Gardeners spring into action
By Kate Lockyer
For Senior Team Leader at New Farm Park, Jean-Charles Guex, tending to the roses is a perennial challenge that has kept him passionate about the park for the 28 years he has worked there.
Mr Guex said it is tough to grow roses in Australia, especially certain types, because they prefer cold weather.
“Because they are from a totally different climate, it is the Mediterranean climate they like, which is the complete opposite to us,” he said.
“Roses are challenging, I would say, because it’s not an easy crop to grow… If it was something so easy, it would be a bit boring.
“This year, they were good in spring, but after that when we got that heat and rain, they didn’t like that.”
The gardeners completed their annual pruning of more than 7000 roses in June to prepare for Spring.
They take 8 – 10 weeks to grow back, so expect to see blooms popping up around the end of August.
The gardeners have been experimenting with different rose varieties and replanting the roses throughout the year, but they are focusing now on specific types that grow well in our climate.
“You can see, side by side, in the same bed, in the same condition, that one is doing really well, and the one next door is really struggling,” Mr Guex said.
“Now we have decided to go for more disease-resistant, vigorous plants,” he said.
