New Zealand Rose of the Year: Best Wishes winner all round

The 2017 New Zealand Rose of the Year - Best Wishes - is shown off by gardener at the Rogers Rose Garden, Daniel Smith.

The 2017 New Zealand Rose of the Year Trial winner was also the favourite with the youngsters, winning the votes as Children's Choice Award.

The bright yellow beauty was bred by Colin Dickson of Northern Ireland and entered in the competition by Matthews Nurseries.

The four-day annual Pacific Rose Bowl Festival at the Rogers Rose Garden at Hamilton Gardens concluded last weekend with naming of the best roses in eight categories.

The Children's Choice was presented by Mia Beale, granddaughter of long-time head gardener Alice Gwilliam.

The festival is unique in that public votes decide the winners.

Festival director Emma Reynolds says with mostly good weather for the festival there were almost double the number of visitors and voters as the previous year.

Visitors voted for their top five blooms from more than 80 roses entered this year. All are still on display and Rogers Rose Garden gardner Daniel Smith encourages people to come and enjoy the roses.

The Rosehill Perpetual Challenge Award Trophy for the best hybrid tea rose went to St Margaret's Gold bred by Tantau of Germany. The trophy was presented by Hamilton West MP Tim Macindoe and accepted on behalf of Tantau by Pacific Rose Bowl Festival director Emma Reynolds. Photo / Peter Tiffany

He says that because of changing weather it is difficult to time the festival for exactly when the roses are at their best and says they are only going to get better in coming days. There are four trials beds in the Rose Garden plus two beds of past winners.

Details collected from voters showed visitors came from just about all areas of New Zealand and from other countries including Tahiti, Malaysia, Philippines, Netherlands, France, Germany, Sweden, Canada, India and Singapore.

The Pacific Rose Bowl awarded to the New Zealand Rose of the Year is held by (from left) Clodagh McGredy Leigh, Maria McGredy Winder and Kathryn McGredy. Photo / Peter Tiffany

Unlike most other rose competitions around the world which are judged by experts, the New Zealand Rose of the Year has been judged by the public since 2004.

The Pacific Rose Bowl Festival takes place under the Pacific Accord of Friendship.

Legendary New Zealand rose breeder Dr Sam McGredy initiated the friendship affiliation with the common objective of promoting roses worldwide. The festival is named after the trophy awarded to the winner of the New Zealand Rose of the Year Trials.

The accord includes trial gardens in Adelaide, Australia, Rose Hills, California and Gifu, Japan. Representatives from these gardens regularly attend each other's events and are committed to promoting roses around the world.

The trophy for Best Shrub Rose was accepted by PRFT trustee Rob Somerfield of Glenavon Roses, Te Puna. Photo / Peter Tiffany

Every year the best new roses from around the world are entered into the New Zealand Rose of the Year Trial. Each rose is entered by an RINZ (Rose Introducers of New Zealand Ltd) representative on behalf of the breeder. To be eligible for judging a rose must be available for sale to the public.

Visitors pick their five favourite roses from more than 80 blooms at The Pacific Rose Bowl Festival at the Rogers Rose Garden. Photo / Peter Tiffany

Each day of the festival, voters were in to win a spot prize of the 2016 NZ Rose of the Year, Christchurch Remembers.

The winners were: Patrick Armstrong, Melville; Emma Shaw, Fairview Down; Teresa Lam, Lower Hutt; Pauline Way, Forest Lake Gardens.