We love our Roses in the Timaru District landscape. They are beautiful and smell amazing. But did you know they can be the center of our customs and tradtions, symbolic, decorative and even theme wars?

Mr Griffiths a famous rose collector and nurseryman from Arowhenua Temuka, said what attracts him to growing roses is their immense history. "Roses have been on earth for 39 million years so they have a fascinating history." Originally, roses were only indigenous to northern hemisphere countries with two-thirds of them coming from China. Now Timaru can boast growing and caring for two significant rose gardens that have been nationally and internationally recognized.

When the early pioneers arrived in Timaru, the only trees were cabbage trees and most of the plants were native grasses. Fast forward 180 years and Timaru is a totally different landscape. Garden Curators, Acclimatization Societies and Beautification Society had a large role in sourcing plants and lay the foundations for our lovely community gardens that we see today. In many ways, Timaru's collection of roses is a living museum and there are some wonderful "WuHoo's" to find.

You can see them all year round at various life cycles, and flowering from November until July.

Timaru has a fine collection of Old Roses. These are a style of rose that is bred to have a shorter flatter flower, rather than the taller tapering flower of Modern Roses. This is largely as a result of the legacy of the late Trevor Griffiths, a local rosarian, who specialized in growing and writing about old roses. He has given his name to our most significant rose garden which is located at Caroline Bay adjacent to the piazza. The Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden is recognized by the World Federation of Rose Societies as a Garden of Excellence. It has also been awarded the status of Garden of National Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust. This garden is at its peak at the end of November and beginning of December.
See related information for the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden lists of rose names by bed number and alphabetically.

The Temuka, Geraldine, Pleasant Point and Timaru urban areas all have flower carpet roses blooming in street plots for long periods of the year. In addition Timaru has a vibrant red floribunda rose called 'Trumpeter' which is named after Louis Armstrong, the renowned trumpet player.

Within the Timaru Botanic Gardens are the Species Rose Garden, the Anderson Rose Garden and other rose collections. The Species Rose Garden has examples of how roses used to grow before rose breeders began selecting for flowers at the expense of other traits. These are the early roses, from which all roses that you see today have been bred from. You will see a range of brightly coloured hips in autumn, huge thorns, expansive ramblers and roses from a large geographic range in the northern hemisphere.

Rose Conservation & Importance of Collecting. From public gardens to small back yards there can be rare plants that need saving. Sometimes when production of garden plants is commercially streamlined we can risk losing the most precious cultivars. Pests, diseases and changes of fashion mean plants can simply disappear. We may help medicinal cures or disease resistance by saving garden plants. We know and love the plants from our nation's stories, poems and paintings. The diversity in Timaru Districts Gardens help make sure future generations get to appreciate them as much as we do.

Roses have a rich history stretching back millions of years, with fossil evidence found from the Oligocene epoch. Classified into wild, Old World, and modern types, roses have long been cherished for their beauty, fragrance, and versatility. Ancient cultures used roses in medicine, perfume, and celebrations, while myths and legends often wove them into tales of love and divinity. From their cultivation in China as early as 3,000 BCE to their symbolic role in Greek and Egyptian traditions, roses have held a unique place in human history. By the 18th century, hybrid "tea roses" emerged in Europe, known for their delicate aroma and blooms, while figures like Napoleon’s wife Josephine further popularised roses by creating celebrated gardens. Today, roses remain symbols of beauty, romance, and cultural significance worldwide.

Species Roses

Species roses, also known as wild roses, are natural varieties that have not been hybridised. They can be found across the Northern Hemisphere, with fossil records dating back 30–40 million years. Most species roses typically have five petals, although some exceptions exist.

English Roses

English roses, developed by David Austin, combine the best qualities of Old Roses and Modern Roses. They offer the strong, heady fragrance and intricate flower forms of Old Roses, along with the repeat-flowering ability and wider colour range of Modern Roses.

Old Garden Roses

Old Garden Roses, sometimes called heritage or historic roses, are traditional varieties bred before the introduction of the hybrid tea rose in 1867. They are known for their strong fragrance, high petal count, distinctive bloom shapes, and resistance to diseases. Many Old Garden Roses bloom once a year during the summer, although some classes, such as Bourbons and Noisettes, are repeat-flowering.

Modern Roses

Modern Roses, bred after 1867, include varieties such as hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras. They are valued for their continuous blooming, larger flower size, and longer vase life. While fragrance is less common in many modern varieties, some still retain this characteristic. Modern Roses can be less hardy and disease-resistant compared to older varieties, depending on the breeding.

Peonies

Although sometimes referred to as "peony roses," peonies are not roses at all but belong to a separate genus, Paeonia. In China, they are a symbol of wealth and status and were historically grown for medicinal purposes. These perennial plants bloom for 7–10 days and are admired for their lush, multi-petalled flowers.

Rambling Roses

Rambling roses are vigorous shrubs with long, flexible stems. Typically blooming once per season, they are descendants of species roses. They grow quickly and can reach lengths of up to 20 metres (60 feet) in some cases. Ramblers are ideal for covering pergolas, arches, and walls, creating a spectacular display of flowers.

CAROLINE BAY

TIMARU BOTANIC GARDENS

TEMUKA DOMAIN

TIMARU BOTANIC GARDENS

TIMARU BOTANIC GARDENS