We have very interesting, informative speakers coming to the the Medley of Roses – 2026 ARS National Convention & Rose Show.
Dr. Mark Windham, “Holistic Rose Care”
Sponsored by ARS Illinois-Indiana District
This session qualifies for ARS Consulting Rosarian credit
A rosarian must be a nutritionist, soil scientist, pathologist, entomologist, and expert of many other professions to successfully grow healthy, vibrant roses. Often actions we take to solve one problem leads to other challenges. In this presentation, we will explore a holistic approach to rose care to maximize rose health and vigor without breaking the bank or robbing us of our most valued commodity: time.
Mark Windham was a Distinguished Professor of Ornamental Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. For the last 14 years of his career, Mark worked toward developing management plans for Rose Rosette Disease (RRD), studying the virus’s mite vector, and searching for disease resistance. He was part of a multistate team that discovered genes for resistance to RRD in roses.
Upon retirement in 2023, Mark was appointed as Professor Emeritus by the UT Institute of Agriculture. He and his brother Alan, wrote an award-winning extension publication titled Rose Diseases and Their Management. Mark is a member of the American Rose Society (ARS) and a recipient of the ARS Klima Award. He is a past-president of the Knoxville Holston Rose Society. Mark has published articles on rose diseases in American Rose magazine and has written publications for the ARS online library. Currently, he writes a monthly column call “Mark’s Mayhems and Maladies” for ARS society newsletters. He also serves as an advisor to American Rose Garden Selections (AGRS).
Thomas Proll, “30 Years of Creating New Roses for KORDES”
Sponsored by Pat Shanley and Janie Hagan
This session qualifies for ARS Consulting Rosarian credit
Thomas Proll has created some of the most exceptional roses you will ever grow. He is the Chief Hybridizer for Kordes Roses. They have been producing some of the healthiest, award winning roses in the world for decades, and they continue to lead the industry in breeding for disease resistance.
Thomas Proll was born in Barmstedt, Germany, not far from the W. Kordes & Sons headquarters that would, in time, become the home base of his illustrious career. He completed his studies at the University of Hannover, where he qualified in Horticultural Sciences, producing his thesis on Resistance and Susceptibility of Rosa Species and Hybrids to Powdery Mildew. Thomas has worked with Kordes Roses for nearly 30 years and is now in charge of their world renown breeding department.
Thomas will take us down memory lane of his involvement in creating these beautiful roses for 30 years.
Pam Powers, “Photo Fun!”
Pam Powers is an accredited American Rose Society Horticulture Judge, active Master Consulting Rosarian, avid exhibitor, District Silver Medal winner and President of the Arlington Rose Foundation. Under her leadership, the membership of the Foundation, serving the Washington, DC metro area has grown from 110 to 270 members. Her focus is community outreach and interactive skills-based training.
She was appointed as ARS National Photography Chair in 2021. Through encouragement and recognition of the talents of exhibitors and judges across the country, participation in the National Digital Photography has doubled.
Pam grows a diversity of over 130 roses at her home in Fairfax, Virginia and serves as curator for unique rose gardens at private estates.
Pam will give us ideas on how to have Photo Fun! in our rose gardens!
Brad Jalbert, “A Lifetime of Creating Brad Jalbert Style Roses.”
Sponsored by Becky and David Willoughby
This session qualifies for ARS Consulting Rosarian credit
Brad Jalbert, Founder and Owner at Select Roses, will present the roses that Brad has created over the years.
Brad has been growing and breeding roses in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia Canada since 1990, when he founded Select Roses on his family farm. He planted his first roses as a teen. Roses and gardening became his life. Over the last 36 years, he has set a Canadian record as a hybridizer, bringing more than 160 rose varieties to market and being the first to win international awards for his creations. His roses are known for exceptional disease resistance, reliable hardiness, and Brad’s signature full, expressive blooms. They are also instantly recognizable for their “Jal Foliage,” the lush, full, glossy green leaves that are almost as beautiful as the blooms themselves. Among his most beloved introductions are Dylan Rose, Caramel Kiss, Double Ambre, and Our Anniversary. What began as a small family operation has grown into an international presence, with Select Roses varieties now cultivated and sold on four continents.
Brad’s reputation for artistry and precision has also led to several high-profile commissioned roses. He has created custom varieties for Canadian philanthropist William P. J. McCarthy, for country music legend Loretta Lynn, and for Vogue Magazine’s 125th anniversary celebration.
Today, Brad is proud to partner with Heirloom Roses to expand access to his varieties throughout North America. This collaboration includes the introduction of his new rose, Rockets’ Red Glare, which was selected for planting at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., in celebration of America’s 250th birthday.
Select Roses continues Brad’s Canadian breeding legacy through the mentorship of new hybridizers, a growing collection of new introductions, each approved by his mother who is affectionately known as “Momma,” and Brad’s enduring passion for spending every possible moment in the garden with his dogs.
Jim Keeter, “Deep Roots, Lasting Blooms: Old Garden Roses, Companion Planting and Sustainability”
This session qualifies for ARS Consulting Rosarian credit
What if growing better roses started with the soil beneath your feet? This presentation blends the timeless beauty of Old Garden Roses with modern principles of sustainability and companion planting in a practical, easy-to-understand way. We’ll cover essential rose care fundamentals while exploring how healthy soil and beneficial plant relationships reduce maintenance and create stronger, more resilient gardens. Designed for gardeners at all levels, this session focuses on working with nature rather than against it. The goal is simple: healthier gardens, stronger plants, and roses that truly last.
Jim Keeter Jr. has dedicated more than 40 years to horticulture, land stewardship, and sustainable landscape design, with a career rooted in soil health, plant ecology, and long-term landscape resilience. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Rangeland Ecology and Management from Texas A&M University in 1983.
Throughout his career, Jim has advocated for landscapes built on healthy soils, native plants, and plants that perform like natives, including roses. His work emphasizes integrating roses into biodiverse systems, pairing them with native companion plants to improve soil biology, reduce inputs, support pollinators, and create sustainable landscapes that mature gracefully over time.
In 2022, Jim and his wife, Kim, became owners of the Antique Rose Emporium in Independence, Texas, an internationally recognized destination Nursery and Display Garden and E-Commerce operation known for its collection of roses and naturally balanced landscapes. In addition to the display gardens, the Rose Emporium operates a large-scale rose production facility, where tens of thousands of roses are propagated annually using practices that emphasize soil health, plant longevity, and sustainability. The Rose Emporium also maintains an active rose breeding program focused on developing resilient cultivars with strong disease resistance, heat tolerance, and adaptability to biodiverse landscapes.
Rita Perwich – “Natural Rose Gardening”
This session qualifies for ARS Consulting Rosarian credit
Rita Perwich, an American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian and UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener, is known for her dedication to sustainable and organic rose gardening. As the author of the monthly column “The Sustainable Rose Garden” for the San Diego Union Tribune, and a contributor to “Rose Ramblings” and the “American Rose,” she educates readers on cultivating roses organically, emphasizing healthy soil and the protection of beneficial garden life. Her leadership as editor of “Roses & You,” the American Rose Society’s e-newsletter from 2019 to 2021, earned her a Presidential Citation for outstanding service in 2021, followed by recognition as Outstanding Consulting Rosarian for the Pacific Southwest District in 2022.
A retired attorney, Rita shares her expertise by teaching the annual pruning workshop in Coronado and chairing the Rose Section of the Coronado Flower Show for over 25 years. Her own garden, certified as Earth Friendly and home to over 100 roses and a diverse array of plants, has been repeatedly honored in the Top Ten Gardens in Coronado and also as the Best Coronado Garden. Rita’s commitment to organic practices—and her avoidance of pesticides and fungicides—reflects her belief in nurturing both plants and the environment. For her, the true joy of gardening lies in being immersed in nature and inspiring others to grow sustainably and with passion.
Rita’s book Natural Rose Gardening: An Organic Guide to Amazing Blooms will be on sale at the Medley of Roses Convention for $30. Profit on the books sold at the Convention will be shared with the Nashville Rose Society, host of the Medley of Roses – 2026 ARS Convention & Rose Show.
Her book will be released in the UK by Chelsea Green Publishing on October 6, 2026. It is available to pre-order.
Kimberley Dean – “A New Tool to Help You Maintain Your Rose Garden”
Do you dream of an organized inventory of your roses? Notes in one place? Rose photos in labeled albums? Finding roses online with discounts at your fingertips?
In short, do you just want to click, snap, and be done?
Kimberley Dean, ARS Consulting Rosarian and Master Gardener, St. Mary’s County, University of MD, has been growing roses for over 30 years now. She grows 1600 roses in Maryland zone 8. You may know Kim as The Rose Geek on social media.
This presentation shares a new tool, My Rose Tracker, designed to help you maintain your garden like a “Rose Geek.”
Kimberley Dean is a passionate consulting rosarian with more than 1,100 roses in her extensive garden. She is known for sharing garden tours, spotlights, and vendor unboxing videos through her YouTube channel, The Rose Geek, giving viewers the opportunity to discover new varieties and see roses growing in a real-world garden setting.
Like many rose gardeners, Kimberley found herself using multiple places to keep track of her roses, notes, photos, and wish lists. She also wanted an easier way to find where roses were available to buy. That led her to create My Rose Tracker, bringing these resources together in one place. The website allows gardeners to build a personal rose inventory, explore a comprehensive Rose Library, map their garden, compare varieties, maintain wish lists, record notes and observations, organize rose photo albums, and connect with participating nurseries offering roses and exclusive discounts.
Kimberley is passionate about helping gardeners move beyond simply growing roses to building a more organized relationship with their gardens. Her presentation will showcase My Rose Tracker and show how an organized garden is possible!
