9 Jul 2018

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Rose gardens at Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens have scooped the supreme award at an international rose convention in Denmark.

The Botanic Gardens’ modern rose garden and heritage rose garden were awarded the World Federation of Rose Societies’ Award of Garden Excellence at a ceremony in Copenhagen last week.

The rose gardens were nominated for the coveted award by the New Zealand Rose Society which, as a member of the Federation, is allowed to put forward one nomination every three years.

“We were thrilled when the New Zealand Rose Society approached us and told us they wanted to nominate our rose gardens for this international award,’’ says Christchurch City Council Head of Parks Andrew Rutledge.

“The rose gardens are a treasured feature of the Botanic Gardens and a lot of work goes into tending them. To have the rose gardens recognised for their quality by the Federation of Rose Societies’ is a great achievement and will add to the Botanic Gardens’ international reputation,’’ Mr Rutledge says.

“Both the New Zealand Rose Society and the team at the Botanic Gardens put a lot of work into the nomination and we could not have asked for a better result.’’

New Zealand Rose Society Vice-President Hayden Foulds says he is delighted the Botanic Garden’s rose gardens have received international recognition.

Mr Foulds is based in the Manawatu but he has visited the rose gardens on a number of occasions and says they are “absolutely wonderful’’.

“I loved the modern rose garden but I was absolutely blown away by the heritage rose garden,’’ Mr Foulds says.

“Visitors to the Gardens are fortunate they can visit both the rose gardens and get to see such a spectacular variety of roses on display.’’

The Botanic Gardens’ heritage rose garden is located near the Band Rotunda while the modern rose garden is on the opposite side of the Avon River, behind Canterbury Museum.