Meet a Gardener: Rose Care

Program: Meet a Gardener: Rose Care

Venue: The Huntington, Rose Garden, San Marino, California

Role: Evaluation Manager

🌹 Program Overview

As Evaluation Manager, I assessed Meet a Gardener: Rose Care, an informal drop-in program featuring Stephen Reid, Assistant Curator of the Rose Garden. Designed to demystify essential rose care practices, the program offered live, interactive sessions in The Huntington’s iconic Rose Garden.

Visitors learned hands-on techniques and could ask questions tailored to their own gardens—fostering both education and engagement in a relaxed, open-air setting.

🪴 Key Learning Topics

• • Deadheading: Encouraging continuous blooming
• • Fertilizing: Best practices for nourishing healthy plants
• • Pruning: Maintaining shape and long-term plant health
• • Daily Care: Simple tips for everyday upkeep
• • Rose Varieties: Highlights of the diverse species grown at The Huntington

⏱ Session Format

Each session ran 20 minutes with a live presentation followed by a 20-minute Q&A. Held at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m., the format allowed for flexibility and personal interaction, giving visitors the chance to drop in, listen, and participate at their own pace.

✅ Impact & Observations

• • Strong engagement across all time slots, with visitors expressing appreciation for the conversational format
• • High interest in practical, take-home techniques
• • Attendees valued the direct interaction with a subject-matter expert and the opportunity to apply learnings to their own gardens