Main Tour
From June 8 to June 12, 2020 - Brussels and Region
Main hotel is near the park of Brussels, the Royal Palace and the meeting venues: Hotel*** Motel One
Monday, June 8
06:00pm Opening ceremony - Meet and Greet of the 15th Rose Heritage Conference, Palais des Academies, Brussels
Tuesday, June 9
Morning: Lectures at Cercle Gaulois, Brussels
07:30-08:30 Registration open
08:30-08:40 Welcome by Henrianne de Briey, President WFRS
08:40-09:20 " François Crepin and the Heritage Roses in Meise botanical garden ", Piet Stoffelen and Ivan Hoste, Belgium
09:20-10:00 " Hybrid Musk Roses from Lambert Pemberton to Lens ", Rudy and Anne Velle for Lens roses, Belgium
10:00-10:40 " The conservation of Heritage Roses: problems and solutions ", Charles Quest Ritson, United Kingdom
10:40-11:20 Networking break
11:20-12:00 " A great taxonomist and the world's largest rose- a magical interaction", Viru and Girija Vivararaghavan, India
12:00-12:40 " On the origin of the Bourbon Roses ", Pascal Heitzler, France
12:40-12:50 Conclusion
Moderator: Behcet Ciragan, President Swiss Rose Friends, Swiss
12:50-13:00 Recommandations for the afternoon
13:15 Departure for HEX castle by bus from le Cercle Gaulois
Afternoon: HEX castle and his magnificient rose gardens, lunch and visit
16:30 Departure for :
Option 1: ALDENBIESEN abbaye, visit
Option 2: WIDOOIE private estate and rose garden, visit
19:00 Return to Brussels
Free evening in Brussels
(on invitation only- registration via Derek Lawrence)
19:30 WFRS Friends dinner, Betho castle- Tongeren
Wednesday, June 10
Morning: Lectures at Cercle Gaulois, Brussels
07:30-08:30 Registration open
08:30-09:20 " Historical Roses in the Europa Rosarium Sangenhausen", Hella Brummer and Eilike Vemmer, Germany
09:20-10:00 " Rescue and preservation of varieties of interest", Paul Lefèbvre and Guillaume Le Texier, France
10:00-10:40 " André Dupont's rose herbarium (pre 1814) or the striy of a discovery", Vincent Derkenne, France
10:40-11:20 Networking break
11:20-12:00 " Roses in Bhutan", Prakash Sushil, India
12:00-12:40 " Project rescue- Saving the Heritage Roses of Aotearoa", Radka Murray, New Zealand
12:40-12:50 Conclusion
Moderator: Brigid Quest Ritson, UK
12:50-13:00 Recommandations for the afternoon
13:15 Departure for Meise by bus from le Cercle Gaulois
Afternoon: MEISE botanical garden * WESPELAER arboretum and garden * CASTEELS rose nursery * dinner at VRIJBROEK domain
Thursday, June 11
Morning: Lectures at Cercle Gaulois, Brussels
07:00 Registration open
07:30-09:15 Conservation & Heritage Committee meeting
09:15-09:20 Welcome to the conference
09:20-10:00 " Unique collection of Old Roses for the warm climate in Italy", Sergio Scudu, Italy
10:00-10:40 " The conservation of Heritage Roses", Michael Marriott, United Kingdom
10:40-11:00 " Rosedal Juana de Ibarbourou, Mondevideo's historic rose gardens '", Inés Diaz de Licandro, Uruguay
11:00-11:30 Networking break
11:30-12:10 " The unique beauty of old chines roses", Zhengzi Jian, China
12:10-12:50 " Rose social legacy", Lukasz Rojewski, Poland
12:50-13:20 Presentation of the WRC 2021
13:20-13:25 Conclusions and Recommandations for the afternoon
13:25-14:25 Lunch at Cercle Gaulois
14:30 Departure for Le Roeulx by bus from Cercle Gaulois
Afternoon: LE ROEULX rose collection * Enghien city of Parmentier * free evening
Friday, June 12
Morning:
08:00-09:30 (for those concerned) WFRS Executive Committee meeting
09:30 (for all) Departure by bus from the hotel Motel One
COLOMA rose garden visit and light lunch
Afternoon:
Option 1: Private gardens * Argentueil and short stop in Waterloo
Option 2: Brussels historical center * monuments
20:00 the 15th Rose Heritage Conference Closing Dinner at Cercle Gaulois, Brussels
Main tour participation fee (excluding hotel) is 490€/ Euros as Regular per person
Closing dinner is 65€ / Euros per person
What’s Included
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Two dinners
-
Four lunches
-
All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities
-
The transportation for the visits
-
The support of the organization team, FCSS and ARDHJB
The Hotel is not included in the participation fee. To be booked individually via the page "Hotels"
More information:
Pre-tour / FULLY BOOKED
From June 5 to June 8, 2020
Optional Pre-tour in the North of the country
Friday, June 5
Arrivals in Ghent on own way* check in at hotel Harmony in the historical part of the city * free evening
(The best way to arrive in Ghent from airport or from Brussels city is the train. 30 minutes from Central station)
Saturday, June 6 (start 08:30am)
Louise van de Werve, your guide, will come at hotel to welcome you. Bus will start from hotel Harmony.
On the way to Bruges: day starts at 08:30am for the visit of LENS rose producers in Oudenburg who grow more than 800 different varieties of roses * the private rose garden of Mr and Mrs Backers in Oudenburg * lunch at Ter Doest * garden of OOSTKERKE castle* guided walk in Bruges from Beguinhof to Adornes domain owned by Count and Countess de Limburg Stirum * dinner in the private owned castle of LOPPEM hosted by the family van Caloen* overnight at hotel in Gent
Sunday, June 7
In the city of Ghent: visit of St Bavon cathedral and the Mystic Lamb paint by van Eyck with an art historian “flowers and plants in art” * the rose garden at House Beaucarme * visit of KORTRIJK rose garden * dinner at hotel Falligan - one of the most beautiful houses in Ghent* boat tour on the canals * overnight at hotel in Gent
Monday, June 8 (end 05:00pm)
The beautiful landscapes of the rivers Lys and
Schelde * OOIDONK castle *park and castle of BEERVELDE * lunch at LAARNE castle * rose producers Van Sante * return to Brussels to be on time for the Opening ceremony - Meet and Greet.
Pre-tour participation fee (excluding hotel) is 650€/ Euros per person.
What’s Included
-
Two dinners
-
Three lunches
-
All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities
-
The transportation for the visits
-
The support of the organization team, FCSS and ARDHJB
The Hotel is not included in the participation fee. To be booked individually via the page "Hotels"
More information:
Post-tour
From June 13 to June 15, 2020
Optional Post-tour in the South of the country and Luxembourg
Saturday, June 13 (start 08:30am, with luggage)
Louise van de Werve, your guide, will come at hotel to welcome you. Bus will start from hotel Motel One.
From Brussels to Saint-Hubert: Departure from Motel One hotel * a rehabilitated rose garden in Chaumont-Gistoux* the rose garden of Baron Joseph de Dorlodot, a great connoisseurs * ANNEVOIE restored park * meeting with a garden architect * overnight at hotel Le Grenier des Grottes in Han-sur-Lesse.
Sunday, June 14 (start at 09:30am)
From Saint-Hubert to Luxembourg: le REDOUTE museum in Saint-Hubert * Chateau d'ANSEMBOURG and garden in Luxembourg * dinner at Chateau de Sept Fontaines * overnight at hotel Plaza Park Luxembourg.
Monday, June 15 (start at 09:00am)
Luxembourg: MUNSBACH castle and the national Luxembourg Heritage Rosegarden with roses from 1856 up to now * Domaine thermal de MONDORF, with a beautiful parc and a large rosegarden
03:00pm End of the Post tour, return to Brussels at Motel One hotel (estimated time in Brussels, 07:30pm).
We advise the persons going back to Brussels to book 1 night in town in order to take the flights on Tuesday.
Post-tour participation fee (excluding hotels) 650€/ Euros per person.
What’s Included
-
Two dinners
-
Three lunches
-
All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities
-
The transportation for the visits
-
The support of the organization team, FCSS and ARDHJB
The 2 Hotel are not included in the participation fee. To be booked individually via the page "Hotels"
More information:
Visits in Luxembourg with the support of

Option 1: The Gardens of Norfolk
Tuesday, June 16 (evening)
Make your own way to the 3 stars Georges Hotel in SWAFFHAM, a charming small town in the heart of Norfolk * Meeting at the hotel bar in the evening for welcome drinks followed by dinner in the hotel's restaurant.
Wednesday, June 17
The itinerary will start with a visit of the famous Peter BEALES nursery in Attleborough for a guided tour of the gardens and a lunch * Afternoon is at leisure.
Thursday, June 18
Visit of three of the country's private gardens- starting at a garden closely associated with Peter BEALES himself, at MANNINGTON HALL, where to be seen many roses * The charming rose garden of SWANNINGTON HALL * The wonderful walled garden and many varieties of old roses at ELSING HALL.
Friday, June 19
Visit to the magnificent HOUGHTON HALL, seat of Lord Cholmondeley, where the extensive grounds include a particularly impressive rose garden and five acre walled garden * Lunch at Houghton Hall *visit to STOW HALL where the delightful gardens survie the now demolished house * Final dinner at the hotel.
Saturday, June 20
The tour 1 concludes after breakfast.
Price from £869 per person, single supplement £260
*Please note that Day 2 and Day 3 will be reversed on the 20 June departure*
What’s Included
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Accommodation with breakfast, staying at the 3 star George Hotel in Swaffham
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Two dinners at the hotel
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Two lunches
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All sightseeing, entrance fees and gratuities
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The services of the Kirker Tour Escort and a representative from the Historic Roses Group
More information:
Optional tours in UK after Belgium
2 tours proposed by Michael Charlesworth, Chairman Historic Roses Group, UK
From June 16 to June 20, 2020