Te Awamutu Rose Gardens host international rosarians, Rose Sunday

Te Awamutu Rose Society president Anne Oliedam (right) welcomes international visitors to Te Awamutu Rose Gardens.

Te Awamutu Rose Society members are in full preparation mode for Rose Sunday this weekend after recently hosting international visitors to the Rosetown, as well as running their successful Rose Show and working on a new map of the Te Awamutu Rose Gardens.

Well-known rosarians Michael Marriot and Paul Zimmerman hosted a group of overseas visitors from the UK and USA last week, all garden enthusiasts with a common interest in roses.

Marriot is travelling from the UK and was an integral part of David Austin Roses for 35 years. Zimmerman is from the USA and has his own Roses Consulting and Design business.

International rosarians Michael Marriot (left) from the UK and Paul Zimmerman from the USA brought a visiting group of tourists to Te Awamutu Rose Gardens and were impressed by the display.

Society members welcomed the group and took them through the gardens and put on afternoon tea.

Many commented on our spectacular display and said it was a wonderful opportunity to see New Zealand-bred roses that are read about but can only be seen here in the flesh due to the strict export laws.

Sunday sees the return of the family, picnic day – Rose Sunday – at Te Awamutu Rose Gardens from 10am to 4pm.

Entertainment includes music from Te Awamutu Brass in the morning and Te Awamutu and Districts Highland Pipe Band in the afternoon, plus face painting, magical rose fairies, Cowgirls and their ukuleles and Painting in the Park by Rosebank Art Centre artists.

Te Awamutu Rose Gardens were looking outstanding for the international visitors.

There will be food and drinks from Hoops and Scoops and, in the Burchell Pavilion, the society’s Rose Cafe will be serving coffee, tea and home baking. It will also be full of gorgeous blooms and roses for sale.

Kids can come in costume to win spot prizes and there is a competition to vote for your favourite rose. Raffles will be on sale throughout and drawn at 4pm.

Dean Taylor is a community journalist with more than 35 years of experience and is editor of the Te Awamutu Courier and Waikato Herald.

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