Roses in the City!
From Garden to Vase with Jennifer Porter
Join the Potomac Rose Society on Saturday May 16 from 10 AM to 12 PM for Roses in the City!—a spring Open Garden event at the urban home of Jennifer Porter in the 16th Street Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC.
This intimate 1/8-acre city garden showcases what is possible in a compact urban space, featuring more than 100 roses—including floribundas, grandifloras, English shrubs, and climbers—interplanted with thoughtfully selected, pollinator-friendly annuals and perennials to ensure continuous color and seasonal interest. Many of the companion plants are chosen specifically to attract beneficial insects and support a thriving garden ecosystem. Visitors will see climbing roses trained on obelisks and fences, along with clematis woven throughout the beds to add vertical interest, texture, and seasonal layering.
Jennifer also enjoys arranging flowers, and is known for her lush, garden gathered bouquets that she generously shares with fellow rose lovers. Her plantings reflect this dual passion for garden and floral design—featuring roses and companion plants not only for their performance in the landscape, but also for their beauty and excellence in the vase.
Jennifer began gardening seriously when she moved to this home eight years ago and fell in love with the beauty of roses to create arrangements to enjoy indoors. Her plant selections focus on disease resistant, cutting-friendly rose varieties, complemented by peonies, dahlias, heirloom mums, hydrangeas, and a small raised-bed cutting garden. Along the front of the house and in containers, her favorite rose, Bolero - is cherished for its strong, fruity fragrance and manageable size.
This open garden offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy spring blooms, gather inspiration for urban gardening, and connect with fellow rose enthusiasts. Light refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there!
Registration coming soon!
ARS Consulting Rosarians will earn one continuing education credit for attending this event.
All images courtesy of Jennifer Porter.
