Te Awamutu Rose Society members took heart from a reasonable public turnout for the return of Rose Garden Sunday on the weekend.
President Diana Jones says about 200 people came through Burchell Pavilion where the society had set up a display of blooms, were selling refreshments and raffles and taking votes for Favourite and Best Perfumed Rose in the Rose Gardens, Favourite and Best Perfumed Rose in the Pavilion display and Children's Favourite Rose Gardens Rose.
She says the forecast was poor, but the weather was better than expected and visitors were steady from 10am until 4pm.
Te Awamutu Rod and Custom Club visited the event as part of their first Rose Sunday Rod Run (see Driven), and were joined by members of the Zephyr and Zodiac Club, also on a rally, and later in the morning by a number of Mazda MX5 Club members enjoying a cruise.
Te Awamutu Brass provided musical entertainment in the afternoon.
The society also paid tribute to Waipā District Council garden staff for a terrific presentation of the Rose Gardens and Selwyn park under the conditions.
The public picked a tie between Royal Dane and Moody Blues for favourite Rose Gardens bloom. Memorial Day was easily the favourite perfumed rose.
Inside the pavilion, Solitaire and Sunset tied for best bloom and Red Flame was most perfumed.
The voting draws were won by the Reid family (children), Elizabeth Wright (Rose Gardens) and Pippa McKeaney (pavilion).
Shelley Lewis won the raffle.