A man on the hunt for heritage roses is coming to Wanganui later this month.
He is Murray Radka, and has a collection of more than 1000 old roses at his Central Otago property. He will speak to members of Wanganui, Manawatu and Taranaki heritage rose groups on April 30, at Jennie Chillingworth's Papaiti property.
While in the area he will also look for rare heritage roses.
Mr Radka is one of a team of four who began a project to register and save what remains of the country's heritage roses in 2010. They are looking for rare roses that are no longer commercially available.
They record them, take bud wood where possible and have them propagated by a commercial grower to make them available to Heritage Roses members and the public.
Anyone who thinks they may have such roses can ring Mrs Chillingworth on 06 342 5848 or email her on mandjchill@inspire.net.nz.