Fall & Winter 2008 Newsletter

The holiday season is a special time at Rose Story Farm. Family, friends, food and flowers (of course!) go together all year, but never better than during the holidays.

This is the time for us to give thanks and appreciation for all that we have...our families, our friends and our glorious environment. Gardens are beautiful, with an intensity of color not seen earlier in the year. Is it perhaps, that the perfect blooms remind us of what we will miss during winter dormancy?

Danielle Hahn Speaks at The Huntington Gardens in Los Angeles

The Huntington Botanical Gardens are recognized as one of the great horticultural treasures of the world. Their extensive rose garden, under the care of Mr. Clair Martin, master gardener, lecturer, and author, is a highlight and not to be missed for any rose lover. As part of their public education program, the Huntington Rose Garden Centennial Lecture Series, Danielle Hahn recently gave a talk about her work at Rose Story Farm. See www.greatrosarians.com/weblog events/programs for more information on her talk. She has been invited back, along with her husband Bill, to participate in an on going symposium featuring “Great Rosarians of the World”, Sunday February 8th, 2009. They will participate in a panel discussion on “Transitioning to a Chemical Free Garden” at 10 a.m. For more information and tickets to the event, see www.huntington.org/BotanicalDiv “Great Rosarians of the World”.

Rose Story Farm: Floral Design Department Not only do we grow the most beautiful roses, we design gorgeous floral arrangements with them as well! Our talented team of designers, led by Danielle Hahn, is available for any aspect of design work. They not only use our roses, but can combine them with the finest and freshest flowers available. Call us for a consultation when planning your wedding, corporate event, anniversary dinner, or even when you just want to give loved ones a great bouquet! P.S. We can send our roses anywhere!!

Rose Garden Design

Have you considered starting your own rose garden? Or perhaps your existing garden needs some updating? Rose garden design and installation has become a major interest of Danielle Hahn, owner of Rose Story Farm. With over 15 years of managing her own 20,000 roses, she has become an expert in the selection of the best rose varieties for the Santa Barbara area. In addition, she is educated in the critical aspects of proper soil and site selection for magnificent roses, as well as certified in the field of rose disease and pest management. Most importantly, Rose Story Farm, as well as her clients rose gardens, is maintained using minimally invasive techniques and products that are certified 100% organic.

Danielle has designed and overseen the installation of multiple rose gardens over the past 10 years, ranging in size from 20 to 2500 roses. Regardless of the size of the project, her focus is on you, the client. Your needs and special desires are considered first.

A rose garden may be enjoyed in so many ways. It can be used to provide cut flowers or as a tranquil spot for relaxation. Shape, design, and color palette all depend on you, the owner. Garden designers are subject to countless variations, however the designer’s primary job is to transform the vision of the owner into reality.

Danielle will personally meet with you to begin your project and to explore your interests. Final design will be determined by topography, garden type and budget. Soil and site preparation is evaluated and if desired, the Rose Story Farm gardening staff can assist in the necessary preparation. Individual rose varietal selection is a conjoint activity between you and Danielle. You supply your favorites in terms of color, fragrance, and plant type, she will suggest the varieties that best match your desires with your garden’s climate zone.

Call today (805 566-4885) to arrange a site consultation.

Danielle Hahn Honored in New York City

We are pleased to announce that Danielle Hahn, owner of Rose Story Farm, was honored this year by the NewYork Horticultural Society. She received their National Award in Manhattan in recognition of her long-standing contribution to horticulture, her commitment to excellence in garden design, and for sustaining work in horticulture education.

Organic Gardening

Organic gardening or farming is a form of agriculture that avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The role of using organic fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides is to sustain and enhance the health of ecosystems and organisms; ranging from the smallest microorganisms in the soil to the complex beings we know as humans.

The use of organic products in farming and the avoidance of synthetics, allows a slow and multifaceted integration of nutrients into the soil, a process of enrichment which is passed from the growing medium into the plants themselves.

Pest control targets insects, weeds, and diseases which damage plants. Organic pest control seeks to avoid the use of chemicals which can be toxic to the general environment. With a thorough understanding of pest life cycles and interactions, natural predators are used to eliminate harmful insects.Mulches and hand weeding control weeds. Applications of a variety of non-toxic oils and soaps reduce the impact of fungal diseases. Accept that a certain degree of pest and disease damage is inevitable.

Rose Story Farm is committed to the concept of organic farming. We strive to integrate its principles into our daily gardening techniques and to offer the best organic products for sale to you for your gardening needs. Products by both E.B. Stone and Dr. Earth are available at the farm store and on our web site. We encourage you to adopt organic methods of fertilization and pest control.

December 6	VICTORIAN WREATH WORKSHOP Winter is a great time to bring flowers into your home in non-traditional forms. Accent your home décor with wreaths made from an assortment of colorful flowers and greenery. Learn to combine fragrance, color, and texture during this two hour demonstration, then join us for lunch in the garden. The afternoon workshop is a hands-on creative session where you’ll create your own holiday focal point with help from our staff. Enjoy lunch in the garden beforehand, and go home with a gorgeous 24” decorated wreath. All materials provided. Space is limited, please call to reserve. Saturday, December 6, 2008, Lunch & Workshop: 10am-3pm Fee: $160
December 13	HOLIDAY CENTERPIECE WORKSHOP Enjoy combining fragrant roses, pines, rosemary, and other scented herbs and greenery to fill your home with beauty and fragrance. The centerpiece you will make (with our expert help) can be taken with you to adorn an entryway, library table, or to grace your dining room. Be your own florist and immerse yourself in the holiday spirit. After all your hard work, you will be rewarded with lunch in the garden. We’ll provide the materials, and a container to suit your table design. Space is limited, so please call in advance. Saturday, December 13, 2008, 1-3pm Fee: $125
January 3 & 10	ROSE PRUNING WORKSHOP This is a practical and focused workshop with an emphasis on rose pruning techniques. Bring your favorite shears or purchase new ones in our store because, after you see the experts do it, you’re going to practice on the real thing! We’ll also cover a variety of other important winter garden jobs you may have neglected. After the hard work, you’ll be rewarded with a relaxing lunch in the garden. Saturday, January 3 & 10, 2009, 9-11:30am (lunch following) Fee: $75

By Phone : (805) 566-4885
Registration will be accepted by credit card. Please call during our business hours: 9:30 to 2:30 M-F

By Fax : (805) 566-0873
Please note the class you’d like to attend, your name, credit card number, expiration date, and phone number.

Executive Rose Garden Tour
Rose Story Farm is offering a NEW Executive Rose Garden Tour beginning May 2009. This tour will be held on the last Saturday of May and June from 3-5 pm. The tour will be led by Danielle or Bill Hahn (owners of Rose Story Farm). Guests will visit the growing fields and enjoy an opportunity to see and smell over 20,000 individual roses. Fragrances, colors, plant selection, growth requirements, and microclimate will be discussed. After seeing the rose fields, there will be an exclusive tour of our newly developed White Tranquility Garden with over 1000 white roses grown together with white companion plants. Tea will be served in the garden following the tour. Guests will depart with a special gift to remember the day. Space will be limited. Please book your tour in advance by phone.

Tour Gift Certificates
Looking for a gift for that special someone? Rose Story Farm has been hard at work putting together some must-have holiday gifts. One of those is a gift certificate for our popular rose tour and picnic lunch. Tours are held Wednesdays and Saturdays, starting again in May 2009. Each tour is led by one of our in-house professionals and focuses on the many facets of roses in the garden, from their unique fragrance and beauty to individual microclimates and cultivation requirements. Join a group of other rose lovers or make special arrangements to schedule a private tour with a group of friends or family. We guarantee a relaxing day among the roses! All tours are to be booked in advance by phone or fax.

Rose of the Month Club
Give the gift of roses to yourself, or to someone special, with our new Rose of the Month Club. Beginning in April 2009, twenty roses – either a mixed bouquet or single color of your choice – will be delivered locally or shipped per your instructions each month through November 2009. With over 120 varieties to choose from, there is always something very special available. Overnight shipping outside of Santa Barbara is via Federal Express, for which a supplement is charged. 8 months of 20 stem bouquets: $295 Add local delivery (8 mos): $395 Add Federal Express delivery (8 mos): $595

Rose Garden Design & Maintenance
A great gift for the new home owner, we are now offering rose garden design. Give us your particular wishes in terms of rose color and category, plot size and dimensions. After our consultants review the overall plan with you, we will select and plant the roses. Initial soil amendment and fertilizer will be included. Irrigation systems and long term garden maintenance is available at additional cost. Prices begin at $250, depending on project size (roses not included).

Rose Garden Pruning
Have our team of professionally trained rose pruners quickly, accurately prune your rose gardens. Great gift for rose garden lovers. Call us for an estimate.

Rose Story Farm Gifts
If you are looking for something related to roses or gardening, please visit our gift shop. In addition to an amazing array of rose products, we are celebrating the splendor of the holiday season with unique decorations, both traditional and contemporary. A special selection of hand-tied wreaths featuring local plant materials, such as manzanita and eucalyptus, in a variety of sizes (either round or square) is available. Plant garlands are made to order from a selection of different flora. Centerpieces are available. Garden roses can be featured plus a myriad of other seasonal flowers to choose from. Let us put together a gift basket for you. In addition, we ship all over the world and will include a personal gift card or message with your packages.

Wreaths & Garlands
We are now taking orders for the holidays for wreaths and garlands to accent your home décor.

or phone for information regarding our gifts and holiday decorations. (805) 566-4885