Many people in our neighborhood inspired us by making this world a better place. Iona Stuart is one of them.
Iona moved to the Bay Area with her husband Rudy from New York in 1989. The following year, she joined the North Bay Rose Society (NBRS) and became a sustaining member. She was the president for a few years and has organized field trips during that time. In addition, she has been a board member for more than twenty years. Iona is passionate about flower arrangement and has been teaching classes.
Working side by side with her husband Rudy, they built the garden from the ground up. At the beginning, they hired MidCity Nursery to design the garden layout. Then, step by step, Iona and Rudy filled the space with plants they loved. Twenty years passed quickly, and the garden looks great with kids and grandkids running around a lily pond and among the flourishing plants.
In 2011, unfortunately, Rudy passed away, and the garden suffered a setback. Iona could not stand the image of Rudy busy working in the garden. Memories of him picking a special ‘Bird of Paradise’ for her brought tears to her eyes. Roses lost their color, weeds seemed to grow faster, and the uphill wind was much harsher.
One day, however, Iona suddenly woke up from her sadness. She started caring for the garden again. She desired to bring it back to life, and her effort did not go to waste. Roses started blooming, and fuchsias greeted her with delicate lanterns. Although the uphill wind was still howling, under the guardian of a tall magnolia tree, the garden became a peaceful place. Today, Iona’s garden has about 140 healthy roses and many other plants like protea, Hippeastrum papilio, iris, and most interestingly, tracker seat (Farfugium japonicum var. giganteum)!
Iona loves all her roses equally. But if you press her, her top 3 favorite roses are: ‘Love Song’, ‘Marilyn Monroe’, and ‘Fame’. ‘Love Song’ is a purplish Floribunda with amazing fragrance; ‘Marilyn Monroe’ is an eye-catching apricot-colored Hybrid Tea; and ‘Fame’ is a deep pink Grandiflora. Why are these roses Iona’s pick? Because these roses not only have 4-5 inches of impressively large flowers in nice form and lovely colors, but also, they don’t drop petals when the flowers are done. Iona likes her garden debris-free. Haha!
Iona generously opens her garden to whoever wants to have an enjoyable time and is willing to learn more about roses and other plants. In April, she hosted the NBRS photography workshop at her house. While the rain and wind continued attacking the garden, inside the house was warm and fun. Many participants brought fresh rose cuttings from their garden. The invited expert set up the temporary studio with a tripod and donut light in her living room, and a color printer in her study. Adding small chats and refreshments, it was a joyful gathering!
The 2026 Rose Show of the NBRS has closed its curtain on May 2. Iona has single-handedly contributed five gorgeous rose arrangements with all the floral materials sourced from her garden. Her artwork spanned several classes: from miniature to 3-foot-tall giant, and from East Asian design to Modern Standard arrangement. Three of them won prizes at the show.
During the show, many patrons stopped by the arrangement table and were awed by the two upright stems with bristly crimson thorns used in her entry to the “Class 2. Ridge and Valley Harmony: Modern Standard Arrangement” category.
. This unusual specimen was a rose “Rosa Sericea of Pteracantha” (AKA ‘Winged Thorn rose’), that was introduced in 1890. Iona just so happened to have one in her garden.
My personal favorite of the five arrangements was a miniature one with a size about 6 inches in both height and width. This arrangement belongs to the “Class 4. Petal Pockets: Traditional Mini Arrangement” category. It was a lovely display of the miniature yellow roses: ‘My Sunshine ’, and the container was a ceramic brown fish that opened its mouth, spilling out gorgeous flowers. It just made me smile!
When I praised Iona for her work, she said, with that signature ‘Iona smile’: “I attended classes for more than ten years.” Iona earned a certificate in Western-style flower arrangement in early 1990 from Solano College. Later, she took ten years of classes in Ikebana-style arrangement. During those ten years, she drove across the Carquinez Bridge to Oakland for lessons, until driving became really difficult.
The first time I saw Iona was in May 2023. That morning, I brought three of my photos to the NBRS Rose Show for entry. There were many busybodies on site, and amid all the activity, this one lady was sitting at a corner table, concentrating on her flower arrangement.
Back then, the three photos I brought to the Show were the right size (8” x 10”), but they were not framed according to the “Show Schedule” (guidelines). While I was stuck, like a deflated balloon, it was Iona who called out: “Jeanee, can you find a spot for these photos to show?” And there, my photos were displayed with the other hundred entries. I learned later that Jeanee was Iona’s granddaughter. It appears that Iona’s love of roses has rubbed off on Jeanee and she has taken on the Secretary position of NBRS since 2025.
Wise, kind, and talented, Iona is a gem in our neighborhood.