Wine & Roses + Garden Dedications 2022

Wine & Roses

The Wine & Roses fundraiser was held on May 6, 2022 to announce and honor the recipient of the Mary Johnston Award. The 6 pm social hour was followed by dinner in Klima Rose Hall. Catering by Maison Louisianne, Jazz sax by Eddie Spenser.

In 1997, Shreveport Resident Mary Johnston, wife of Louisiana Senator Bennett Johnston, was recognized by the American Rose Society for her significant role in the naming of the rose as America's National Floral Emblem. Since then, others who have made important contributions to America's Rose Garden have been honored with the Mary Johnston Award.

We are proud to present the award to two people who have demonstrated unprecedented commitment to America's Rose Garden:

The 2022 honorees are Marilyn Wellan for her tireless dedication in leading the Great Garden Restoration Project since its inception in 2017 and Claude Graves, Chair of the American Rose Center Committee.

Thanks to their efforts, America's Rose Garden has become a vibrant and vital asset to both the American Rose Center and to the Shreveport Community.

Mary Johnston Award Recipients

Mary Johnston 1997

W.C. Rasberry, Jr. 1998

Dr. Charles T. Beaird 1999

Virginia Kilpatrick Shehee 2000

Quintin T. Hardtner Family 2001

O. Delton Harrison, Jr. 2002

Dayna Sawyer 2003

Dr. Harold & Mrs. Ida Hayden 2004

John D. Caruthers, Jr. 2005

SBC Convention & Tourist Bureau 2006

Margaret "Maggie" Martin 2019

Robert B. Martin Jr. 2021

The Social Hour

Garden Dedications

On Saturday, May 7, we held a garden tour and dedicated new gardens.

We began the tour at the Watkins Reflection Pool and walked through the Shanley-DelVecchio Garden Gate Pavilion.

The tour continued through McFarland Plaza to the First Circle - The Charles Beaird Garden - of 21st Century roses and then on through the Second Circle - the Virginia Shehee Garden - of 20th Century roses.

We dedicated the Third Circle - The Will Radler Garden, donated by William J Radler, which will showcase shrub roses of every type and Will shared some thoughts.

We dedicated the Fourth Circle - The Franks Garden, donated by the Alta & John Franks Foundation - which will feature heritage roses of all types.

We then dedicated the Wellan Garden Rose Circles, in honor of Myron & Marilyn Wellan. Marilyn has served as Project Coordinator of the Great Garden Restoration from 2017-2022.

We finished the day by unveiling the Donor wall.

The day was capped off by a celebration of the Great Garden Restoration Project with cake and champagne provided by Joe and Carrie Bergs.