Pacific Rose Bowl: Roses galore at Hamilton Gardens

New Zealand rose breeder Dr Sam McGredy with New Zealand Rose of the Year officials and trophies at an earlier event. Photos / Hayden Foulds

The four-day annual Pacific Rose Bowl Festival is on from November 9 to 12 at the Rogers Rose Garden at Hamilton Gardens.

Every year the best new roses from around the world are entered into the New Zealand Rose of the Year Trial.

The festival is unique in that public votes decide the winners of the trials. The general public decide the winners of all categories by voting for their favourite five roses. A tally of all votes in eight categories decides the winners.

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.

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 a 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. There are four trials beds in the Rogers Rose Garden.

There are also two beds of past winners. One new voting category has been added this year - Best Shrub Rose. The others are: New Zealand Rose of the Year, Best New Zealand Raised Rose, Best Hybrid Tea Rose, Best Floribunda Rose, Best Climbing Rose, Most Fragrant Rose, Children's Choice Award.

Children have a special voting card. A Children's Rose Programme allows primary-aged children do a horticulture based EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) programme.

Trustees and Rosarians work with the children in their schools and onsite in the Hamilton Gardens to teach them about growing, caring, cutting and showing roses.

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

Entry is free and the festival will include local music and drama performances on the Saturday, with prizegiving at about 2pm on the Sunday.

Waikato Spring Rose Show

While at the Pacific Rose Bowl Festival on the Saturday or Sunday, you can also visit the Dalton's Waikato Spring Rose Show in the Hamilton Gardens Pavilion.

As well as roses, you will find floral arrangements, trade stalls and friendly rosarians who will be happy to discuss roses and answer questions.

There is a door charge of $5, Gold Card holders $2.50. Children under 16 free with an adult.