roses - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-19T05:27:35Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/rosesSecret Garden: Couple takes time to smell roses — then makes flowers their livelihoodhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/secret-garden-couple-takes-time-to-smell-roses-then-makes-flowers2021-02-02T20:32:28.000Z2021-02-02T20:32:28.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8507548655,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8507548655,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="8507548655?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a><em>The fist-sized bloom of the Hot Princess lives up to its name. <strong>Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
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<p><strong>By Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley</strong></p>
<p>Many give or receive roses only on Valentine’s Day. But for Debbie Coolidge, they are an everyday affair. “I like going outside each morning to see what roses are blooming and enjoy my coffee,” she says.</p>
<p>Debbie and her husband, Geoff, are owners of Cool Roses, a nursery on 1 acre in West Palm Beach. They offer about 3,000 potted rose bushes each year that they graft, root and grow. These include more than 1,000 varieties known to do well in Florida’s climate and soil.</p>
<p>Think red antique roses, pink Louis-Phillippe blooms as well as hybrid tea and English roses. And don’t forget the climbing varieties perfect on a trellis.</p>
<p>They also recently planted about 50 in-ground rose bushes to use for cutting flowers that clients have requested.</p>
<p>Though they appreciate roses, the couple discovered them only later in life.</p>
<p>In the late 1980s, Debbie was a professional hairstylist and Geoff did construction work. On weekends, they would travel to Sarasota to see Geoff’s family.</p>
<p>For about 10 years, the trip took them past Giles Ramblin’ Roses — a popular rose nursery in Okeechobee. In a hurry to arrive in Sarasota or back home, the couple says the flowers piqued their interest but they never checked them out.</p>
<p>That’s until a long weekend meant they were in less of a rush and Debbie finally convinced Geoff they had time to, well, stop and smell the roses.</p>
<p>Debbie couldn’t resist buying fragrant Double Delights featuring strawberry red, white and yellow blooms. And she picked up a few Just Joeys that produce an apricot confection.</p>
<p>At home, Geoff planted some of the roses they’d bought in the shady circle in front of their house. Then he headed to his mother-in-law’s home near the Intracoastal Waterway in</p>
<p>Lake Worth to plant some there, too.</p>
<p>In time, Debbie’s roses died but her mom’s thrived.</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8507551691,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8507551691,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="8507551691?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="710" /></a><em>One of the heirloom varieties at the nursery is the Mrs. Dudley Cross, a Key West thornless rose. <strong>Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star</strong></em></p>
<p>To discover why, the couple joined the Greater Palm Beach Rose Society and later the American Rose Society, where they gained a horticulture education including the fact that roses need lots of sun.</p>
<p>Soon they were having success growing the colorful blooms.</p>
<p>“I’d work construction and then come home to relax by trimming and grafting the bushes,” says Geoff.</p>
<p>Roses can be tricky to grow in South Florida unless the plant itself is grafted onto rootstock that makes it easier for the roses to cull water and nutrients from the soil.</p>
<p>In a busy year, Geoff has been known to have made about 3,000 grafts of 100 varieties of roses onto Fortuniana rootstock.</p>
<p>In the meantime, Debbie was in charge of the misting house where antique rose cuttings were given a spritz of water every 10 minutes until they sprang white thread-like roots.</p>
<p>“Eventually, we had enough roses in the front yard that we were both able to quit our jobs and do this full time,” says Debbie.</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8507552292,RESIZE_930x{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8507552292,RESIZE_710x{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="8507552292?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="510" height="510" /></a><em>Geoff and Debbie Coolidge. <strong>Photo provided</strong></em></p>
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<p>But in 2004, the hurricane season brought Charley, Frances and Jeanne to visit. These storms wreaked havoc on the Cool Roses nursery as well as roses being grown in home gardens throughout the county.</p>
<p>So when rose gardeners called to ask Geoff and Debbie for help restoring their wind- and salt-blighted roses, the couple found a new opportunity.</p>
<p>Today they not only graft, grow and sell roses, but also plant and/or maintain rose gardens for 65 clients on the barrier islands from Jupiter Island through Boca Raton.</p>
<p>At the same time, Debbie is raising and selling salvia, rosemary and other butterfly-attracting plants.</p>
<p>“I like to grow different rose varieties and plants that do well with roses, so that we have something for everyone. Especially now that Valentine’s Day is here,” she says.</p>
<p><br /> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong>If You Go</strong></span><br /> Where: Cool Roses, 888 Chase Road, West Palm Beach<br /> Information: Hours by appointment only at 561-310-8508; Geoffcoolidge@comcast.net; <a href="http://www.coolroses.com">www.coolroses.com</a><br /> To order: Visit website to see what rose varieties are offered and then call to order for home delivery. Rooted roses are shipped in pots via FedEx.</p>
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<p><em>Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley can be reached at debhartz@att.net.</em></p></div>Derby in Delrayhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/derby-in-delray2014-04-10T16:30:00.000Z2014-04-10T16:30:00.000ZCeci Rezkhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/CeciRezk<div><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b>Spodak Dental Group and Weekes & Callaway Co-host</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b>"Derby in Delray"</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"></p><p class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Proceeds Benefit Community Caring Center of Greater Boynton Beach</b></span></p><p class="p2"><b> </b><span class="s1"><b> </b></span></p><p class="p3"> <span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> April 10, 2014, Delray Beach, Florida — Spodak Dental Group and Weekes & Callaway today announced, they are partnering to co-host the Derby in Delray to benefit the Community Caring Center of Greater Boynton Beach (“Community Caring Center”). The event takes place, Saturday, May 3rd from 4:00PM to 7:00PM at Spodak Dental Group, located at 3911 W. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida. All proceeds go directly to support the Community Caring Center’s programing.</span></p><p class="p3"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> The event celebrates the 140th Run for the Roses, Kentucky Derby. Spodak Dental Group and Weekes & Callaway seized the opportunity to assist and support the Community Caring Center with an afternoon of food, drinks and entertainment. Jazz musicians Jason Hanley and Jim Kovalick will perform. The Secret Garden Café chefs will provide a menu of Southern-Fare food, including the famous Louisville Hot Brown signature sandwich. A cash bar is open to all attendees and features the Kentucky Derby’s famous libations, the Mint Julep and Firefly Sweet Tea.</span></p><p class="p3"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Contests will be held throughout the evening including, Ladies’ Best Hat and Gentlemen’s Best Bow Tie. Friendly “Derby Bucks” bets are encouraged. Guests have the opportunity to win a variety of prizes in the raffle. Tickets are currently on sale for $20.00 at cccgbb-org.webs.com. RSVP to <a href="mailto:Darien@spodakdental.com"><span class="s2">Darien@spodakdental.com</span></a>. </span></p><p class="p6"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">About Community Caring Center</span></p><p class="p7"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> The Community Caring Center provides a unique approach to addressing root causes of poverty through the innovative integration of both a Social Service Department and an Economic Development Department. Their Social Service Department program includes an emergency food pantry, financial assistance, faith in action and job development. The Economic Development Department, encompasses a culinary incubator program for small business development called the Secret Garden Café, nutrition education for adults and children, an urban farming project and a senior veggie mobile program. For more information on the Community Caring Center, visit cccgbb-org.webs.com.</span></p><p class="p6"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">About Spodak Dental Group </span></p><p class="p7"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Since 1976, the Spodak Dental Group’s practice has evolved into a comprehensive dental destination offering a complete range of general and specialized services in one convenient location - servicing Delray Beach, Boca Raton and all of South Florida. To learn more about Spodak Dental Group call 561-498-0050 or visit spodakdental.com. </span></p><p class="p8"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">About Weekes & Callaway </span></p><p class="p7"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Celebrating its 60th year Weekes & Callaway is one of Florida’s oldest and largest privately held insurance agencies. Headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, Weekes & Callaway has provided thousands of businesses and families with comprehensive insurance services, risk management solutions and business asset protection consulting. For more information on Weekes & Callaway call 800.959.2799 or visit their website at weekescallaway.com.</span></p><p class="p8"></p></div>