One Rose, One Month. A Full Year To Let Creativity Unfold.
Seven years ago, I began spending quiet time with real roses - not to perfect them, but to understand them.
I would take them apart gently.
Notice how petals layered and loosened with age. How color softened instead of stayed sharp. How no two roses - even the same variety were ever exactly alike.
What surprised me most wasn't how intricate roses were, but how patient they asked me to be.
Instead of trying to recreate everything at once, I began working with one rose at a time, allowing space to observe, to pause, and to return again later.
Over time, I translated that quiet study into paper. Not as a race to finish, but as a slow conversation with form and structure.
Rather than teaching dozens of roses all at once, I chose a different path:
One rose per month, over the course of a year.
This program was created for:
- People who don't want deadlines
- Creatives who need permission to move slowly
- Makers who want depth, not overwhelm
There is no pressure to keep up.
No expectation to rush
The lessons are here when you are ready.
Over the past 7 years, more that 120 students have stepped into the rose garden- each bringing their own pace, their own season, their own way of learning.
Some move quickly.
Some take months between lessons.
All of it is welcome here.
This is not about producing more.
It's about returning gently and consistently to the joy of making.
Cecile Brunner - February
In the month of February we create Cecil Brunner using fine crepe paper and watercolors to capture the soft dainty petals of this climbing rose in full bloom and bud form. This rose is perfect for a single stem in a bud vase to really showcase all of the details or to add to a Avant Garde style arrangement.
Esperance Garden Rose - October
The Esperance takes center stage in the month of October when we learn how to create petals that gradually turn from a dark pink to a light green color on the out guard petals. This one is an absolute must if you plan on making bridal bouquets or home decor with a rustic country cottage feel.
Fourth of July Climbing Rose - July
Simple though it seems, we spend a bit of time on July's rose the aptly named Fourth of July because of it's beautiful splashy coloring that is reminiscent of fire works. Though it is hard to tell from the photo, we create a super realistic rose center that mimics the carpels of a peony and then we have fun creating the unique pattern on the petals.
A Classic Fit For Any Romantic
The long-stemmed red rose opens the year with a quiet nod to romance and familiarity.
In this first lesson, we take our time - noticing soft layers of petals, subtle shifts of color, and the graceful way the bloom unfolds. There is no rush and no pressure to make it perfect. This rose simply invites you to begin gently and settle into the slower rhythm of the year ahead.
January - Long Stemmed Rose
February - Cecile Brunner
March - Tranquility
April - Queen of Sweden
May - Munstead
June - The Lark Ascending
July - Fourth of July
August - Lady of Shalott
September - Ocean Mikado
October - Esperance
November - Heathcliff
December - Altissimo
"A Year in the Rose Garden" Curriculum
- What you'll be Making!
- Materials and Templates
- Dying the Paper (13:21)
- Making the bud form (11:40)
- Making the First Layer of Petals (21:25)
- Second Layer of Petals (15:19)
- Adding Third Layer of Petals (11:23)
- Adding Fourth Layer of Petals (15:43)
- Making the Caylx (14:10)
- Making the Leaves (13:22)
- FInishing the Stem (23:06)
Here's what members are saying:
Sue Bowen
"This program is for you whether you are a beginner or a practiced paper flower maker. You will learn lots of techniques that will be useful and elevate any paper flower you make. There will be a whole spectrum of crepe papers to work with and numerous ways to colour your crepe paper to make the rose you are making your own. Great value for money becoming a lifetime member of an exclusive "rose garden"."
Carol Adams-Connor
"I was very surprised to see the variety of roses that Janita found to make and they weren't all David Austin roses! I'm not a huge fan of roses and it was delightful that there were so many lovely roses in this year's selection."
Beth Hammond
"One of my favorite roses from "A Year in the Rose Garden" course was the 4th of July rose. It turned out very nicely. I was always reluctant to make roses before this course. They never looked the way they were supposed to. Janita has a talent for making them easy to understand and I am able to say now that I'm no longer afraid if someone asks me to make roses for them. Thank you Janita for giving us your expertise. It is well worth the cost of the class."
