The Necropolis - a virtual bouquet of roses!

For the final "Tween" blog before I launch properly into blogs for 2024 regarding those who lie peacefully in Rookwood, I want to dwell on the plants and flowers and in particular the magnificent hardy roses that are so prevalent throughout the Necropolis.

HOMAGE TO THE HARDY ROSES OF ROOKWOOD

Charles Moore was the designer and person responsible for the layout of the ‘Victorian Garden Cemetery’. He designed avenues and included roundabouts for traffic to move swiftly throughout the initial part of the Necropolis. Moore's designs included the use of many traditional funerary utilised plants such as pine trees both at a low height or those that soared high and Indian hawthorn bushes. He also planted many fast-growing Australian native pines that would be used as markers for the cemetery from a distance. I won't go into any detail about Moore – that’s for a later date - but I want to reflect on the roses he planted and those that came later with the expansion of the Cemetery. I also want to make reference to the curious unidentified species that would come to be identified with the name of the plot they were found to be growing within.

Heritage Rose Garden - Rookwood General Cemetery with thanks

To the ancient Romans, the rose was a symbol of pride and triumph, the flower of Venus, the goddess of love.

They say that before the rose became one of the flowers of the earth that it grew in Paradise without thorns. Only after the fall of man did the rose take on thorns to remind man of his sins but its fragrance and beauty continued to remind him of Paradise.

The Christians believe that the red rose symbolises martyrdom and the white rose, purity.

The European and Mediterranean group and the oriental tea roses of China developed separately. The European group with only one exception, bloomed but once every twelve months. The oriental version bloomed continually throughout the year. In the late 1700's and early 1800's Chinese roses were introduced to Europe bringing new colours. The breeding developed a new class of rose, the hybrid tea roses whose perfume reminded many of the scent of tea, and it wasn't long before a virtual rainbow of highly scented, repeatedly blooming roses were created. The hybrid-tea rose became the most widely grown type.

With the recent film about Napolean and his relationship with Josephine I was reminded of her personal contribution to the roses that we know today.

Josephine at Malmaison 1801 - Francois Gerard - Wikipedia

In her home, Malmaison, north of Paris, she created a huge garden including what is believed to be the world's first rose gardens. She collected roses from the various corners of Europe and inspired French breeders to introduce many new varieties of China roses. After Josephine died in 1814, ironically of a chill caught while walking amongst her beloved gardens, her work and vision continued at Malmaison, and it eventually contained over 250 varieties. It is a tribute to her that rose gardens today generally follow the style of layout that she had created.

Gardens with roses at Chateau de Malmaison - Wikipedia

At Rookwood, the largest single repository of heritage roses in Australia, many roses have survived harsh conditions and developed their own varieties. The Heritage Rose Society who tends to the large garden at the Village Green near the Rookwood General Cemetery office once a month, have identified many. Those that were not found in catalogues were named after the person whose grave they were found growing within.

One of the first unidentified variety to be named was the "Agnes Smith" a pale pink hybrid tea rose after Agnes who had died in 1893 and buried in the Presbyterian section. Another unidentified rose was named the “Mrs. Dudley Cross”, a pale-yellow tea rose found on Mrs. Cross’s grave who had died in 1907.

Agnes Smith 1893 - Heritage Roses of Australia 

Mrs Dudly Cross 1907 - Antique Rose Emporium with thanks

They are accompanied by many older established and identified rose varieties such as Duchess du Brabant 1857 and Crepuscule Noisette 1904.

Duchess due Brabant 1857 - Greeneroses with thanks

Crepuscule Noisette 1904 - Greeneroses with thanks

Besides the large rose garden at the Village Green, there is another large collection of roses in the sunken garden at the Rookwood Crematorium where the aroma of over 10,000 rose bushes in bloom, is intoxicating.

Sunken Rose Garden Rookwood Crematorium - Rookwood General Cemetery with thanks

Other smaller gardens are to be found in the old Wesleyan area; the "BB" rose garden named as such as it is within the BB section of the old Anglican area; the All-Saints Chapel rose garden as well as small gardens in various cremation areas throughout the Cemetery. In the Catholic portion is the Mary Mackillop Rose Garden and many other areas such as the many lawn cemeteries containing rose gardens. Of course, many, many more roses are to be found on individual graves.

If you are a rose lover, a visit to Rookwood should be on your list! Although many varieties bloom year-round, Spring is the optimum time to visit.

I have trawled Google for information on heritage roses and information from the various denominational entities in Rookwood for relevant facts. I also have utilised information from the Friends of Rookwood with thanks.

I am no expert on roses (or any flowers to be truthful!) and if you have any comments about roses in Rookwood, please add them below or at the group Facebook page found under

rookwoodcemeterydiscoveries

or simply send me a personal message at

lorainepunch@gmail.com

Until next week when we visit a mausoleum!!