SHREVEPORT, La. — The American Rose Center will celebrate National Rose Month in June with a four-week Lunch & Learn series highlighting the history, culture and significance of roses in American life.
The program marks the 40th anniversary of the designation of the rose as the United States’ national floral emblem, following a resolution signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1986. Organizers have themed the month-long series “The Awesome Power of Roses.”
The events will be held Sundays at 12:30 p.m. in Klima Rose Hall at the American Rose Center. Admission is $30 per person.
The series opens June 7 with a presentation by rose expert Chris VanCleave titled “Roses and the American Story: 250 Years of History in Bloom From Founding Fathers to First Ladies.” The presentation is designed to coincide with the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebrations.
Additional sessions include:
• June 14: “Out of the Storm, Peggy Martin Is Born,” featuring Peggy Martin, whose rose variety gained national recognition after surviving Hurricane Katrina.
• June 21: “Saving the Ramblers, An Heroic Mission,” presented by rosarian Claude Graves and Teddie Mower, focusing on efforts to preserve rambling rose varieties.
• June 28: “Roses as a Powerful American Symbol,” featuring Richard Azzaro, a former Tomb Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and advocate for veterans and rose preservation, alongside former American Rose Society President Marilyn Wellan.
The center also announced additional events planned for later this year. A family-oriented Independence Day celebration, Red, White & Blooms, is scheduled for July 5 and will include activities and fireworks as part of the nation’s semiquincentennial observance.
The American Rose Center’s 43rd Annual Christmas in Roseland will return on select dates from late November through December, with expanded programming that includes post-Christmas encore nights. The holiday event will feature seasonal displays, vendor activities and scheduled fireworks throughout December.