Life at No.22, Snapshots of Tauranga

Snapshots of Tauranga #40

Suzanne

Robbin Park Rose Garden was established in 1960, a few years before our building, where we reside, was built. It’s situated across the road from us. Actually, 80 steps give or take a few, depending on your stride. I counted them. We all need a hobby.

Now that I’ve done the step work, let’s take a squizz at those glorious roses. The actual garden could use some work after the gales, the rain, and the searing sun. Though, to be fair, it is the festive season, which stretches into the second week of January, I will need to wait to hear the droning of the numerous ride-on mowers and other garden machinery. I do, though, look forward to seeing squatting council workers giving the rose bushes some tender loving care.

In the meantime, I can put up with the long grass and a few bedraggled rose bushes because the star of this stroll is the actual blooms, which on a warmish summer’s afternoon liven my senses with their scent and gaiety. During a spectacular sunrise, the roses come into their own.

This was captured a few years ago, when the pond was full. The eyesore ivy structure has been pulled down, and a sign “Beware of the cliff face ” is in it’s place. Yes, I have no idea what the grand plan is for the garden; hopefully, it’s been created by someone with a creative vision.

“Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose” – Gertrude Stein

This particular rose is called “Scentimental”. I had to hold it to capture it as the wind wasn’t on my side that particular afternoon last week.

The next rose is a favourite, and for me a very summery one with it’s clusters of lemon/yellow blooms which flower all through the season. This particular rose was bred by Harkness of England, one of the world’s top rose breeders. For interest, Serendipity means an unexpected discovery or occurrence made by accident by the breeder.

Serendipity captured on a cloudy, still morning.

The Rose’s View for a Wedding

Rose – Wedding Day

Many people have chosen and still do to have their weddings here. Rose Gardens have a sense of romance, and I suppose one of the reasons Les and I decided to hold our ceremony in a garden. Though not this one.

Serendipity Rose with a harbour view.

I could literally load a few hundred rose images, though, sadly, my WordPress account has a limit. So I shall share a few at a time and more on me getting my hands dirty in our communal garden at the rear of our apartment building, as gardening and being surrounded by gardens and nature is my “happy place”. Until then, enjoy those serendipity moments; sometimes they’re actually fun.

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Published by Suzanne

I'm a lover of creativity and movement, expressed through photography, words, travel and sports. . . . . . .

24 thoughts on “Snapshots of Tauranga #40”

  1. I love roses, but unfortunately wallabies love them more! When I moved into my husband’s house I planted a gorgeous rose walk – about 40 of them…only to wake up one morning and find them eaten to a stick! Leaves, blooms, thorns – all gone! And that was the end of my rose-growing career! Thanks for the blast of colour. Mel

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    1. Those wallabies could have been more thoughtful and seem to have the same audacity as possums. I love roses and have grown hundreds of them in various properties. The most enormous garden was in our small orchard, silly thing to do as the orchard work became the priority and the roses did not and out they came, well, a few stayed. Now I enjoy others’ hard work with roses.

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    1. Goats would be another hazard for rose gardeners 😉 I chose to concentrate on the yellow roses as they scream summer to me. The whole public garden could do with time being spent on it. Like many other councils all are trying to save money. Basically were told by the Government to do so. Anyway, our CBD revamp is looking good and eventually we won’t see any more cranes in the sky only birds.

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    1. Roses do best in a climate that’s generally temperate with distinct seasons, providing cool winters for dormancy and warm, sunny summers for growth. Perhaps that’s why it was hard to grow them where you are? My Mum used to spray hers, and I didn’t we both had issues with black spot and aphids etc. I love the cottage look garden if growing roses as other flowers hide the imperfections of the rose bush.

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