One of the oldest specialist clubs in Otago, the Otago Rose Society, celebrates its 75th birthday this weekend. Gillian Vine reports.
In 1949, an unnamed garden writer, whose opinions were published in numerous newspapers around New Zealand, proclaimed: "New roses do not always justify themselves as the test of many years in all kinds of conditions is fatal to many of them.
"Who can afford to pass over the established varieties, such as ‘Etoile de Holland’ or ‘Christopher Stone’, ‘Dickson’s Perfection’ or ‘The Doctor’, ‘Crimson Glory’ or ‘Mrs H. Stevens’, ‘Madame Bouillet’ or ‘Lady Hillingdon’?"
Fortunately, that pessimistic outlook was ignored by the 20 people who gathered in Dunedin on August 3, 1949, to form the Otago District Rose Society (now the Otago Rose Society).
The president was Alex Chisholm, one of whose vice-presidents was Leith Valley nurseryman George Donaldson, who advertised more than 200 rose varieties in 1949. None was named, but a Forbury Rd nursery offered new varieties, among them climbers ‘Sungold’, ‘Mary Hart’ and ‘Crimson Glory’. Bush roses included ‘Douglas Macarthur’ and ‘Admiral’. Of those named, only ‘Crimson Glory’ is still available, so that grumpy writer may have had a point.
Regardless of his negativity, people must have been looking forward, as by December 1949, membership of the Otago District Rose Society had grown to 60 and by June 1950 it was 90, a reflection of the interest in roses by southern gardeners.
Then, as now, planting and care of roses was the focus of the group, while co-operation and friendship were fostered, too, for example, a 1950 visit to Ferntree House in Wakari, the home of the Thomson family of soft-drink fame.
Milestones over the years included co-hosting Kindred Day in 2017, when 250 garden club members from around the province gathered in Dunedin. The following year, the ORS hosted the Rose Ranfurly, when South Island rose clubs competed for the shield donated by Auckland rose breeder, the late Sam McGredy.
Much simpler than today’s full-colour version, Case’s first newsletter was a simple stencilled effort but full of advice — and a bit of provocation.
Another potshot followed in his third missive, when he noted: "We offered this space to the proprietor of a garden shop in Dunedin for the paltry sum of one pound." [About $50 today.] "Unfortunately he let us down. According to him we members of the Rose Society don’t patronise his shop at all but write to the North Island for everything. What do you think about that?"
In "Celebrating Our First 70 years", his well-researched history of the Otago Rose Society, president Dave Cannan says: "There was no mention of which garden shop but coincidentally (perhaps), in newsletter No 4 there was an advertisement for the Arbordale Nurseries, in Bush Road, Mosgiel which read: ‘No need to write to the North Island for your new roses — we can supply the following for delivery in 1966: Tiki, Uncle Walter, Violet Carson, El Alamein, Paddy McGredy and Evelyn Fission’."
The newsletter continues to be a lively and informative monthly publication, with editor Cannan often using his own excellent photos to lead into articles, updates and even jokes.
The newsletter now goes out principally by email, but some things don’t change. The ORS has held a show in late November or early December since 1952 and monthly meetings are still held on the first Wednesday of the month, although the original venue in the old city library has long gone.
Membership has dropped in the past 20 years from a high of 200 and sits at about 60, the same level as it was in December 1949.
At that first meeting 75 years ago, the guest speaker was the president of the National Rose Society of New Zealand, C.V. (Con) Holyoake. It seems fitting that Hayden Foulds, the organisation’s current national president, is to be at Sunday’s 75th celebrations of the Otago Rose Society.
Thanks to Dave Cannan for sharing his researches for this article.
