The San Diego Rose Society Hosts the San Diego World Rose Symposium April 30 to May 4, 2027

The symposium will showcase globally renowned botanists, master hybridizers, and expert rosarians
and feature the National Rose Show, curated tours of private gardens, and a rare rose auction

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Diego Rose Society, in honor of its 100^th anniversary, is hosting the San Diego World Rose Symposium April 30 to May 4, 2027, at the Bahia Resort Hotel on Mission Bay. 

"This is a rare opportunity for professionals and passionate hobbyists alike to access world-renowned experts in rose breeding and cultivating. This is the first time in 25 years that a World Federation of Rose Societies (WFRS) Convention has been held in the United States," said symposium co-chair Ruth Tiffany. The five-day symposium will also incorporate the 2027 American Rose Society Convention, the 2027 National Rose Show and a rare rose auction. 

The educational lineup ranges from master hybridizers such as Tom Carruth who has created more than 100 rose varieties, including 11 All-America Rose Selections, and Ping Lim, one of the world's most famous breeders of eco-friendly, stress-resistant roses, to authorities on

chemical-free rose growing options, integrated pest management and rose selection for changing climates, heritage roses and the latest in new cultivars.

Attendees will be able to tour world-class gardens such as the 37-acre San Diego Botanic Garden with 5,000+ plant species and four miles of trails and Balboa Park's Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden in world-famous Balboa Park that features 1,600 roses and 130 varieties, plus many of the region's finest private rose gardens.

A highlight of the symposium will be the National Rose Show where attendees can enjoy or exhibit in top-tier competitions of roses, arrangements and photography.

The symposium will include a rare rose auction where attendees can take home highly sought-after, heirloom, and/or hard-to-find rose plants. It is an exclusive, in-person-only opportunity to acquire roses that are unavailable anywhere else in the world.

The entire symposium will celebrate the San Diego Rose Society's 100^th anniversary, which makes it one of the oldest rose societies in the country. Attendees will commemorate the society's centennial with a magical 1927-themed American Rose Society Awards Dinner that will honor San Diego's deep horticultural roots.

"The Bahia Resort Hotel will provide the perfect surroundings to combine a rose experience with a lush tropical beachside vacation," said Natalie Stout, symposium co-chair. "The award-winning property features a secluded beach on a 14-acre peninsula on Mission Bay and lush tropical gardens. It is only a ten-minute walk from Pacific Beach's Belmont Park and numerous beachfront restaurants," she said.

The symposium will be capped off by an optional once-in-a-lifetime eight-day tour designed by renowned rose expert and tour planner Paul Zimmerman. He will guide participants through some of Southern and Central California's most exclusive estates, public gardens, nurseries, and recognized tourist attractions, while sharing insights on rose growing, garden design, and sustainable practices.

Registration and complete details on the symposium and discounted hotel accommodations, are available at sandiegorosesociety.com/2027. 

About The San Diego Rose Society
The San Diego Rose Society is the oldest and largest rose society in Southern California. Established in 1927, the society serves the needs of San Diego County rose growers through its Consulting Rosarians, Rose Ramblings newsletter, monthly membership meetings, and annual rose show. It supports the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden in San Diego's Balboa Park and participates at the San Diego County Fair. It is affiliated with the American Rose Society, Inc.

SOURCE San Diego Rose Society