Roses, roses everywhere
TAKING CENTRE-STAGE: GROWERS SHOW NEW BLOOMS The place to see the most roses in the greatest possible variety is at the Spring Rose Festival.
his year’s festival theme is “Blooming Mandala”, and thousands of fresh roses from Ludwig’s Roses’ rose fields have been used in the exotic and intricately designed displays carpeting the floor and walls of the Rose barn.
The circular mandala symbolises unity and harmony, and it marries perfectly with the rose which also stands for universal peace and love, says Anja Taschner, who turned to the mandala for her design inspiration.
Linking in with the theme, floral communicator Jill Manson will lead a free flower meditation tomorrow at 11am. Jill is wellknown for her flower communication and healing workshops that take participants on a journey of self-discovery using the colour, beauty and healing essence of flowers.
For the children there will be Pixi rose planting, colouring in and quizzes, with prizes. Another family activity is the popular tractor train ride through the rose fields or a walk along the Rose Mile (sturdy shoes and hat required) followed by lunch or liquid refreshments at “Spiced Coffee” restaurant which features a spring festival menu. Cut roses for sale are picked on a daily basis.
It is also tradition for Ludwig to unveil his new roses at the Spring Rose Festival. These five stand out for their flower power:
“Lioness GrandiRosa” is a new category of rose – an extremely strong-growing and disease-resistant rose. This spire rose grows up to 3m, with strong stems sprouting continuously from all levels to produce massive clusters of big, fragrant blooms in the tawny colouring of a lioness.
“Flower Power Panarosa” is a large shrub rose that re-sprouts short flowering stems from the old wood. Its pink blooms are overlaid by deep salmon and a yellow base to each of the 80 petals.
“Thank You” is a Fairytale shrub rose that produces colossal candelabras of up to 30 fairly big, full blooms.
“McHardy” is a compact, chest-high Antico Moderno rose producing huge, full-petalled fashioned rose blooms displaying a blend of orange and deep apricot colour. It is a superb garden cut rose.
“Ice Sunsation” is a groundcover rose that spreads widely and willingly re-sprouts with full white blooms.