Otago Rose Society president Dave Cannan said he was lucky to have New Zealand Rose Society president Hayden Foulds announce his life membership at its 75th anniversary yesterday.
Mr Cannan has been a member of the society for 21 years and it was a humbling experience for him to have his peers acknowledge that.
"It was a total shock and I was pretty much at a loss for words, really."
Roses were a bit of a obsession for him and he was hooked on reading books about them, Mr Cannan said.
"My mother was a big rose fan.
"I inherited a love of gardening from my parents, who have both passed on, and they inherited it from their parents, so I’m just another generation of gardener in the family.
"It’s a hobby, but it’s a bit of an obsession for me."
Belonging to a rose society was about the fun its members had together.
"It’s not as fashionable as it once was but what doesn’t change is the friendships that have been made out that."
Yesterday’s celebrations involved a shared meal between 40 members and friends as well as speeches from Mr Foulds, North Otago Rose Society secretary Alison Ludemann and member Val Clarke.
