Country Garden Roses Blog

New Rose Garden at RHS Garden Wisley

Peace

WELL WORTH A VISIT

New Rose Garden at RHS Garden Wisley

Planting is underway at RHS Garden Wisley for the new Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden, sponsored by Witan Investment Trust. Featuring over 4000 roses and 5000 herbaceous plants, the garden will be open to the public this summer.Designed by RHS Chelsea gold medal winning designer Robert Myers, the garden is composed of a series of gentle terraces that step down from the Bowes Lyon Pavilion. A river of roses runs round circular lawns. The planting plan was created by RHS Wisley staff with help from Michael Marriott of David Austin Roses and includes drifts of herbaceous plants, including Verbascum, Verbena and Digitalis.Over 150 varieties of rose will feature in the garden, showcasing the full range of rose types available to modern gardeners, from true old roses, hybrid musks, English roses and floribunda, through to species roses which are rarely seen in a garden setting. The colours of the garden will run from hot to cold and back again, and the roses will create an impressive mix of scents.Rose highlights include:
 R. spinosissima is a species rose. It is§ native to Scotland and normally found on coastal sand dunes, and produces black hips in autumn. Buttercup (‘Ausband’) is a rich, yellow English rose with an impressive§ scent of cocoa powder Peace (‘Madame A. Meiland’) is described by some as the finest Hybrid Tea§ ever raised, and is one of the most famous and successful garden roses of all time. Several rose cultivars in the Garden have been awarded the title of Rose of§ the Year, including Super Trouper (‘Fryleyeca’) (2010), Tickled Pink (‘Fryhunky’) (2007), Champagne Moments (‘Korvanaber’) (2006) and Rhapsody in Blue (‘Frantasia’) (2003)Unusually, many of the roses will be planted in groups, just 50cm apart to grow up in large blocks of colour and variety, and will be grown and pruned as one rose. The roses are also planted with mycorrhizal fungi to promote strong root growth, and with the graft union flush with the soil level in line with current planting techniques.
The mycorrhizal fungi  (Root Grow is available from the Plant Centre.Colin Crosbie, Curator of RHS Garden Wisley, says: “The new rose garden will be a fantastic addition to RHS Wisley. We have chosen some wonderful varieties to demonstrate to visitors how roses can be used to create a real spectacle, with all types of roses, colours and scents.”
 Member late night evening in the Bowes Lyon Rose Garden, Thursday 14 July

Summertime sees the completion of our new Bowes Lyon Rose Garden which is awash with colour and fragrance from more than 400 different rose varieties. The rose planting has also been complemented by herbaceous borders that add depth of colour and diversity of texture to this inspiring garden. As part of the celebrations on the 14 July we have a pre-bookable celebration evening which includes:

• Tours of the Bowes Lyon Rose Garden with RHS Garden Wisley Gardeners.
• Glass of wine or soft drink on arrival.
• Enjoy listening to the background music of the Dovetail String Quartet.
• Call 0845 612 1253 to book.

Tickets £6 each (Members and Member Guests Only). Arrival 6.30pm; departure 8pm.

Buttercup

Rosa Spinosissima

Super Trouper

Tickled Pink

Champagne Moment

Rhapsody In Blue.

Full details on all our roses are available on our web site.

 

www.countrygardenroses.co.uk

 

 

AWARD OF GARDEN EXCELLENCE.

There are many wonderful Rose Gardens around the world, but some are truly exceptional from a historical, educational and/or visual point of view.   Beginning in 1995, The World Federation of Rose Society’s has recognised the best of these outstanding rose gardens with its Award Of Excellence.  Below is just one of many gardens around the world, plus the date that they received the Award Of Excellence.

THE ROSE GARDEN AT THE MONTREAL BOTANICAL GARDEN 

Awarded in 2003

Montreal Botanical Gardens
4101 rue Sherbrooke Est
Montreal
Quebec
Canada
H1X  2B2

Web Site www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin/en/jardin_virtuel/jardins/roseraie.htm

The thing that strikes you most about the Montreal Botanical Garden is the sheer size of the place, it is huge.   The site covers around 75 hectares, which is roughly the size of 168 football fields.  It is located in Olympic Park which was the site of the 1976 Olympics and is one of the largest Botanical Gardens in the world.
The Garden was the brainchild of Brother Marie-Victorin and was built back in the 1930s  when Quebec was in the grip of one of the worst recessions in history.   Thousands of people were out of work at the time so the then Mayor took them off the dole queue and paid them to build the Garden.    Brother Marie-Victorin was assisted in building his dream by the renowned horticulturist and botanist Henry Teuscher .    Their dedication and hard work  was also supported by an army of botanists  and helpers who brought the Garden to life.

The Garden has grown over the years and now contains over 22,000 species of plants, a massive arboretum, 10 greenhouses, and around 30 different themed gardens including the magnificent Rose Garden.
The Rose Garden was added and opened 1976 and became one of the first rose gardens outside Europe to be given the prestigious ‘Award Of Garden Excellence’

The Rose Garden is now the home to nearly 10,000 roses which include over 1000 varieties from around the world.    The garden differs from traditional rose gardens and is laid out in a very informal way.  Visitors approach the garden along winding paths, which  meander between superb shrubs and trees and a number of attractive ponds and fountains, which give the garden a large country park feel.    Now and again you come across arches and pergolas which are covered in stunning ramblers or climbing roses.   There are over 100 rose beds throughout the garden laid out in about 2.5 hectares.   The massive array of roses include nearly 160 varieties of wild roses, around 500 shrub roses which include special varieties developed by Agricultural Canada to suit the harsh winter conditions.   Over 200 non hardy species of Hybrid Teas and Floribundas.    The whole setting is quite stunning, and with so many perfumed roses on display the air is filled with exquisite fragrances.
 An interesting addition in the winter is the arrival of huge thermal blankets which are placed over the rose beds containing the frost tender roses which are not happy in the harsh winter conditions.

The garden also houses two works of art.  The entrance to the garden is guarded by a magnificent bronze statue entitled “The Lion”  which was presented by the City of Lyon to Montreal in 1992.    The second statue is another bronze entitled “The First Jewels”  which  is a statue of a young girl holding a necklace in her hands.  The original necklace was stolen long ago but the artists husband  supplied a photo which allowed the City to replace it.    The artist was the late Romanian born Alice Winant who was a concentration camp survivor.  Her husband gave the statue to the City Of Montreal as a gift.
A truly remarkable place and well worth a visit taking in the whole project, not just the Rose Garden.

For more information and opening times, please see their web site.

AWARD OF GARDEN EXCELLENCE.

There are many wonderful Rose Gardens around the world, but some are truly exceptional from a historical, educational and/or visual point of view.   Beginning in 1995, The World Federation of Rose Society’s has recognised the best of these outstanding rose gardens with its Award Of Excellence.  Below is just one of many gardens around the world, plus the date that they received the Award Of Excellence.

VICTORIA STATE ROSE GARDEN
Awarded in 2003

K Road.
Werribee.
Melbourne.
Victoria.
Australia. 3030

E Mail.  bookingswerribee@parks.vic.gov.au

Web Site.  www.parkweb.vic.gov.au

Victoria is situated in the South Eastern corner of Australia and  is known as ‘The Garden State’.      Back in the 1970s it was suggested that the area would be the perfect situation to create a Public Rose Garden.   In 1980 approval was given, and the garden was finally opened in 1986.

The site chosen was in the grounds of the superbly restored 1870s  Italianate Mansion  in  Warribee Park,  Warribee.    The Mansion already had lavishly laid out formal gardens, so the introduction of a Rose Garden has made the Park an amazing attraction for anyone with an interest in horticulture.

The Rose Garden is now the largest public Rose Garden in Australia and contains over 6000 roses,  and this superb  garden is split into four uniquely designed areas.   

The main design is laid out in the shape of a Tudor Rose.   This bed displays thousands of modern roses from all over the world and contains Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Ramblers and Climbers which festoon over Arches & Tripods plus colourful avenues of Standards and  Weeping Standards.

The Heritage Rose Border  is along two sides of the garden and is an incredible 400 mtrs long.  This outstanding feature contains over 250 varieties of beautiful Old Species Roses and Historical Roses from  around the world.

The Federation Leaf bed showcases only roses which have been bred in Australia, and our own David Austin is representing the UK with over 50 varieties of his beautiful English Roses.

The roses are in bloom from October to May but are best viewed between November and April.
The Rose Garden is managed as a Public Park but has over 100 volunteer workers who keep the roses in tip top condition.

The whole amazing spectacle has a back drop of the historic Warribee Park Mansion which now house a Hotel and Conference Centre.      In addition to the Rose Garden and Public Gardens Warribee Park also contains a  National Equestrian Centre, an Open Range Zoo, a Winery and Vinyard and Farm.       Entry to the Rose Garden is Free, but there are charges for some of the other attractions.

Given the Award Of Garden Excellence in 2003

What A Day Out.

AWARD OF GARDEN EXCELLENCE.

There are many wonderful Rose Gardens around the world, but some are truly exceptional from a historical, educational and/or visual point of view.   Beginning in 1995, The World Federation of Rose Society’s has recognised the best of these outstanding rose gardens with its Award Of Excellence.  Below is just one of many gardens around the world, plus the date that they received the Award Of Excellence.

MORWELL CENTENARY ROSE GARDEN
Awarded in 2009

Norman Sharpe Reserve.
Commercial Road.                                                                                              
Morwell.
Victoria.
Australia.

E.Mail. info@morwellrosegarden.com.au

Web Site.  www.morwellrosegarden.com.au

This amazing rose garden was built on the site of a disused former railway cutting, and is a great example of what can be achieved by local rose enthusiasts, local businesses and organisations when they all co-operate.

The site was made available by the local Council in 1991, and was constructed over the next year or so  and opened in 1992 to commemorate the centenary of Morwell town.   The work was carried out by many keen volunteers, with help from local businesses, the Council and various organisations who all gave their time and expertise free of charge.  They managed to get a small annual grant from the City Council but the majority of the costs have been covered by the local community.    The Rose Society Of Victoria have been particularly supportive, as has their former President Barry Johnson who laid out the original design of the garden.   However the most important contribution to the project has been the continuing support and labour of the ‘Friends Of The Garden’ group.    The City Council also provide a maintenance team who are responsible for lawn maintenance, weeding and spraying, but the rest of the work is carried out by the ‘Friends Of The Garden’ group who also give their time in fund raising and promotional activities etc.    The rose garden would not have been possible without all this combined effort, but particular thanks must go to the rose breeders and suppliers whose expertise and donations have been greatly appreciated.

The site covers about 4 acres and now has over 100 beds which contain over 4000 roses from a selection of just under 300 varieties.    Every conceivable type of rose has been planted and many countries are represented with a great show of English Roses from David Austin in the UK,  a perfumed garden of Shrubs and Climbers from Delbard in France and many varieties and types bred by Australian and New Zealand Rose breeders.

The garden also features quite a few significant structures built to compliment the roses.   A central gazebo summer house supports several climbing  Pierre de Ronsard roses  and are under planted with stunning white Iceberg floribunda roses.     The gazebo is surrounded by large beds with mass plantings of roses, and also contain central towers and decorative climbing frames, a pergola, several tunnel archways, plus a magnificent tubular arbour.    

The show does not stop there.  Even the adjacent roads and traffic islands are covered in massed plantings of roses, including great shows of Tequila Sunrise, Flower Carpet Gold, Europeana and Rosy Carpet.    To provide additional colour in the garden throughout the year there are many established and exotic trees, plus mass plantings of spring bulbs, camellias, azaleas, annuals and perennials etc.   The site is also well used by the community for weddings, family reunions, remembrance ceremonies and music recitals etc.

The Morwell Centenary Rose Garden is a source of immense pride to the locals, and is promoted as an outstanding example of what can be achieved with co-operation, hard work, and determination.

Given the Award Of Garden Excellence in 2009.

Chiswell Green
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL2  3NR
England
Tel. 01727 850 461
        0845 833 4344
Fax. 01727 850 360
Web.  www.rnrs.org.uk
E Mail. mail@rnrs.org.uk

Opened by the Royal National Rose Society.

The gardens were officially opened by renowned garden expert Peter Seabrook in June 2007. 

The gardens contain over 2000 varieties roses and the displays of over 8000 roses  have been described as “A veritable living dictionary of roses”. 

Garden highlights include:

A rose collection, showing the history of the rose.
Roses in a garden setting showing different styles of planting.
A series of small modern gardens to give inspiration for growing roses in small spaces
The newly re-planted Queen Mother garden which contains many of her favourites which she grew in her own rose garden.
A striking feature in the garden is the steel pergola which is over 200 metres in length. There are over 70 arches in the pergola and each  of the arches is planted with a different pair of  roses plus other climbing plants.
The garden also houses the National Collection Of Roses.

Tea Room.   Wheel Chair Friendly.  Dogs allowed on leads.

Please visit their web site for opening times and details in 2010.

If you would like us to feature your Rose Garden or Rose Show please supply details by e mail.