WITH 160 cubic metres of mulch to spread on the newly planted roses at Armidale’s historic Saumarez Homestead, the Heritage Rose Garden committee was more than delighted to accept an offer of help from local MP Adam Marshall.
And although the Member for Northern Tablelands is more than capable of shovelling mulch, it wasn’t his own muscle-power he was offering but the help of two members of the Robb College Hockey team, Alex Long and Tillia Withers.
In a fund-raising auction run by the hockey club last month, Mr Marshall paid $300 for the girls to do four hours of work for a cause of his choosing.
Saumarez Homestead property manager Les Davis was delighted to get the extra help from the university students and grateful Mr Marshall had requested the girls work in the garden.
Veteran rose collector and former PLC Armidale Principal Catherine MacLean recently donated more than a 1000 roses to Saumarez, which are being planted on the site of the homestead’s old orchard.
“Miss MacLean is no longer able to care for the roses and she had thought they would probably be bulldozed away,” Mr Davis said.
“So when the Australian Garden Heritage Society (AGHS) approached us about creating a special garden for the collection, we realized there was great potential to add another wonderful feature to Saumarez.
“This is an amazing collection which graphically illustrates the history of the rose over the centuries,” Mr Davis said.
“The local AGHS members and botanist, Ian Telford planned the site with the beds designed to showcase the various kinds of roses in Miss MacLean extensive collection.
“A smaller group of AGHS members known as Miss MacLean’s Rosebuds, have had the task of confirming identification of the roses and prepare them to be moved,” he said.
There are several dozen roses now in place at Saumarez but the mild winter conditions called an early halt to the replanting.
“The roses began shooting early so we’ve had to postpone any further transfers till next year,” Mr Davis said.
“It is hoped that the Saumarez rose garden will become part of a rose trail, including Parramatta, the Hunter Valley Gardens and the Toowoomba state rose garden.”
