Awards for Best Roses at Trial Gardens
MEDIA RELEASE
30 November
2011
Awards for Best Roses at Trial
Gardens
This weekend national and international
rose growers and hybridisers will converge on the New
Zealand International Rose Trial Grounds at the Esplanade
Gardens to celebrate the best roses in the world
The
awards will be presented on Sunday 4 December at 2.00pm by
Palmerston North Deputy Mayor Jim Jefferies and John Ford,
Chairman of the Trial Ground Committee.
There will be
four different categories of awards, including the June
Hocking Fragrance Award and the Nola Simpson Novelty Award.
Any winning rose bred by a New Zealand amateur breeder is
also eligible for the Silver Star of the City of Palmerston
North, but the highlight of the weekend will be the
presentation of The Gold Star of the South Pacific Award for
the top rose.
Over the past two years 50 roses have been
submitted by rose breeders from around the world. All have
been cared for by Palmerston North City Council staff at the
trial grounds.
“While many people visit and admire the
rose gardens in the Esplanade every year, not everyone
appreciates the national significance of the gardens as
trial grounds,” Palmerston North Mayor Jono Naylor said.
“PNCC is very proud of the dedication staff have shown at
maintaining the trial grounds at international
level.”
Most of the roses in the trial grounds have
never been seen before in New Zealand and represent the
latest trends in the rose industry.
“Rose breeders
worldwide are breeding roses with more flowers and improved
disease tolerance,” John Ford said. “More varieties have
fragrant blooms than ever before.”
“The awards reflect
the reputation of the City and the Victoria Esplanade
Gardens as an internationally recognised rose growing area,
particularly as the city gears up to host the World
Federation of Rose Societies Regional Convention in 2013,”
Mr Ford said.
The roses are all evaluated by a panel of 20
judges on characteristics including colour, fragrance,
health, flower form and novelty over a two year period. The
presentations will take place at the gazebo in the Dugald
Mackenzie Rose
Gardens.
ENDS