Roses in Wollongong Memorial Gardens are ready for winter pruning. Photo: Wollongong City Council.
Wollongong Memorial Gardens is looking for volunteers with green thumbs to help prune about 3000 roses ahead of the spring blooming season.
It’s the first time the Memorial Gardens, operated by Wollongong City Council, has held a volunteer working bee, but there are plans for it to become an annual event.
As well as pruning the roses, volunteers are also needed to carry out some general garden maintenance.
A Council spokesperson said there had already been a “fantastic” response to the event, to be held on Wednesday 17 July from 9 am-noon.
“With close to 3000 roses in the garden, we decided to invite our community to join us in some garden work,” the spokesperson said.
“Throughout the years, we’ve come to know many of our visitors at the Memorial Gardens who come to pay respect to their loved ones and in getting to know some of them, we noticed that some visitors are keen gardeners with a special interest in roses.
“We wanted to find ways for our community to engage with the Memorial Gardens and cemetery and volunteering events are a great way to achieve that.
“Roses have specific care requirements that our qualified horticultural staff are well experienced in. This is an opportunity to share our expert knowledge with the community and invite them to engage with the Memorial Gardens in a meaningful community event.”
Horticulturalist Paul Gooda will demonstrate correct pruning techniques for roses and will also share his best care and maintenance tips with volunteers.
Region Illawarra asked Paul for his top rose pruning tips to help home gardeners.
“With rose pruning, the trick is to keep everything hygienic and clean,” he said.
“Before pruning, give the secateur blades a wipe over with methylated spirits to sterilise them and also give the blades a sharpen so that each cut is nice and clean.
“This reduces the possibility of disease getting into the plant where the pruning cut was made until it grows over and seals itself.
“Each cut should be at a 45 degree angle where a ‘node’ is, this is the area of the stem where leaves begin to grow.
“With choosing branches to prune/remove, a good rule of thumb is to cut away any branches growing in an inward direction.
“This promotes better form (shape of the plant) and more flowers.”
A light lunch and tea/coffee will be provided at the end of the session.
Wollongong Memorial Gardens is in Berkeley Road, Unanderra. People interested in volunteering for the working bee should phone 4227 7780, or email [email protected]
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