The Pikes Peak Rose Society is an affiliate of the American Rose Society (www.ARS.org).
Copyright ©2004-2010 - Pikes Peak Rose Society
A Grooming Kit for Rose Exhibitors
By Carol Macon, Consulting Rosarian
Every rose exhibitor has favorite tools for grooming
roses. The following is a list of mine. Even if you do
not show your roses, these tools will help you
enhance the beauty of the flowers you bring in from
your garden.
Sharp, narrow blade, pointed scissors with good balance
This is the most important tool you can have for grooming a rose. You will
use it for re-cutting stems at an angle under water and for trimming damaged
petals and leaves.
I use Joyce Chen Unlimited Garden Scissors, model # 51-0231. If you do a
web search on “Joyce Chen scissors,” you will find many sources. One
source that has a full line of these scissors is www.viecokitchen.com.
Friskars also makes a fine-point scissors; I found a pair in a package of three
different pruners at a local garden shop. Use these scissors ONLY to groom
flowers.
Eyebrow tweezers with pointed ends
Use these to remove unwanted small petals from the open centers of your
roses.
Small, flat, soft artist’s brush
I use a Grumbacher 626B but make-up brushes are also very good. Use the
brush, not your fingers, to manipulate petals to push roses into shape.
Cotton swabs, such as Q-tips
Use cotton swabs to remove pollen and debris from rose blooms. They are
also used to hold a rose open in exhibition form while the bloom is hardening.
Small, plastic water bottle with flip-up top
Use it to top up water in rose show vases. It is sad to see a well-groomed but
wilted rose on the show table. Every exhibitor has made the mistake of put-
ting a bloom into a vase with little or no water. The bottle reminds you to
check before entering your bloom in the show.
Cling wrap
Use it wadded to prop up a leaning rose in a vase. This can make a huge
difference in the appearance of a specimen.
Deckle-edged scissors
These are used to trim torn rose leaves. The best have a natural-appearing,
irregular edge and are sometimes available at craft stores or check out
www.scissors.com. These are not a necessity but are nice to have. Do not
use pinking shears; they leave too coarse an edge. The idea is to trim a leaf
to make it appear natural and less (not more) of a distraction to the judges.
If you don’t have time to fuss over a rose, I use the Joyce Chen scissors.
Towel or paper towels to mop up spills
Pen to fill out entry cards
Entry cards
If you wish to fill out entry cards ahead of time, you may order your own
supply from the American Rose Society.
Additional Items for Arrangers
The ‘stuff’ used to hold an arrangement together is known, collectively, as the
mechanics of the arrangement. The mechanics should not be readily apparent
when viewing a finished arrangement.
Pruners to cut branches
Assortment of needlepoint holders. See www.countryhousefloral.com.
Floral foam (absorbent)
Florists’ wire, which comes in several gauges
Glue gun
Orchid tubes
Small ruler or tape measure to check size of mini arrangements
Small aquarium filter basket for skimming debris from water in Moribana
containers
Permanent markers to touch up pruned spots on branches
Chicken wire to stuff vases; will hold heavier branches in position
