Find a 'Mother Lode' of roses at this auction

Looking for a new rose to add to your garden? Here’s a chance to get a great deal on bare-root roses while helping a public rose garden flourish.

On Saturday, March 22, the Mother Lode Rose Society will hold its annual auction of bare-root and potted roses. Starting at 10 a.m., the public auction will be held at the Amador Senior Center, 229 New York Ranch Road, Jackson. Proceeds benefit the public rose garden located at the senior center.

Admission and parking are free. Bring check or cash, please.

This auction has another draw: Lunch! After the bidding wraps up, complimentary homemade chili and cornbread will be served.

Among the roses offered will be new varieties such as "Color Splash" (a cream-colored floribunda with red edges) and "Purple Aura" (a 2026 release not yet available to the general public; it’s a dark purple floribunda with a spicy scent). Several hybrid teas and grandifloras will be available as well as miniatures, minfloras, shrubs and climbers.

Roses include varieties from such major rose breeders as Weeks Roses, Star Roses, Kordes, Radler, Jackson & Perkins and more.

“This year’s auction will also include potted roses including a few ‘bargain basement’ specials,” say the organizers. “The rose auction is your opportunity to obtain roses, many of which are not available locally. It’s also one of our major fundraisers for the year, and a lot of fun! The auction helps to support the public rose garden at the Amador Senior Center, a special project of the Mother Lode Rose Society.”