too! I went up on stage to make a speech for the Closing Ceremony and found I had taken the wrong piece of paper from my bag and didn’t have my speech! Another time I fell asleep at the top table at a very lengthy Chinese meeting with everything being said in a foreign language and then in Barcelona I forgot to take the President’s chain of office with me to the trials, but fortunately remembered before I had to wear it for the unveiling of a plaque so nipped back to the hotel in a taxi to collect it!! I was even involved in a fire scare in Paris when we had to evacuate the hotel!
I saw some wonderful roses and rose gardens but in particular I enjoyed
the roses at Chelsea and in a little monastery garden in Slovenia of
Bourbon roses only. For me it wasn’t only the roses, but the many rose
friends I saw again and the new ones I made. Among them was the honour
of visiting Baroness Lily de Gerlache de Gomery, the first President of the
WFRS.
I took the opportunity of advertising ROSAFRICA 2012 wherever possible
and the response was very positive. I am very pleased to be home and
with the wonderful way South Africa and South Africans have entered into
the spirit of soccer I once again feel so proud to belong to this beautiful
country.