RIROSE.HTM #4
May 1999
I’d like to introduce you to a great rose site called “Everything Roses” on HelpMeFind.com. The address is http://www.helpmefind.com/sites/rrr/rosetest.html, or you can click on the link on our RIRS links page. This site was started originally in 1997 by a group of rose enthusiasts who wanted a way to save and index their rose knowledge. A rose specific database was developed and then put on-line. This database is by no means finished, in fact, they gladly accept photos and other information to add to their on-going database development. You start out with a menu that includes the choice of “Search lists” and Custom Search”. Custom search gives you a text box where you can type in part of a rose name, if you don’t remember it exactly. Below that, you can choose among the dozens of rose types, such as large-flowered climbers or damask. The next box lets you choose the color you’re looking for. If you do not type in a name in the text box, you’ll get a list of all the roses of the color and class you’re looking for. The search for a dark-red large flowered climber yielded a list of 29 roses, each of which was linked to its description in the database. The Search List menu selection leads you to the heart of this site. This database allows you to search for roses by name, class, color or photos. When you click on a rose name form your search, you will see a variety of types of information. This can include a photo, seed and pollen parents, descendants, (first generation and complete), height, and breeder. A useful feature is that suppliers of the rose are listed, as well as what gardens are known to grow them. As this is a work in progress, some listings have considerably less information.
The Search List menu also has searches for public and private gardens, with their address and hours when available. Roger Williams Rose Garden is listed and our planned roses are in the database. Rose organizations are listed (including RIRS) and described, with a link to their web-site if they have one. Rose suppliers have their e-mail, website, and limitations listed. A list of publications, including books and magazines, has been started. Reviews are needed for many of these, they would probably appreciate submissions. Rose breeders are also listed.
This is an ambitious project with great potential. Check it out and consider sending these folks information and/or photos of your favorite roses, if their description of it is incomplete or missing.
Next issue I’d like to show you a way for people who are not computer programmers to make their own web-site and link it to our RIRS site. Our address is http://www.rirs.org.