We meet a rose farmer continuing his family’s legacy of growing heritage roses. Subscribe 🔔 [ Ссылка ]
Diana and Graham Sargeant have been creating environmentally minded gardens for over 35 years and have made a lasting impact in the organic rose growing industry. As well as writing books on the subject, working in the community, and breeding new hybrids, their rosarian advice can be garnered during open days at their rose farm in Clonbinane located 60kms north of Melbourne.

Roses are one of the most popular plants in the world, and the roses grown here are posted all around Australia. "I love roses," says Graham. "My father grew them. I love the perfume in a rose, I find that very relaxing and good for my spirit. It's also an opportunity to spend time in nature." When Graham won the Australian miniature rose championship at the World Rose Conference, he was asked if his award-winning rose could be made available to the public. Diana says she "jumped at the opportunity" and started growing cuttings to supply his miniature roses. People began to know them as a rose supplier, and so they brought in many different types of roses to grow. As the business expanded, they searched for a larger property to build a farm. Diana says that when this property was suggested, "curiosity got the better of me. I drove out here one evening and I broke every rule of property purchasing; I fell in love."

This farm took a lot of hard work to establish, and its beauty is truly something to behold. Unfortunately for Diana and Graham, the Black Saturday fires of 2009 came through their community and their farm. Graham says, "you could see the big cloud at height in the sky, we were on the back verandah, and the fire at that time was in the South. We sort of waited for it to come, and you could hear it. All you can do is hear the roar, just like the surf at Torquay." Graham and Diana stayed by their property to put out spot-fires as they came, and exactly one month later, they replanted the front garden with a line of oak trees. Diana says, planting the oak trees "was for us and for our community. That was a point where we knew we could recover, we could regenerate, we will have green again."

Reflecting on 35 years in the rose industry, Graham says, "I look back now from when we first started… the newer varieties coming through now, they're so much healthier," says Graham. Sharing his tips to grow the best roses, Graham says, "use organics, it is much better for the microbes in the soil… we're now becoming a lot more aware of (soil microbes) through science and research." He adds that roses "should never be overwatered. They will flourish if they're given adequate water, good organic fertiliser for the soil and also liquid food… absorbed through the leaves. It's very economical and very beneficial." Graham says to prune once the flower is spent. Prune back 15cm - 20cm or as Graham puts it, "in the old language, 6 to 9 inches. That will enable the gardener to have a rose on that stem within 60 days."

Graham says, "the value of the rose is found in its ability to grow in all climatic conditions, especially through the hot weather," and as a plant breeder in search of the holy grail of hybrids, he says "I've been lucky enough to breed a blue rose." Despite these being considered genetically impossible to breed, Graham says, "I was always encouraged, even from when I was a child. If you're going to breed something, the main thing is to get in and have a go."

Diana says the nursery and home garden inspires her to help others design their own gardens, which is another element of her work. She says, the morning vistas and watering ritual brings her and Graham closer together, "after an hour and a half of meditative thinking in your own space… to be together again and talk about that particular rose that I saw, or one that he saw… it's lovely." Diana says she feels this garden is a legacy and a privilege "to nurture it, love it and make it better than when we first came here."

Featured Rose:
MINIATURE ROSE ‘TRACEY WICKHAM’ - Rosa cv.

Filmed on Taungurung Country | Clonbinane, Vic
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