Buy rose bushes, not bouquets, on Valentine’s Day

Press Release 24 January 2008

Buy rose bushes, not bouquets, on Valentine’s Day

Don’t buy your loved one a bunch of roses this Valentine’s Day - buy them a rose bush instead.

New Zealand Gardener magazine’s February issue is filled with rose-tinted gift ideas for budding romances, from melt-in-your mouth rose-flavoured meringues to the best rose bushes for blokes.

“Most men prefer big-bloomed, voluptuous roses in the garden, “says editor Lynda Hallinan, “so why not buy your beloved the red rose variety ‘Deep Secret’ or hot pink ‘Summer Passion’ on February 14?”

More feminine floral options include the pale pink rose ‘Valentine Heart’ or the softly sensual ‘Maiden’s Blush’, known in France by the more erotic name of “Nymph’s thigh”.

“If you’re going to say it with flowers this Valentine’s Day, a rose bush represents much better value than a bouquet as it will bring lasting pleasure for years.”

Also in the February issue of New Zealand Gardener, Floral designer Fionna Hill shows how to turn homegrown roses into charming buttonholes and heart-shaped arrangements and New Zealand Gardener readers reveal the roses that hold a special place in their hearts.

New Zealand Gardener has also launched a new South Island garden column written by the 2007 Southland Gardener of the Year, Robert Guyton. Robert, who has an organic paradise at Riverton, will share his tips and tales of gardening in the deep south.

The South Island Garden of the Month for February is Corstorphine House in Otago, a gracious boutique hotel where guests are fed fresh food from impressive kitchen gardens. The North Island Garden of the Month is Mincher in Coatesville, north of Auckland, where the walled vegetable garden is equally impressive.

Readers can also enjoy a sneak preview of the upcoming Heroic Garden Festival (16-17 February) in Auckland, by taking a stroll around Paul Grace and Stephen Neville’s garden in Northcote.

“The Heroic Garden Festival is a highlight of the late summer gardening calendar and showcases some of Auckland’s most flamboyant subtropical gardens, many of which are being opened to the public for the first time this year,” says Hallinan.

The February issue of New Zealand Gardener also features the magnificent herbaceous border at Christchurch’s Botanic Gardens, a colourful Feilding garden created on a former carpark and Alessandra Zecchini’s recipes for pickling and preserving your own homegrown olives.

New Zealand Gardener has also launched a new campaign to get Kiwis growing their own fresh fruit and veges in 2008. More than 2000 people have already signed up to join the Get Growing campaign, which includes a free weekly vege gardening email newsletter with all the practical advice needed to enjoy homegrown harvests. Visit the website www.nzgardener.co.nz or send an email to getgrowing@nzgardener.co.nz to register.

The February issue of NZ Gardener is on sale from Monday 28 January.

ENDS

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