Coming up roses

This large stem of ‘‘My Mum’’ was judged the champion of champion large rose at the national show in Timaru. It was entered by Pauline O’Leary, of South Canterbury. Photos: Dave Cannan

Following the national rose show in Timaru last week, the rosy theme continues in Otago this weekend. Dave Cannan reports.

Last weekend we saw how the "experts" did it.

Now it is time for the rest of us to try our luck.

Sheree Gare, of Waikato Rose Society, won the champion miniature display vase trophy for this arrangement of six different cultivars — ‘‘Little Jackie’’, ‘‘Luis Desamero’’, ‘‘Forshaw’’, ‘‘Bobby Jack’’, ‘‘Irresistible’’ and ‘‘Bendella Pearl’’.

The North Otago and Otago rose societies are holding their annual shows today and tomorrow, in Oamaru and Dunedin respectively.

The champion fully open large rose was ‘‘Solitaire’’, entered by Michael and Marian Brown, North Canterbury.

All this week members of both societies will have been studying their schedules and wandering through their rose gardens, searching for likely blooms to enter in the various sections — keeping a close eye on the weather as well.

Rain (and wind) are not wanted.

Val Clarke, of Oamaru, entered this arrangement of ‘‘Fantin Latour’’ and ‘‘Duchess de Montebello’’ to win the champion display vase section.

Several prospective exhibitors trekked to Caroline Bay, in Timaru, last weekend to see for themselves how the cream of New Zealand rose show exponents went about their craft at the national show.

Admittedly, the visiting northerners were at a disadvantage, having to pick their prized roses so much earlier and then bring them south.

Northland’s Violet Forshaw won the champion small stem trophy with this exhibit of ‘‘White Romance’’.

But such is their expertise in conditioning and caring for exhibits that there was little sign of wear and tear when the judging began in the hall.

However, it was good news for the local entrants. Despite the presence of the North Island’s "heavy hitters", several of the most coveted awards went to the South.

South Canterbury’s Pauline O’Leary produced the champion of champions exhibit with a large stem of the popular rose "My Mum", earning two challenge trophies.

North Otago’s Val Clarke upstaged some strong competition to win the champion display vase section with a stunning arrangement of the heritage roses "Fantin Latour" and "Duchess de Montebello".

And Canterbury’s Michael and Marian Brown dominated the top table with champion blooms in the exhibition ("Teresa") and fully open ("Solitaire") categories.

This left Northland’s Violet Forshaw (small stem, "White Romance") and Te Awamutu’s Diana Jones (decorative, "Joan Monica") to represent the North Island on the champions table for large roses.

This multi-tiered exhibit won the Showstopper award for Jan Walker, of the Northland society.

Diana Jones, of the Te Awamutu Rose Society, won the champion decorative award with this bloom of ‘‘Joan Monica’’.

Another North Otago member, Judith Miller, took home two trophies while South Cantabrians Daphne Rissman and Maureen Ng won several cups between them.

In the miniature rose championship section, it was a much different story with the northerners making a clean sweep of the trophies.

Both the North Otago and Otago shows this weekend are being held a week later than normal, so they didn’t clash with the national event.

This may have created a little headache for local growers/exhibitors as getting the timing right with blooms in the rose garden is crucial to success, as is the weather.

Rose shows have a long history, stretching back more than 100 years overseas. They were primarily designed as a venue for rose breeders to "show" off their latest creations to the keen gardeners and aspiring rosarians.

But these days the focus is more on societies putting on a show for the public, to celebrate the beauty of the "Queen of Flowers" with massed displays and to showcase the latest trends in roses.

The Otago society, which will mark its 75th anniversary in August next year, held its first show for the public in 1951 and has maintained that tradition ever since. Likewise for the North Otago society, which began in 1962.

For both groups the annual show is the highlight of the season, combining roses with plant sales, raffles and general conviviality. Exhibitors have done the hard yards: now all that’s needed is a good turnout from the public to make it all worthwhile.