CAPAHA PARK IS COMING UP ROSES; NEW ROSE GARDEN GAZEBO WILL BE DEDICATED SUNDAY

Rose lovers are invited to join in a tea party and celebration of recent improvements at Capaha Park Rose Garden.

The event is hosted by the members of the Cape Girardeau Council of Garden Clubs on Sunday from 3-7 p.m.

A special ceremony featuring the dedication of the new Rose Garden Entrance Gazebo will begin at 4 p.m. In addition, a garden walk is planned and refreshments will be served under a tent.

Carol Levy, Rose chairman, said: "We are excited about the Rose Garden. This ceremony is our thank you to the city, and we want to invite everyone to come and see what we've done."

Levy said guests at the tea party will be given a map showing the identification of the various roses in the garden. Everyone will be encouraged to look at a mystery rose, which has not been identified by the club members, she said.

The Rose Garden includes 40 rectangular beds, three rounds beds and over 35 old roses. Hybrid teas, granda floras, flora bundas, shrub roses and miniatures are all on display at the garden. Each year new varieties are added from national rose gardens.

National attention has been focused on the garden since it was accepted as a nationally accredited Rose Display Testing Garden in 1955. The garden is one of three test gardens in Missouri, Levy said. The other test gardens are in Kansas City and St. Louis.

Levy said several recent improvements have been made at the Rose Garden, such as the planting of 180 roses. She said 160 of those roses were planted in new beds and 20 replaced old beds.

The Garden Club members are also excited about the new Rose Garden Entrance Gazebo, which was built in 1990, Levy said. The purpose of the gazebo is to greet visitors with information and history of the garden.

Featured in the gazebo is a memorial plaque with the names of people who have given time and money to the garden, Levy said.

Other improvements to the Rose Garden include several new benches, which were donated by the Cape Girardeau Council of Garden Clubs in memory of the late Edna Kassel. In addition, two bird baths were donated by Mary Crites from the Country Spanish Shop, Levy said.

In the past few years, a new fence was erected, along with a new parking lot on the east side for easier access. Also, new grass was planted to replace the Bermuda grass.

According to Levy, the Cape Girardeau Council of Garden Clubs is comprised of 125 members, including 5 adult groups and one junior club, called the Green Thumbs.

The five adult garden clubs in Cape Girardeau are River Hills, Ramblewood, Four Seasons, Rose Hill and Cape Girardeau. Each garden club has the care of eight beds.

Levy said each member spends about one hour a week working in the garden. "The members clip the roses and do light weeding and trimming," she said.

The heavy garden work is done by community service workers, who are supervised by Levy. The city sprays, mows, and provides needed materials, she said.

Jo Wikel, president of the Cape Girardeau Council of Garden Clubs said: "In years past, we had to work on our own, and we had to pay workers to help with fertilizing, spraying and general maintenance. We're very thankful the city now is giving us support with time and money."