Losing an Icon

Last month the rose-growing world was dealt a major blow. Immediate American Rose Society (ARS) Past President, Bob Martin, succumbed to a heart attack. It was a shock to the rose-growing world. Words cannot even begin to describe the sheer number of rosarians he connected with worldwide.

During his lifetime, Bob touched nearly every aspect of the rose from judging arrangements, to classification, to introducing fifteen roses, to setting the American Rose Society along a pathway to a bright future full of rosy bliss.

Bob’s last two major accomplishments

Two of Bob’s last major accomplishments (among the endless list of major accomplishments – never mind the minor ones) were co-editing the 2021 ARS Annual, and winning not one, not two, but four Queens (and best horticulture entry) at the Desert Rose Society Rose Show two weeks before his death. Our 2021 Annuals were just beginning to show up in our mailboxes a few short days before he passed. In true Bob Martin fashion, the Annual is an excellent edition filled with wonderful stories about exhibitors and exhibiting roses, one of Bob’s true passions.

My experiences with Bob

My first experiences with Bob came through the Rose Hybridizers Association (RHA). He was the Western Director, and I am the Eastern Director. Together, we advised the Association on how we thought the Association should be run. He was part of the old guard – a guru – the one who literally wrote the book and was successful in having his roses introduced. I was the newbie – the one struggling to get seeds to germinate – the one having trouble getting any hybrid roses to survive past their first few weeks after germination. I was the one absorbing all that was put forth before me, in hopes of getting anything resembling a rose worthy to call my own, and Bob was part of what was being put forth before me to read and learn.

ARS Vice President, Bob Martin

Bob later ran for ARS Vice President and won. During one of his visits to the Yankee District, he came to me for help. At the time he was the Vice President of the ARS. We were both on the Registration and Classification Committee, and he wanted me to head the committee after he became President. I didn’t expect him to ask me to do something like this. I also couldn’t believe that he thought of me and my abilities this way. At first, I didn’t think that I would have enough time to devote to heading the committee. But, after some reflection, I decided that it would be my one and only chance to do something like this. I also figured I would probably be learning something new and different about roses in the process.

Working with Bob

Working with Bob as Head of the Registration and Classification committee (as well as in other ARS and RHA capacities), I learned quite a bit. I also found out how much Bob was really doing for the rose. I also discovered some of the depth to which his knowledge of the rose extended. Bob really knew his roses. He also wasn’t afraid to tell you that he disagreed with something you may have said/written. Emails and email chains were extremely well written and thought out. It wasn’t uncommon to get an education on many aspects of the rose just by reading these emails.

One particular email exchange I can remember, was where Bob had purchased my ‘President Shanley’ rose. He didn’t agree with my classification as a modern shrub. While he didn’t come right out and say it, he intimated that the rose should be classified as a Hybrid Musk instead of a modern shrub. This exchange also brought to my attention how all classes of roses are equally important. This fact is something that I have preached for many years, and I had apparently not remembered. Bob’s words were an important reminder to me to heed my own teachings.

Just a few short months ago, Bob asked me to serve on the Registration and Classification Committee under his leadership during the current ARS term. He wanted me to advise on the new Landscape Shrub class and interface with the RHA. Of course, it was a no-brainer to accept. I was looking forward to working with Bob and the rest of the committee to clear the backlog of unregistered roses during the Modern Roses Database reconstruction, and reclassify many existing roses into their “new” classes (another Bob Martin accomplishment).

A great rose ambassador

Yes, the rose-growing world lost one of its great ambassadors last month. So many of us were touched by Bob, his roses, and most importantly, his teachings. I consider myself extremely lucky to have known and worked with Bob. He taught me so much, and will continue to do so, even though he is no longer with us.

His legacy, while cut short in its prime, will live on through the work he did throughout his lifetime. It is up to you and me to insure that we pass his legacy along to the next generation of rose growers, and they pass it along to many generations to come.

Rest in Peace, Bob. We shall miss you.

Epilogue

The picture I chose to be with this blog is one that I feel exemplifies Bob best. It would have been very easy to put in a picture of Bob’s ‘Butter Cream’ (his most-widely grown roses here in our district), but the picture I chose instead, shows him listening intently to a question being asked of him at one of our Yankee District conventions. At the same time that Bob is listening to the question, he is conjuring up an answer to the question. His mind never did seem to be idle.

In my opinion, education, the sharing of information, and the making the growing of roses more enjoyable and simpler to understand, is key to the enjoyment of the rose. When I was on the ARS Newsletter Committee, Bob’s articles were some of the best-written and well-rounded articles out of all of the articles I read. They hit many aspects of the rose, not only how to exhibit them. I’m sure they helped quite a few rosarians throughout the nation (and beyond) enjoy the rose and all it has to offer. They surely did help me.