110115 Santa Barbara Mission Park A C Postel Rose Garden Annual Pruning January 2011 collage by tiga tatton

110115 Santa Barbara Mission Park A C Postel Rose Garden Annual Pruning January 2011 collage with photos of the many Rose Society volunteers, City Staff, and others taking down the beautiful roses for the season. This allows the garden to be cleaned up and readied for some preventive low toxicity treatments for some roses. "Over a number of years, the Parks Division of the City Parks and Recreation Department successfully reduced overall pesticide use by 84% on approximately 1,400 acres of parklands. In January 2004, a formal Integrated Pest Management (IPM Strategy) was adopted by the Santa Barbara City Council, making a commitment to aggressively reduce the use of potentially harmful materials throughout the City, particularly in City parks. The strategy covers the diverse activities of the city - from the airport, to the golf course, to street maintenance, to creek protection, to the beaches, and to the nationally accredited AC Postel Memorial Rose Garden."

"The rose garden contains an accredited All American Rose selection of over 1,500 plants adjacent to the Mission." www.sbrose.org/rosegarden.htm  More photos of the volunteers working can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/27241501@N03/sets/72157625716820381 /