Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden

CAROLINE BAY

The rose garden is named after Trevor Griffiths (1927-2010) who was a rose grower and collector
Designed by: Sir Miles Warren
Opened: 2001
The gardens boast a representative plant from every main rose family in the world

 

A Special Rose Garden Gift

More than 20 years ago, the Timaru Beautifying Society set out to realise a dream: to preserve and share a unique collection of roses in a public garden. With the support of renowned rosarian Trevor Griffiths and his family, that dream became a reality. In December 2001, the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden was officially gifted to the people of South Canterbury to be maintained by the Timaru District Council.

Trevor Griffiths: A Life Dedicated to Roses

Trevor Griffiths (1935–2010) was an internationally acclaimed rosarian who spent over 50 years collecting, cultivating, and breeding roses. He operated a nursery near Temuka, authored several books, and established one of the world’s largest collections of heritage roses. His passion for roses began at the age of eight when a visit to a florist inspired his lifelong devotion.

Breeding roses is a painstaking process requiring time and patience. It involves transferring pollen from one rose to another to produce seeds for a potential new variety. Success is only revealed when the new plant flowers, which can take years. Heritage roses are particularly special, as if a plant is lost, it may be gone forever.

The Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden

Trevor’s family contributed 600 rose cuttings from his collection to the garden, while the renowned English rose breeder David Austin donated a further 400 English roses. The garden was designed by Sir Miles Warren (1929–2022), one of New Zealand’s leading architects, known for his modernist designs and passion for formal gardens.

The rose garden features 56 geometric beds radiating from a central pergola. These beds contain representatives from almost every major rose family in the world, allowing visitors to trace the lineage and evolution of roses through the centuries. The roses are arranged in a gradient of colours, starting with soft pinks and transitioning through crimsons, apricots, yellows, and golds. English roses were planted in groups of two or three to ensure continuous flowering.

Architectural elements include steel structures such as gazebos, arbours, and the pergola, along with a central fountain pool and a classical bronze sculpture. The garden’s strong design lines create a striking setting for the roses.

A Community Effort

The Timaru Beautifying Society raised $205,000 for the project. Trevor Griffiths and his son Bevan personally planted all 1,200 roses, and the garden was opened debt-free. Over the past 20 years, the "Deadheaders," a team of volunteers, have contributed more than 7,000 hours to maintaining the garden.

Recognition and Legacy

In 2012, the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden was awarded the prestigious Garden of Excellence by the World Federation of Rose Societies. In 2023, it received a five-star rating from the New Zealand Gardens Trust, further solidifying its reputation as one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most significant rose collections.

The garden honours Trevor Griffiths’ lifelong dedication to preserving heritage roses. Visitors can enjoy its peak bloom during November and December, when the Timaru Festival of Roses is held annually to celebrate this floral treasure.

A Timaru Gem

Located at Caroline Bay, just a short walk from Timaru’s town centre, the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden is a horticultural masterpiece. It boasts over 1,200 roses, including rare species and varieties dating back to the 15th century. Visitors can also explore the nearby Timaru Botanic Gardens, which feature a collection of both wild and modern roses.

See a list of the roses in the garden alphabetically here

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