New varieties added to Te Awamutu Rose Gardens

Te Awamutu Rose Society president (in pink top) adds fertiliser to the plot for a new bed of Truly Special roses being planted by council staff at Te Awamutu's Rose Gardens. Photo / Dean Taylor

Waipā District Council parks and garden staff took advantage of a break in the wet weather to get two new varieties of roses planted in Te Awamutu Rose Gardens.

The gardens are a feature of the Rosetown, but two of the older varieties - Aorangi and Pascali - weren’t thriving.

They were replaced with the yellow flowering Pride of Palmy and salmon coloured Truly Special this morning.

Checking out the planting, and ready to give a hand if needed, were Te Awamutu Rose Society president Diana Jones and members Laurel Smith and Linnie Osborne-Jones.

Two Te Awamutu Rose Gardens rose beds were replanted today with Truly Special and Pride of Palmy in preparation for the new season. Photo / Dean Taylor

Pride of Palmy and Truly Special are proven new breeds from Glenavon Roses in the Bay of Plenty.

Owner and breeder Rob Somerfield has a long association with Te Awamutu and provided the plants for the new beds at a considerable discount.

Both new roses were released in 2020.

Pride of Palmy and Truly Special roses bred by Rob Somerfield of Glenavon Roses.

Pride of Palmy was named to celebrate the 50th year of the Palmerston North International Rose Trial Grounds. They were opened in 1969 - the same year Te Awamutu Rose Gardens opened.

Truly Special was named by Rob to celebrate his parents’ 60th diamond wedding.