I learned so much. The hardest part was on my back and my ankles. The Celebration of Old Roses in El Cerrito, Miriam Wilkins' love child, is quite an amazing rose event. It is chaotic, yet well-organized. The room begins to reel as the scents of the assembled beauties rise.
People swarm into the hall when the signal is given.
The day is filled with talk about roses. As usual, I treated myself to a browse through Bells' Books' display and bought just a couple. Barbara Worl was there and she helped identify one of Deborah's roses. There is a carnival atmosphere with vendors madly selling rose plants, perennials, jewelry, potpourri, china painted with roses, hats resplendent with ribbon roses, rose jam, rosy clothing, etc. etc. etc. I got to schmooze with Virginia Hopper, from whom I bought a R. roxburghii 'Normalis', something I'd been desiring for a long time.