Horowhenua District Rose Society

Miss. Gordon became Mrs.Nola Simpson and a famous rose breeder known through out the rose world for her breeding program and her roses she bred over her lifetime, namely bringing 'the brown roses' to the fore with, Hot Chocolate, Dark Moments, Chocolate Prince and many many more that we enjoy in our gardens and on the show bench today.

Nola was the national rose society patron for many years and had received many awards from overseas recognising her contributions to rose breeding. Nola was born in Levin, resided in P.North and was a life member of Horowhenua District Rose Society until her passing in 2011. Nola's Nephew, John Ford carries on her legacy in P.North breeding roses and runs a small boutique rose nursery growing and selling a lot of Nola's cultivars.

Anna Bradbury

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A Little History about The Levin Rose Society
( As reported in The Evening Post 1944)

LEVIN ROSE SHOW Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 125, 23 November 1944, Page 9

LEVIN ROSE SHOW
The annual rose show of the Levin Horticultural, Society was held in the Century Hall on Tuesday. The effect of the inclement spring weather was reflected in fewer entries than usual, but Horowhenua maintained its reputation as the flower garden of New Zealand. A pleasing feature was the increased interest taken by the younger generation, the entries in their sections being a record. Rain badly affected the attendance.

The champion bloom, an Earl Halg, in perfect condition, was shown by Mrs. C. S. Black Kevin. The novice best bloom was a Karl Dniski, exhibited by W. Bacon.

The prize-winners in the various sections of the. show were:—Roses: Amateur, Miss L Blackburn; novice, Mrs. I. D. Parsons. Decoratire: Miss M, Burdekin and Miss M. Bevan Sweet peas: Mr.. H. J. Jones. Children's decorative : Under 10, Nancy Brown; under 16 Audrey Allen. Fruit: Mr. R. W. Evans Vegetable ; Mr. -W. M. Allan. The points prizes for needlework, cooking, and domestic were gained by Miss J. Brewster, Miss V. Bubb, and Mrs. Batt respectively.

A group of people viewing prizes at The 5th annual
Rose Society Show 1969

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Can anyone name these people ?

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1979.137.0656
Horowhenua Rose Society 6th annual Show 1970

Penciled on back - Enthusiasts at the Horowhenua Rose Society’s annual show. The judge Mr A. Scott, Morrinsville (right) admires a bloom. from left Messrs C. Holyoake, Waikanae, W.W. Nockels, V. Cave, pres & Miss L. Blackburn. Mon. Nov. 23, 1970.

Growing good: Horowhenua District Rose Society president Anna Bradbury tends to plants in Levin's public rose gardens, with its new pergola in the lead up to the National Spring Rose Show

Miss. Gordon became Mrs.Nola Simpson and a famous rose breeder known through out the rose world for her breeding program and her roses she bred over her lifetime, namely bringing 'the brown roses' to the fore with, Hot Chocolate, Dark Moments, Chocolate Prince and many many more that we enjoy in our gardens and on the show bench today.

Nola was the national rose society patron for many years and had received many awards from overseas recognising her contributions to rose breeding. Nola was born in Levin, resided in P.North and was a life member of Horowhenua District Rose Society until her passing in 2011. Nola's Nephew, John Ford carries on her legacy in P.North breeding roses and runs a small boutique rose nursery growing and selling a lot of Nola's cultivars.

Garden comes up roses
KELVIN TEIXEIRA Horowhenua Mail

A new pergola stands at Levin's public rose gardens, built in time for next month's National Spring Rose Show.

The project had been on the Horowhenua District Council's "to do" list, however, to see it completed before the upcoming rose show, a professional builder volunteered his services.

Warren Bradbury, of Otaki, constructed the pergola over three weekends, with the council supplying the timber and other materials.

Mr Bradbury's wife Anna is the president of the Horowhenua District Rose Society.

"He enjoyed working on a project like this," she said.

"And now we have a lovely pergola connecting the two circular beds of roses."

A limestone path and gardens lining the pathway were also extended and more roses and lavender were planted.

Mrs Bradbury said it completed the atmosphere at the gardens and, with the natural aisle the pergola created, she envisaged it would become a popular venue for weddings.

But having the pergola ready for the rose show was the main aim, as visitors were likely to look around the public rose gardens also.

"The show will be at least three times the size of our normal annual show and will really fill the Memorial Hall with between 60 and 80 exhibiting growers," she said.

"We had the national autumn rose show here in Levin in 1976, but that's never as big as the spring show.

"We applied to the national rose society to host it, we were selected and we're over the moon. Although, it is quite a challenge for our small group to organise, but we've been working away and it's now all starting to come together."

The National Spring Rose Show will run from Friday, November 16 to Sunday, November 18 at the Levin Memorial Hall in Chamberlain St.

Reported in Horowhenua Mail November 2012

Came up roses: The National Spring Rose Show held in Levin for the first time at the weekend has been described as one of the best organised and well-run by New Zealand Rose Society president Eileen Wilcox.

An estimated 2500 people visited the Levin Memorial Hall over the two days the show was open to the public.

Rose growers competed in five sections from large blooms to miniatures, as well as novelty displays, in 60 different classes.

Horowhenua rose grower Peggy Jordain won a trophy for her display vase of old-fashioned roses.

Friday 16th Nov.Day before the show. exhibitors have arrived and started to set up their displays. This is Janice Walker all the way from Whangarei.

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The Memorial Hall and The Freyberg rooms look like caos but out of all this a brilliant well attended show will emerge, as will be seen in following photos.

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Organizers hard at work

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Organizers hard at work

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Material for the displays arriving in the Freyberg room

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A stunning wall mural in the foyer of the Hall

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Friday morning trestles and displays are starting to be sorted.

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Very busy people starting to bring everything together

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Violet Forshaw from Whangarei

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Wendy Van Deldren from Paraparaumu, love the smile.

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Judy and Graham Williamson from Kapiti

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These displays will be remembered for many years to come

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Hardly had room to move.

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The hall was packed with visitors during most of the show

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Unbelievable crowds throughout the weekend.

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Mrs Anna Bradbury ( President Horowhenua Rose Society) worked hard to make this show so successful.

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Our own his worship the Mayor Mr. Brenden Duffy enjoying the show.

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This lovely lady loves her roses, just had to buy.

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The honorable Nathan Guy MP, with his family,
enjoying the show

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The raffle ticket sellers were busy all the week end

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News Flash from National Autum Rose Show March 2013
Rose Breeder adds to NZ medal Tally

By RANDALL WALKER Horowhenua Mail dated March 28th 2013

Hobby rose breeder Beverley Gatfield has added to her medal tally with a strong showing at the National Autumn Rose Show.

The Horowhenua Rose Society member scooped three wins and five other placings, and claimed the New Zealand Rose Breeders Medal at the show in Nelson, from March 15 to 17.
It was the 10th time she had won the medal since 2000. She won the miniature seedling rose bloom with Tangerine Tiger and seedling rose stem, with Candlelight, and the large seedling rose bloom for one she called Red Shrublet - winning a silver tray with each. There were four classes for seedlings and she won the three she entered.
In the other classes she picked up second or third placings, she said.
Mrs Gatfield, of Otaki, started breeding roses in 1992, and said one of her early creations was exhibited by another rose enthusiast in the Palm-erston North national show and won Queen of the Show in the miniatures. "It's quite nice to go to shows and see my roses popping up here, there and everywhere."
To create new roses she took seeds from ripe rose hips that had been pollinated. "At pruning time in July, I take the hips, cut them open, take the seeds out, put them in damp kitchen paper and seal them in a plastic bag and put them in the fridge for six weeks.
"And that sort of stratifies them, they think they've gone through a winter, and then about September 1, I plant them in seed mix and by Christmas time they've got a flower."

She never knew what she was going to get until it flowered.
"Sometimes they don't stay miniature, you'll get a big rose.

"One rose hip could have 12 seeds inside it and every one will be different, they'll be a variation, but ... they can have a different form, a different leaf, it's fascinating."

Roses that look promising can be grafted on to multiflora root stock to reproduce the same var­iety, or cuttings can be taken and grown. "They can be three or four years before you realise you've got a good one, you've got to look at them each year and evaluate them."

Mrs Gatfield does not sell roses, but gives them away. She was looking forward to the next spring show, in Palmerston North, in November.

Rose Breeder adds to NZ medal tally at the National Autum Rose held in Nelson from March 15 - 17 2013.

Photo by Horowhenua Mail

Following are Photos taken in the Rose Gardens in November 2013

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