There is something intrinsically soothing about a beautiful garden perched atop a hilltop with lovely views extending all around. Rosevale Homestead is one such place and at approximately 40 minutes out of Brisbane it could not make for a more pleasant day out.It is even more so if you, like the owner, Leonie, have an interest in roses and especially Heritage and old Fashioned Roses.
This is a lesson on its own because when I thought about old Heritage Roses my mind went to big and very elaborate, highly scented roses. Actually a lot of the bushes we saw sustain the most beautiful and delicate small roses in lovely soft hues of pinks and whites with a fragrant scent but one which is not overpowering and on one occasion I had to ask her if the lovely delicate plant in front of me was a rose at all.
The history of these roses, in a nutshell, is that they are often not cultivated anymore and it is actually people like Leonie who have taken it upon themselves to keep them in gardens and preserve them.Heritage roses are often quite different from the roses that we are used to nowadays. The flowers may be smaller or appear in clusters. Most are quite resistant to disease and drought and will flower for long periods of time and so surprisingly to most of us, they do well in the gardens of south east Queensland.
Leonie Kearney grew up in Queensland and even as a young girl she was attracted to the old gardens. She talks fondly of her grandmother, her mother's mother who was a keen gardener and maintained an old-fashioned garden with beautiful roses and delphiniums. Even as a little girl she would be fascinated with old gardens, particularly in the old farmhouses where the owners had moved on, where the rose bushes continued to grew with little care and attention.
She started to be interested in them and found out more from the associations which preserve heritage roses and now it is so much part of her life's work as she puts all her love and nurturing strength into her own garden which she started from nothing when she moved there some 11 years ago.
Roses are extremely old in their origins and it is one of the reasons why there are people, indeed societies out there, dedicated to preserving and distributing these old heritage roses so that they do not die out.
Rosevale is full of these beautiful roses but in amongst the rosebushes are perennials, flowering shrubs and bulbs and majestic mature trees. It is a place where you can lose yourself quite happily for a couple of hours and then come away with some special and carefully nurtured cuttings and bulbs for your own garden.
She is happy to accommodate small groups or a few friends in a relaxed and informal guide around her lovely and extensive garden but these guided tours must be booked in advance.
The garden is open and free all day Saturday for you to wander around in by yourself.
If you want a guided tour this is by appointment. Ring Leonie on 07 3289 9250 to arrange the details.
