Ryedale Rose Festival honour for Calendar Girls

They will be joining some of the country's top horticulturalists for the event hosted by R V Roger of Pickering, following a successful first show last year.

One of the highlights of the weekend will be the British Isles Rose Society Show, where the top rose growers and exhibitors in the UK will put on a show of some of the finest blooms in the country.

In addition there will also be separate classes for children, local gardeners, as well as head gardeners from stately homes around Ryedale. Beginners’ classes are included in the show schedule to make it easier for first-timers to take part, and the nursery is offering newcomers help to set up their entries and take part.

Over two days, the nursery will put on events and demonstrations for visitors and open up the four acre rose field to visitors, where they grow more than 50,000 plants and 600 different varieties each year.

There will be talks from experts about growing and pruning roses, and how to make best use of them in the garden. Writer and broadcaster Joe Maiden will also make a special guest appearance and will be among the region’s leading horticulturalists in a Gardeners' Question Time panel.

A spokesman for RVRoger said their rose fields acted as a trial ground for members of the Amateur Rose Breeders Society, giving rose enthusiasts a chance to test out their own breeds of rose.

"At this year’s festival three new strains will be named in honour of Yorkshire icons - Tommie’s Rose, Our Endeavour, and Calendar Girl.

"There will be guest appearances from some of the original Calendar girls themselves to receive this new rose."

The prize of one of the weekend’s competitions will be the opportunity to name one of the new varieties.

Refreshments will be available and there will be live music throughout the day.

Show schedules are available from RV Rogers, Malton Road, Pickering, and more information on the event is online at www.rvroger.co.uk