Te Awamutu Rose Gardens
- Location : Gorst Avenue, opposite the i-SITE Visitor Information Centre.
- Opening Hours : Public access at all hours.
- Admission : Free.
"I have been to over 60 countries and I believe the Te Awamutu rose gardens to be amongst if not the best in the world"
- Eion Scarrow (Presenter of the New Zealand Television programme "Dig This")
The rose gardens attract thousands of visitors every year. There are over 2500 rose bushes, with more than 50 varieties, flowering from November to May.
The variety shown below is the "Te Awamutu Centennial".
The fountain (designed by Fred Graham) depicts a flight of birds landing on brown water through raupo stalks and mist.
History : During the Waikato Wars of 1864, the grounds were the site of a military constabulary.
The rose gardens were established in 1969, as a Jaycee project in conjunction with numerous community groups. They were officially opened by the Governor General Sir Arthur Porritt, and were featured as part of the 1971 Inaugural World Rose Convention held in Hamilton.
An 8-page supplement was published in the Te Awamutu Courier on 3rd November 1969, detailing the development and future plans for the rose gardens. Called "The Te Awamutu Rose Garden Gazette", it's an interesting insight into life in Te Awamutu at the end of the 1960s.
- 1969 Rose Garden Gazette (PDF, 4MB)
Other Info :
- The gardens are administered by the Waipa District Council in partnership with the Te Awamutu Rose Trust.
- The gardens' 40th Anniversary was celebrated on December 1st, 2009, with an exhibition at Te Awamutu Museum and a party at the Te Awamutu Events Centre.