As a symbol of love and passion, the rose is often found in bridal bouquets and adorning wedding venues whether the site is a church, banquet hall, or a relatives living room. However theres one location in Wayne County where couples may choose to tie the knot where the roses are already provided – The Garden of Roses of Legend and Romance in the Secrest Arboretum on the campus of The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC).
In 1970 the three-acre rose garden was dedicated thanks to the generosity of nurseryman Joseph J. Kern and Mrs. Samuel J. Forbes in memory of her father and rose breeder Michael H. Horvath. Many of the 1,500 specimens representing close to 500 varieties of old-fashioned roses are part of the original planting.
Although bloom times vary depending on the individual variety, peak fragrance and color should occur in early to mid June. Visitors will find ramblers, climbers and shrubs in colors from white to burgundy, cream to bright yellow, and all the shades in between.
The harsh winter was not without its effects on the garden. Kelly King, who is responsible for the maintenance of the rose garden said, We certainly had some roses that did not make it through this winter. But, she mostly observed cane die back explaining, We had to cut them way down this year. King was optimistic however about the plants resilience after observing sprouts coming up at the base of the plants. We actually took a hedge trimmers to them, noted King, but by the end of the summer you wont even know we had a hard winter.
The Garden of Roses of Legend and Romance features old-fashioned roses, also called heirloom or antique roses, and are according to King, generally much hardier, smell stronger, need less maintenance and last longer than hybrid roses. In contrast, hybrid roses have been bred over and over through the years to get longer stems, bigger blooms, unique colors, smaller size, etc. – mostly at the cost of hardiness, said King. The decades-old roses in the garden have stood the test of time and served as the guardians at many weddings over the years.
Thirty years ago Susan Heady and Larry Madden wanted to plan their wedding in the rose garden envisioning a picturesque site at the OARDC where they first met during a job interview. However, they found out that up until then no one was officially allowed to marry and set up chairs, according to Heady, but after Madden wrote to then associate director, Dr. Clive W. Donoho, they were granted the first reservation in the garden and were allowed to set up chairs on the condition that Donoho and his wife receive an invitation to the wedding. Heady and Madden started a tradition followed by many other couples in years to come pledging their vows in the gardens place of honor under the arbor. Heady added, We like to go back and have picnics close to our anniversary.
Debbie Shaffer, Conference Coordinator, is the go-to person for reserving the rose garden and said she schedules 2-3 weddings per summer in recent years. She said, The arboretum has expanded and there are now more venues like the (John Streeter) amphitheater.
June is National Rose Month and even though the month is appropriately associated with weddings, anyone who loves roses should take time this month to smell the flowers in the Garden of Roses of Legend and Romance.
