Houston's Margaret Sharpe Antique Rose Garden

by Dr. William C. Welch, Landscape Horticulturist,
Texas Cooperative Extension

"Maggie" rose

Plans are underway in Houston, Texas to develop a Margaret Sharpe Antique Rose Garden on Cullen Boulevard at the University of Houston main campus. Brenda Smith, well known Houston garden writer, writes:

"You may know people who were as influenced by this extraordinary woman as I was when I started gardening.

The University of Houston is in the process of doing major re-landscaping on its campus in connection with a number of local organizations.

It has been my great pleasure and pride to have invited organizations such as the Texas Rose Rustlers and the International Oleander Society into landscaping discussions with the University of Houston.

This Rose Garden is very special indeed, since Margaret Sharpe touched all gardeners in Houston, whether they actually knew her or not."

UH HONORS 'GRANDE DAME OF ROSES' WITH ANTIQUE ROSE GARDEN

The late Margaret Sharpe, Houston’s 'Grande Dame' of roses, spearheaded plantings of her favorite flower, as well as other bloomers, across the City of Houston.

To honor her, and her longtime campaign to encourage and educate Houston area gardeners, the University of Houston is installing the Margaret Sharpe Antique Rose Garden on Cullen Boulevard adjacent to the Rebecca and John J. Moore School of Music Building, across from the Athletic complex.

Margaret was a founder of both the Houston Rose Society and the Texas Rose Rustlers and active in too many other local, national and international gardening groups to mention. The garden will be created in stages utilizing a variety of antique roses in several raised beds surrounded by a low brick wall with flagstone caps. Wide pathways between the beds will allow visitors to walk among, and appreciate, the roses.

Numerous local organizations have pledged support, both in funding and by counseling, including the Houston Federation of Garden Clubs, Texas Garden Clubs, Inc., the Garden Club of Houston, the Houston Rose Society, the Texas Rose Rustlers, to name just a few. Special acknowledgements are given to Clayworks of Austin, Mike Shoup of the Antique Rose Emporium in Independence and Mary Herr of Herr Landscaping in Splendora, Texas.

Funding for the Margaret Sharpe Antique Rose Garden is being augmented by the sale of individually engraved bricks in various sizes. The pavers range in size from 4" x 8" (4 lines/14 characters/spaces per line) for $100 up to 8" x 16" (4 lines/28 characters/spaces). It is hoped both groups and individuals will help us honor Margaret's memory through these permanent decorative pavers.

For additional information or a brochure, contact Elsa Glover, 713-743-8875 or email: elglover@central.uh.edu.

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