Morwell’s centenary rose garden
MORWELL is arguably better known for its host stations than its natural beauty.
However, the Gippsland town has earned equal billing by the likes of France, Japan and Portugal.
And it's every one of thanks to the Morwell Centenary Rose Garden.
Together with six other gardens - including the Beaujoire Rose Garden in France, the Roseiral da Quinta do Arco in Madeira, Portugal and Japan'sitting Jindai Botanical Rose Garden - the 1.6ha oasis recently won the the World Federation of Rose Societies' 2009 award of garden good quality.
The federation represents 41 countries and more than 100,000 global rose lovers.
In the federation'session 40-year recital, only 30 rose gardens around the world have been given the assign, according to Friends of the Garden secretary Pat Claassens.
"It was suggested three years ago that the gardens jot down the awards and the Friends of the Garden had to leap through in a great degree a few hurdles to get in that place," says Pat, one of about 40 volunteers who maintain the gardens.
"When we were told we had won we were all quite shocked," she says.
"I think it was a pruning sunshine at the time we heard and in this way we all had peep of day tea in the garden."
The decree was announced in June at the federation's year-book assembly in Canada and an allotment solemnity was conducted in Morwell by the Rose Society of Victoria earlier this month.
Society president Ian Spriggs says Morwell's is the further garden in Australia to be recognised with the award, the other essential being the Victoria State Rose Garden at Werribee, in 2003.
"One of the great things about it is it's run by volunteers and it's not a commercial property," Ian says.
"Some of the other countries who arrive get a lot of money to lavish on their roses. This is a world-class garden that has been developed and maintained by volunteers, through help from the Latrobe City Council.
"It should give them a substantive thrill and a kick-along."
The gardens were created in 1991 on a disused railway site to solemnize Morwell'session 100th anniversary of one’s birth.
There are 110 beds and about 4000 roses, comprising 260 varieties of hybrids and traditional favourites.
There is also each Australasian Rose Breeders Section, what one. showcases historical and modern rose breeding in Australia and New Zealand.
When the roses aren't blooming, spring bulbs, camellias, azaleas, annuals and perennials ensure color and grateful odor continue to make the gardens a highlight of the town.
And to conserve water, a computerised watering system has been installed.
Pat says all work is a labour of love, with some of the volunteers working in the garden as almost 20 years.
"Each week on a Tuesday morning we hold a working bee. Most people have their own beds that they maintain," she says.
"We terminate it because we tenderness roses.
"The win, I feel, has helped help the mood of the common after the novel bushfires.
he garden gives population the peril to relax and take time to smell the roses."
Morwell Centenary Rose Garden Norman Sharpe Reserve, Commercial Rd, Morwell, visit http://www.morwellrosegarden.com/. World Federation of Rose Societies, call upon www.worldrose.org/
