Garden Gossip By Lisa Cullen
A Story of Roses Hearing Services of Santa Barbara
Danielle (Dani) Hahn and her husband, Bill, are the owners-operators of Carpinteria’s Rose Story Farm. Danielle is one of only five Americans to be rated one of the Great Rosarians of the World.
Hearing Services is dedicated to
“your better hearing health” Call now to schedule your free Hearing Aid Evaluation! A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau
(805) 967-4200 www.hearingsb.com 5333 Hollister Ave, Ste 207
(in the Goleta Valley Medical Building)
Ann Burre,
MA, FAAA Dispensing Audiologist AU1181
M
ontecito native and owner of Rose Story Farm, Danielle Hahn recently achieved international recognition as one of only five Americans and the third woman to be named “Great Rosarian of the World,” a recognition sponsored by the New York Metropolitan Rose Council and the Huntington Library. In receiving this award, she joins elite rosarians including David Austin and Alain Meilland. Danielle and Bill Hahn and Rose Story Farm have
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20 MONTECITO JOURNAL
homemade desserts from the farm. Despite all the fame and international attention, Danielle is very approachable and willing to impart her downto-earth advice to anyone who asks about growing great roses. With the season opening right around the corner, I wondered how we could use her vast knowledge in our own gardens. I caught up with Danielle on her way back from San Francisco, where she supplied roses and gave a presentation at the De Young Museum’s Bouquets to Art exhibit gala. Q. Has the drought affected your approach to growing roses? A. The drought hasn’t changed anything about our approach to growing roses. Water has been precious and expensive since we began. But, actually, roses are quite drought-resistant and don’t need as much water as people Rose Story Farm has become a desirable location for couples looking for a unique and picturesque venue at which to say their wedding vows; rental cabins on the property add to the site’s desirability
been featured in Martha Stewart magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Veranda, California Style magazine, and others. The 15-acre organic Rose Story Farm in Carpinteria was founded more than 25 years ago and is an anomaly in the commercial rose industry. In an age when most cut flowers are being imported from massive automated greenhouses in Asia and South America, Rose Story Farm is literally a breath of fresh air. Specializing in Old World and pre-1950 American roses, Rose Story Farm grows its 30,000 roses outdoors, using no chemicals or pesticides and no machinery. Danielle and Bill sell freshly cut roses to local outlets like Pierre Lafond and ship all over the continental United States. They provide Rose Garden Design and Installation services, floral arrangement design and have a retail nursery where you can buy some of the 120 varieties you see on the farm. Rose Story Farm’s picturesque setting makes it a perfect location for a wedding or special event, and they have renovated cottages on the property to house overnight guests. An overnight stay at Rose Story Farm sounds like heaven on Earth to me. But the highlight of the season is the farm tour. A two-hour, docentled walk through the most beautiful gardens imaginable culminates in an al fresco luncheon complete with rose-petal iced tea, lemonade, and
• The Voice of the Village •
think. We water our roses once a week. The secret is to water long and slow. What advice do you have for readers who have roses in their home gardens? Roses don’t like “wet feet,” so good drainage is most important. Roses are heavy feeders. We feed ours every 3-4 weeks using a liquid food that moves through the irrigation system. The food we use is a special formula made exclusively for Rose Story Farm, comprised of fish emulsion and bat guano. But any good, organic food will do the trick. Mulch is vital, but you should only use compost. We lay 3-4 inches of compost under and around the roses and replenish it every year. At the end of the year, it has broken down into the soil, and so over time the soil gets better and better. Compost feeds the soil, keeps the moisture in, and protects the roots of your roses. Thank you, Danielle and congratulations on your success. You are welcome, Lisa. See you on the farm. Rose Story Farm opened the new season of tours on April 14. They take place every Thursday and Saturday from 11 am to 1 pm, through November. Tour reservations are required and can be made by calling (805) 566-4885, by email info@rosestoryfarm.com or on the website www.rosestoryfarm.com. •MJ 28 April – 5 May 2016