ROSE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

NEW ZEALAND 

Sam McGredy

WORLD FAMOUS ROSE GARDEN UNDER THREAT

Legendary rose breeder Sam McGredy says a proposal to pull out “one of the
best rose gardens in the world” to save $60,000 a year is outrageous and the
rose world will “kick up hell” if Hamilton city councillors back it.

Ripping out the world-renowned Rogers Rose Garden and dismantling five of
Hamilton’s civic fountains are among the latest proposals to help get city
council budgets back into the black.

Families using the city’s parks should also get used to digging prickles out
of tender feet over summer, as spraying for onehunga weed is also among the
swathe of proposed cuts to prune $2.2 million a year from parks budgets.

“It has historical roses, and a lot of my roses, that would be lost to the
world,” Dr McGredy said of the rose garden proposal.

“I can’t believe they’re even contemplating it, when you think of the amount
of money they spend on car races and rugby stadiums.”

Councillors earlier this month demanded staff find ways to double proposed
cuts of $1.1m to the city’s parks and open spaces.

An internationally regarded rose breeder, Dr McGredy emigrated to New Zealand
in 1972 from Ireland and developed a multimillion-dollar export rose breeding
business. Among his most famous is the red climber Dublin Bay.

He retired from
rose breeding in 2007 after producing his last selection, Rose Hamilton Gardens,
ironically named in honour of the gardens which council staff now recommend
ripping out.

He said it was “beyond comprehension” that the council was even considering
destroying what was regarded as one of the great rose gardens of the world to
save such a small amount of money.

Some councillors are already backing away from the proposal. Dave Macpherson
described it as a “stupid suggestion” which he was confident would go nowhere
when the council considered it at a meeting today.

Martin Gallagher said he would be “absolutely opposing” every recommendation
in the report and telling councillors who asked for the cuts to be doubled that
“if you ask a nutty question, you’ll get a nutty answer”. Former city mayor
Denis Rogers and his brother, Hamilton GP Anthony Rogers, were among the major
advocates for the establishment of Waikato University and “for the city to even
contemplate cutting out an incredible rose garden named in their memory is an
act of monumental disrespect”, Mr Gallagher said.

Mr Macpherson said the fact the proposal had made it to council showed
councillors “need to take charge much more of the agenda that management are
following. There are many cutbacks we should be considering.”

Among other proposals in the parks and gardens report are demolishing the
Victorian Gardens pavilions at Hamilton Gardens, and slashing budgets for the
city’s sports parks to help save another $1.1m a year.

Details of all our roses are available on our web site.

Over 1000 varieties to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 31, 2011 at 7:52 am  Leave a Comment  
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ROSE NEWS

GRIMSBY.  ENGLAND

NEW ROSE GARDEN FOR PEOPLE’S PARK

The sweet scent of roses will soon fill one of Grimsby’s most popular parks, as £17,000 is spent on a new garden.

A reported, nearly £3-million from the Heritage Lottery Fund has been spent on the transformation of People’s Park, with the last pot of £17,000 helping to recreate a Victorian rose garden.

The final stage of restoration work will fully return the park to its former glory, and see work carried out on the former children’s play area.

Councillor Andrew De Freitas said the Friends Of The Park group are also looking at creating a sensory garden and placing water lilies in the lake.

“It has really developed as a result of the money spent, and there was originally a rose garden, so it will be nice to have it back,” he said.

“The park now offers something for everyone.”

Sue Pearson, environmental management officer at North East Lincolnshire Council, said work is expected to be completed by the end of October.

“The roses will need pruning and looking after but all of the work will be done in house, and there are already some roses in the park,” she said.

“The aroma will be great and they will flower from April into October. It’s a nice way to spend the last of the Heritage Lottery money.”

Regular visitor Jane Mansfield, 82, of Cleethorpes, said: “I always come here and used to bring my three sons when they were small.

“Roses are traditionally English and it will look beautiful when the garden is complete.”

Brenda Dixon, 68, of Grimsby, who also visits the park, said: “The sensory aspect of the garden will help with our other projects.

“The smell from the roses will benefit those who cannot see the plants and it will look really colourful for others. “

The work will involve the recreation of the original ornamental bedding planting, laid out in the form of four floral scrolls around a central circular bed.

The scrolls will be formed from metal edging and will be planted with a mix of roses, topiary and bedding plants.

The original circular path along the course of the historic layout is to be resurfaced with self-binding gravel.

……………

Details of all our roses are available on our web site.

Over 1000 varieties to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 30, 2011 at 9:19 am  Leave a Comment  
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ROSE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

AUSTRALIA

Weedkiller devastates city’s rose gardens.
Council suspected.

GOULBURN’S widely-admired public rose gardens have been devastated by accidental council weed spraying, according to the Rose Committee and Cr Margaret O’Neill.

A count yesterday found some 600 rose bushes – including many iconic City of Goulburn blooms – have been poisoned in the past month.

Mayor Geoff Kettle has promised a full investigation. The dead and dying bushes will leave huge unsightly gaps in once-magnificent autumn displays of flowers that for 19 years have drawn many visitors to the Goulburn Rose Festival.

Goulburn Mulwaree Council workers were seen spraying weeds and grass with Round-up beside the rose gardens within the past three or four weeks. Grass and weeds where they sprayed is now dead – and so are many rose bushes that fell victim to herbicide drift in windy weather.

“I was only made aware of it this morning. I can’t comment too much at this stage, because there’s an investigation under way as to who, how, or why it happened,” Cr Kettle said yesterday.

“What I can say is, it’s a despicable act. Whatever has happened, it has to be put right.”

Rose Committee members, who organise the Rose Festival and care for the city’s public rose gardens on a volunteer basis, are appalled at the destruction.

The Goulburn Postyesterday accompanied committee member Jill Harrison as she grimly counted the dead and dying bushes.

“This is a disaster,” she said.

“How could anybody do this, let alone council workers who were seen spraying grass and weeds near the roses when it was windy?

“Round-up takes 10 days to start killing off plants, so from the look of the damage, they must have been spraying in the past month or so.

“I don’t know what the Rose Committee can do now. A great deal of work over the years has gone into making Goulburn’s rose gardens the city’s pride, and many people have donated roses, as well as time and effort, in developing some of the best displays anywhere in Australia.”

Also incensed by the destruction, Cr Margaret O’Neill, who lives opposite Victoria Park and saw the spraying there, vowed to make the Council apologise for the damage and also replace all dead roses.

“I’m just devastated by what’s happened,” she said.

“The council will have to fix it – whoever they blame. It’s happened. They’ll have to find the money for it, they’ll have to pay for it. “A lot of good people in our community have donated roses and worked for the Rose Committee, and previous Councils have been very supportive.

“The community owes them a lot.

“I was one of the Rose Committee founders, and the late Keith Cole was a chairman and patron of it.

“Now this has happened. I’m devastated. I’ll certainly be demanding at the next meeting that the council finds the money to restore these ruined gardens.”

Yesterday’s roses “death count” revealed: Victoria Park, 320 bushes; Pockley Garden, 160; Phyllis Rudd Garden, 74; Tenison Wood front garden, 19, back garden, 13; Howard Park, 10. The Rose Committee pays from $12 to upwards of $30 for new rose bushes, depending on variety.

Excluding labour and remediation costs, the bill for replacement plants would probably top $10,000

Before

After

Details of all our roses are available on our web site.

Over 1000 varieties to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 29, 2011 at 11:34 am  Leave a Comment  
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NEW ROSES FOR 2012

HOMMAGE A BARBARA

Shrub Rose
1997.  4ft

A very beautiful modern shrub rose which looks sure to be a hit with rose lovers,
Stunning blooms of intense deep red developing to almost black.
Blooms in flushes throughout the summer and is a real head turner in the garden.
Healthy matt green foliage and bushy upright growth.
Not a powerful perfume but very pleasing.
Don’t leave it too late to order as we have limited stocks this year.

Named after a French singer who was known as just ‘Barbara’
Bred in France in 1997 by Delbard but introduced in France in 2004.

AVAILABLE FROM NOVEMBER 2011

Details of all our roses are available on our web site.

Over 1000 varieties to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 29, 2011 at 7:55 am  Leave a Comment  
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NEW ROSES FOR 2012

FRANCOIS JURANVILLE

Rambling Rose

1906.   15ft-25ft

A beautiful old rambler that seems to have been popular for ever.

The bright salmon pink blooms appear in clusters over quite a long flowering period in the summer.

The blooms are a deeper pink in the centre with a yellow base.

Not for the small garden or the faint hearted as it can easily reach 25ft (8m) when mature.

Upright vigorous growth with shiny dark green leaves which are tinged with bronze green at the edges.

The late Jack Harkness described this rose as one of the most beautiful of the wichuraiana hybrids.

A very versatile rose as it will tolerate shade, poor soil, will grow on a North wall, and is a excellent rose for rambling up trees.

A pleasant fragrance which is reminiscent of apples.

Often confused with ‘Albertine’

Bred in France 1906

Royal Horticultural Society Award Of Garden Merit.1993

AVAILABLE FROM NOVEMBER 2011

Details of all our roses are available on our web site.

Over 1000 varieties to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 27, 2011 at 7:59 am  Leave a Comment  
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NEW ROSES FOR 2012

FIGHTING TEMERAIRE 

David Austin Shrub Rose.   2011.  5ft plus

‘Fighting Temeraire’ is a rose of very different character to most English roses making a beautiful and very useful addition to the collection.
The fully open flowers are very large, 4-5ins across, have only ten petals, and are produced with exceptional freedom.   They are a rich apricot colour, with an area of yellow behind the stamens.    By the time the petals are ready to drop, the colour has faded to a soft yellow-apricot.    The tips of the pointed buds are red, as are the young leaves and foliage, further enhancing the effect.
‘Fighting Temeraire’ is particularly healthy and vigorous and will develop into a most attractive rounded shrub, the many stems producing a mass of flowers held in large heads.
The fragrance is medium to strong, very fruity with a strong element of lemon zest.
This is a very good choice for a mixed border, where the rich colour will create a focal point, or may be trained as a short climber reaching around 8ft.

‘Fighting Temeraire’ is a painting from 1839 by the famous landscape painter, watercolourist and print maker, JMW Turner.
This rose has been named for the Turner Contemporary Gallery on Margate’s sea front in Kent.

AVAILABLE FROM NOVEMBER 2011

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 25, 2011 at 6:45 pm  Leave a Comment  

NEW ROSES FOR 2012

EYES FOR YOU 

Floribunda.

2008 2ft 6ins

A lovely but very unusual rose.

A floribunda with large blooms which can be as big as 4ins across.  The colour is described as mauvy-lilac but the main eye catcher is the large purple blotch in the centre.

The huge blooms repeat all summer and really stand out in the crowd.

The foliage is very healthy with good disease resistance.

Not very tall so will grow in a container or the garden.

A bed of these eye catchers will stop the traffic.

Lovely perfume.

Bred by Peter J James. UK

Introduced by Warners Roses.

AVAILABLE FROM NOVEMBER 2011

Details of all our roses are available on our web site.

Over 1000 varieties to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 25, 2011 at 7:20 am  Leave a Comment  
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ROSE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

SOUTH AFRICA

MONTAGU ROSE SHOW

Taking place just over two hours’ drive from Cape Town is the 23rd annual Montagu Rose Show from October 20 to 22, which signals the arrival of the rose season.

This year’s show theme is Vines and Roses, and the festival will combine floral art, cut roses, open gardens and tastings of the region’s finest muscadel, wine and brandy.

Of interest to local rose enthusiasts is the knowledge that for many decades, most of Cape Town’s roses were propagated in the Montagu area. Just 10 minutes down the road from Montagu is the village of Ashton, where roses are still propagated for wholesale to garden centres around the country.

“Ashton Nursery was established in 1947 by my grandfather, Lang Sarel “SF” Conradie”, says owner Rudie Conradie. Educated at St George’s in Mowbray and Elsenburg College of Agriculture (now known as the Cape Institute for Agricultural Training: Elsenburg) in Stellenbosch, Conradie took over Ashton Nursery in 1981.

Today, the nursery is mostly a wholesale concern, supplying roses and fruit trees to large growers and distributors. While now out of the public eye, Conradie’s love affair with roses has lasted decades and he remains one of the most experienced rose growers in the country.

“Montagu is ideal for roses because of the dry climate. The low humidity also means that we have very few fungal problems,” says Conradie. “We also have more clay soils here than in Cape Town. Roses have a shallow root system and clay soils tend to retain water and are therefore better for roses than sandy soils,” he says.

Top roses

A horticultural legend in the region, Conradie’s personal rose garden is filled with 500 roses.

“Roses need lots of water and mulching and, in our area, water comes from boreholes and the Breede River.

“My roses do lose colour during the heat of January and February, but the colours of the autumn blooms are spectacular,” he says.

Conradie grows more floribunda roses (such as Iceberg) than any other type of rose, but from a personal point of view, his favourite garden roses are hybrid teas.

If you are a beginner gardener or would like too grow roses, consider Conradie’s list of top roses for local gardens:

* Hybrid teas: Just Joey (apricot), Ingrid Bergman (red), Vera Johns (salmon orange), Rina Hugo (magenta pink), Golden Monica (deep yellow), Black Madonna (velvet red), Papa Meilland (dark red), Angela Lansbury (coral), Duet (pink), Tineke (white).

* Floribunda roses: Simplicity (pink), Burgundy Iceberg (deep burgundy), Little Red Hedge (carmine red) and South Africa (unfading golden yellow), a now classic floribunda which was launched in 1996.

Tips for roses

October is the month for roses. If you would like a fabulous rose garden this summer, or are planning on entering a bloom in the Montagu Rose Show, now is the time to give your roses extra special care.

Here are a few tips on how to grow the best roses:

* The amount of leaves on a rose bush determines its health, as well as how many subsequent flowering flushes it will bear during the summer. Many people who complain that roses flower well only once a year are picking too many blooms after the first flush.

* Even if your hybrid teas are a mass of blooms, only ever cut about 50 percent of the pickable stems. Any more reduces the leaf mass, putting strain on the roots, and reducing the health of the bush.

* If two stems are close together, cut the shorter stem. This will ensure you lose fewer leaves.

* In the Western Cape, roses need to be mulched, mulched and mulched.

* Water roses in the morning, as they need at least two hours to dry. To prevent fungal diseases setting in, roses must never have any dampness on their leaves at night.

* Water your roses twice a week, making sure they receive a minimum of 10 litres per bush in twice-weekly watering during dry weather. Fertilise regularly and water in well.

Show roses

Anyone with outstanding rose blooms in their garden can enter the Montagu Rose Show (entry fee R15 for one to six single roses). Roses need to be at the NGK Hall before 9am on Thursday, October 20. The show is open to the public on Thursday, October 20 (2pm-4pm), Friday October 21 (9am-4pm) and Saturday October 22 (9am-4pm). Venue: NGK Hall, Montagu. Contact Marion at 079 968 8700 or Nelda at 083 303 9400.

The Rugby World Cup final takes place at 10am on Sunday, October 23. Watch the rugby on big screens set up at Montagu hotels and farmstalls on the day or wander through a new arts and crafts meander that takes you between galleries, both private and public.

Revel in the famous Joubert House indigenous herb garden, enjoy the beautiful gardens on Main Road, see crafters making oak furniture out of recycled wine barrels or listen to live music in a local restaurants.

A map of open gardens will be available from the Montagu Tourism Office and online at http://www.montagu-ashton.info or http://www.montagu.org.za Call: 023 614 2728. Facebook: Montagu Rose Festival. – Weekend Argus

For details of all our current roses, see our extensive web site.

Over 1000 varieties to choose from

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 22, 2011 at 7:56 am  Leave a Comment  
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ROSE OF THE WEEK

One of the most common requests we have is to suggest climbing roses that will grow on a North wall .  Over the next few weeks we will highlight all  the climbers we have  that will  tolerate a Northern aspect.

However you have to accept a simple golden rule.

“More sun. More flowers”

THE PILGRIM

(Rose Of The Week)

 English Rose. David Austin.
1991.  3ft-5ft
The Pilgrim has some of the most perfectly formed blooms.  They are quite large, shallowly cupped, and rosette shaped, the colour is a medium yellow, paling towards the edges giving a softness of colour which is rare among yellow roses.
The fragrance is a delicious mix of the classic Tea scent and the English myrrh scent.
A very healthy and reliable rose.
Equally excellent when kept pruned as a relatively upright but bushy shrub or trained as a climber which should reach around 8ft or more and can also cope with a North wall.

VEILCHENBLAU

Rambling Rose.
1909.   15ft.

A very popular vigorous rambler which is almost thornless.
Pretty blooms of violet streaked with white fading to grey in large  clusters and show prominent yellow stamens.
A lovely sight in full bloom in the summer and flowers a little earlier than most ramblers.
Pale green pointed foliage which is fairly disease free.
Very useful as it will also grow on a North wall or up through a tree.
This is the best known of the three similar violet-purple ramblers, the others being ‘Rose Marie Viaud’ and ‘Violette’.
Scented.

Also known as  ‘Blue Rambler’   ‘Blue Rosalie’  &  ‘Violet Blue’

Royal Horticultural Society Award Of Garden Merit 1993.

ZEPHERINE DROUHIN
(The Thornless Rose)
Climbing Rose. 1868.   10ft.

Lovely blooms of cerise- pink with a white base.
A famous old favourite which is very free flowering over a long period.
Can also be grown as shrub.
One of the very few completely thornless roses available.
A vigorous rose which is easy to grow  and can make a good hedge.
A very useful rose as it can also grow on a North wall, will cope with shade and poor soil.
Lovely perfume.

Also known as ‘Thornless Rose’

Royal Horticultural Society Award Of Garden Merit 1993

SIMILAR ALMOST THORNLESS ROSES.
Climbers & Ramblers.
A Shropshire Lad.   Bleu Magenta. James Galway.     Kathleen Harrop.   Mortimer Sackler.   Rose Marie Viaud.   Veilchenblau.   Violette.
Shrubs. Most Gallica Roses.    Reine de Violettes.   Sophie’s Perpetual.
Some English Roses
A Shropshire Lad.   James Galway.   Goldfinch.   Kew Gardens.   Mortimer Sackler.   Tea Clipper.

For further information , see ‘What Rose Where’ on our web site

Details of all our roses are available on our web site.

Over 1000 varieties of roses to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 16, 2011 at 6:42 pm  Leave a Comment  
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ROSE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

AUSTRALIA

NO MORE BLACK SPOT !!!

ROSE growers John and Sylvia Gray MAY have discovered the holy grail of rose breeding – a repeat flowering shrub for gardens all around the world which never gets black spot.

Brindabella Country Gardens owners Mr and Mrs Gray’s “Brindabella Pink Bouquet”, not only looks great but smells amazing, but also is a generational change in rose genetics and is set to change the way roses are grown around the world.

Mr Gray said the rose ticked all the boxes.

“It is repeat flowering every seven weeks, has strongly perfumed flowers, is a lovely rounded shape and never suffers from black spot or mildew,” he said.

The rose has been issued a Plant Patent by the US Patents and Trademarks Office and has been accepted into the US Earth Kind Rose Trials Program which identifies rose varieties which are of low maintenance requirement and recommended as superior roses for home gardeners around the world.

“We would like to see it tested in our damp climate before passing judgement.”
Country Garden Roses.

Over 1000 varieties of roses to choose from.

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

Published in: on October 16, 2011 at 11:27 am  Leave a Comment  
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