Rose tour to reassure

8 August 2017

Waipa District Council staff will offer a walking tour of the Te Awamutu rose gardens next week to show people exactly what changes are underway.

The council has begun moving a small number of roses in the gardens to help accommodate a children's playground and bike skills park planned for the site. But that's caused angst in the community from people fearful the gardens are being pulled out and destroyed.

Community facilities manager Bruce Airey said claims the gardens are being wrecked are not true.

There's some misinformation out there but the fact is there are currently 1,338 roses in the gardens and we are moving just 248 of them. Of those, we'll be replanting 198 roses in brand new beds, he said.

So all up, around 50 rose bushes from a total of more than 1,300 will be going from the gardens. And those 50 rose plants will remain in Te Awamutu and will be planted in public gardens around the town.

In addition Bruce said 15 new rose bushes were being planted to replace roses that were either diseased or showing signs of ill-health. They will be replaced by a cultivar called the Te Awamutu Centennial' bred by well-known Te Awamutu rose breeder, Paddy Stephens.

The Te Awamutu Rose Trust have confirmed they're happy for this to happen.

The tour simply aims to reassure people, Airey said. Council staff look after the rose gardens on behalf of the community and we're just as passionate about them as anyone else.

Those keen on the walking tour should meet at the Te Awamutu i-Site on Wednesday 16 August at 3pm.

For more information, contact: Simone van Asbeck 027 564 7622