Photos: Rose grower overcomes injuries, weather to take out prize
Despite the unpredictable weather conditions this Spring, almost 300 entrants participated in the Championship Rose Show. Find out who took out the major prizes and see the photo gallery here.
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Avid green thumb Susanne Dart has been planting her own roses for the past 25 years, but has never faced a season quite as challenging as this Spring.
After she fell and fractured her wrist and back and with no one available to assist her, Ms Dart found herself pruning her sixty homegrown roses on her own, while she was still recovering from her injuries.
But the setback didn’t stop her from taking out the overall reserve prize in the 2022 Spring Championship Rose Show.
“I’m a renter which means I have to grow them in pots, but I’m competing against a lot of people who grow them in the ground or have acres,” Ms Dart said.
“Roses help with your mental state and after going through winter and into Spring, having them around really cheers you up and brightens up the atmosphere around you.”
Picky about her choice in flowers, Ms Dart said she chose her winning Hybrid Tea species this year, due to its spiral formation and bright colours.
It’s not the first time she’s claimed a win at the competition though, after receiving an grand champion at the Autumn show about 10 years prior.
Inspired by her mum’s gardening skills as a child, Ms Dart said she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps, which is what enticed her to first start the hobby herself.
Hosted by gardening clubs the Darling Downs Rose Society and Heritage Roses In Australia, the event usually has 600 to 700 roses showcased – something the cold weather has impacted this year.
“Because of the weather conditions this year, we have lots of buds and not as many blooms, so we weren’t expecting it to be one of the best shows we’ve had, but we’re very pleased to see 275 entrants this year,” Darling Downs Rose Society secretary Veronica Firth said.
Ted Hayes was awarded with the grand champion award this year for his Sparrieshoop Rose entry.
In total, there were 19 different sections to enter, with various awards distributed per category.
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