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The Roses
of Malcom "Mike" Lowe
(Put your Mouse's pointer
over the photos to see the caption)
 Mike
in a way is actually responsible for Ashdown Roses
coming into being. Many years ago I was trying to
find some rare bourbons (to plant, not drink) and I ran
across an ad for Lowe's Roses in New Hampshire. I
called and a gentleman answered the phone and introduced
himself as Mike. I ordered some roses that day and
kept coming back for others because Mike had all kinds
of roses no one else did.
One day our conversation
turned toward the farm Pam and I had in South Carolina.
Mike asked if I ever thought about starting a rose
nursery. When I said yes, Mike offered to help us
get going. Since then Mike and his Wife Irene have
generously supplied us with cuttings, information,
mailing lists and words of encouragement. And from
that conversation Ashdown Roses was born.
 Mike
himself became interested in roses as a young man in the
1960s while stationed in Europe with the Air Force.
From there a passion for the old
roses was born and Mike began collecting roses from all
over the world. Never one do anything half way
Mike has amassed one of the best collections of old
roses (and a lot of modern ones) in North America.
Mike has served as
President of the New England Rose Society, the New
Hampshire Rose Society and was the Yankee and Regional
District Director of The American Rose Society and their
first parliamentarian. He was a major contributor
to Modern
Roses XI, The American Rose Society's Encyclopedia of
Roses.
He received the Lester F.
Harrell Award for significant contributions to the
study, preservation and popularity of old garden roses
in America. He continues to lecture on roses and
rose history throughout the country as well as write
articles and do rose photography.
Mike and
Irene continue to live in Nashua, New Hampshire and
their garden in mid-June is a must stop for any rose
lover in the area.
We invite you to click on
the link below to begin to visit the roses of a
gentleman who has done a great deal to preserve rare
roses and has been a part of Ashdown from day one.
Let's Go to
Mike's Roses
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