History
With over 5000 roses, the Victoria State Rose Garden is one of the tourist gems of Victoria. Hidden behind a screen of trees from the carpark of the Mansion at Werribee Park, it occupies about two and one half hectares (about 6 acres). It was awarded the International Garden of Excellence by the World Federation Of Rose Societies in 2003, the first rose garden outside Europe to receive this Award and the only one at that time cared for by volunteers
In plan, the design presents a stylised rose, with the traditional five-petalled Tudor Rose containing beds of HT and Floribunda roses forming the largest display area at the northern end of the site. Pathways act as a rose “stem”, leading from the Tudor Rose petals, to a “leaf” and a “rosebud”
The ‘leaf’, called the Federation Leaf, was planted to commemorate the Centenary of Federation. It contains beds of Australian roses bred over the period of Federation. The “rosebud” is planted with English Roses bred by David Austin.
Around the outer edge of the Tudor Rose are planted festoons of climbing and rambling roses, interspersed with tall weeping standards. A row of standard roses and an archway of climbing roses separate each petal.
Two sides of the outer border, are planted with Old or Heritage Roses, so that visitors can see the origins of the modern rose.
A Short History
The original concept of a State Rose Garden arose when Victoria was declared The Garden State, in 1976.
After much hard work and lobbying by a few dedicated members of the National Rose Society, particularly Mr. James (Jim) Lyall Priestly OAM, it became a reality in 1986
On the 9th November 1986, the official opening of Stage One of the Victoria State Rose Garden was performed.
The opening was blessed with sunshine and a fine display by the plants now in place.
An official opening does not guarantee that work will continue. Changes of State Government and economic rationalisation left no doubt that the Rose Garden was about to be engulfed and terminated. The bulldozers were to move in.
A petition against this move resulted in many hundreds of signatures supporting the completion, but it had to be shown that there were sufficient volunteers to carry out the work involved in both the current Garden and any extension.
The Supporters work very closely with the current management of the Tourism Precinct, Parks Victoria and the staff of The Mansion at Werribee Park. The joint efforts show clearly in the standard of care and upkeep of the Garden and its surrounds.
The Heritage Border
In August 1997 it was decided to utilise the fenceline between the Mansion and the Rose Garden by creating a Heritage Border. With the help of Werribee Park staff and a grant from Parks Victoria, 44 varieties of Climbing Species and Old Roses were planted to form a hedge on the fence. In 1998 a front row of bush Heritage Roses was planted consisting of 49 varieties. Many of these were species roses with historical ties to the modern rose.
In 2000 a further 400 metres of Border was planted with Heritage Roses, This now gives Victoria one of the best collections of Heritage Roses in Australia.
The Federation Leaf
In 2000, the Supporters were successful in obtaining a grant from the Centenary of Federation to develop and plant a stylised leaf. The Federation Leaf contains 50 beds of roses bred by Australians and represents many Australian Breeders. In addition, eight climbing roses have been planted to climb the watering poles.
The Rosebud
A donation from David Austin Roses in 2000, saw the Supporters in the nice position of planting out a perfumed garden of David Austin (or English) roses in the shape of a Rosebud. Some 60 varieties, both climbing and bush, were planted and have developed quickly. The area has been paved to retain a more formal appearance.
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