San Mateo County Rose Society
NEW MEMBERS RECEIVE 1 FREE ROSE PLANT!
Our Mission
The Society exists to promote the culture, preservation and appreciation of the Rose, and to improve its standard of excellence for all people, through education and research.
Click here for our President’s Message
Members’ Luncheon
Thursday, August 27, 2026, from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the San Mateo Garden Center
Our annual summer luncheon is coming up! Sign up to bring food on the MEMBERS ONLY page!
Evaluating Roses: Tough Decisions by Joe Truskot
Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the San Mateo Garden Center
Learn about roses with Joe this September!
About the Speaker
Joe Truskot is a Master Rosarian and past president of the Monterey Bay Rose Society. Joe has been growing roses in his garden in Salinas since 1993, including more than 300 hybrid teas, floribundas, polyanthas, old garden roses, and multiple forms of climbing roses. He is host of “In the Garden” on KSQD Santa Cruz, a weekly radio show devoted to everything about plants. He is a frequent speaker at rose societies and garden clubs and received the Consulting Rosarian of the Year from NCNH in 2016.
Joe is currently a member of the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury, a board member of the Monterey Bridge Club Unit 530, a classical music host on KSQD, and a fan of rescuing plants from abandoned gardens.
Propagation by Burling Leong
Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the San Mateo Garden Center
Learn about rose propagation with Burling this November! Additionally, she will be bringing roses for purchase! Click to browse her Regular and Miniature catalogs. The prices are: $20 per 1-gallon pot, $18 per band of regulars (non-mini), and $12 per mini-rose. Contact burlingl@aol.com to place an order, and she will bring the roses for the meeting!
About the Speaker
Burling has been employed with Sequoia Nursery for over 35 years as production supervisor and hybridizer. She currently manages all aspects of Burlington Rose Nursery operations, which includes the propagation and hybridization of roses, as well as conducting tours for garden clubs and rose societies.
Her rose projects include restoration of rose garden at Hearst Castle and Will Rogers State Park, in addition to custom propagation of ramblers and roses for New York’s Brooklyn Botanic Garden and tree rose standards at California’s Rancho Los Alamitos Park and Rancho El Cerrito.
San Mateo County Fair 2025 Results
Click to see our pictures here:
San Mateo County Fair 2024 Results
The SMCRS won 1st Place in the San Mateo County Fair’s “Balcony” Plant Display competition! See our pictures here:
As always, we are still looking for rose-loving volunteers to:
Represent the San Mateo Rose County Society on social media
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc.
Help with online accounting and financial management
Staff open Sundays (2nd & 4th of each month) at the San Mateo Garden Center from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Duties include:
Holding rose propagation workshops
Managing plant sales
Oversee rose garden pruning