By KATRINA BRANDON
DO NOT TOUCH THE FLOWERS.
Just a few months away from the acclaimed Morwell Centenary Rose Garden Festival, Morwell Centenary Rose Garden volunteers have been picking up mess left by intruders.
Starting on Australia Day this year, Deputy Chair of the Morwell Centenary Rose Garden Committee (MCRGC), Carl Ellefsen, returned from festivities in Traralgon only to find the group’s committee room had been broken into.
The intruder started by taking computers, printer, new tools, a hose reel, taps and pipes (for the outdoor sink) and the first aid kit in their first theft attempt and later stole the replacement first aid kit.
Graffiti has also been left throughout the grounds.
“Up until 12 or 18 months ago, we never have any real problems,” Mr Eleefsen told the Express.
“Various times there has been graffiti and other rubbish strewn around the courtyard, and we figured they were getting in the back gate. I put a chain on it, but it hasn’t stopped them.”
Just recently, Mr Ellefsen said that they experienced another theft.
Taking about 21 long-stemmed roses a few days before planting, the volunteers were left in shock.
Latrobe City Council councillor Steph Morgan (Yallourn Ward), who is also the chair of the MCRGC, said that the roses roughly cost about $600. She also said that the plants were just about to be planted alongside the Commercial Road side of the garden, which they have had to find replacement plants for.
Around the garden, MCRG secretary, Lyn Reid said that the volunteers also have had to be more careful about prickly things in the garden. Volunteers are resorting to using sticks to ensure they aren’t stung by used needles around the flower gardens.
Being volunteers, people giving up their own free time, the committee said that it’s not fair for them to have to be poking around with sticks for their own safety, and dealing with plant and equipment theft.
“It’s not fair for people who are paid staff members, but there’s more protection for them than there is for volunteers,” Cr Morgan said.
A lot of the people that volunteer for the garden are often older or retired people, who enjoy their time outside amongst the flowers. Ms Reid said that with some of the characters around, they can find it confronting sometimes to be in a place that would normally feel safe to feel otherwise.
“It just feels like a smack in the face,” Ms Reid said.
“Volunteers have made this garden with help from council in grants and so forth. Council really emphasize how good the garden is, and the festival is really widely publicised, and people come from all over to enjoy it. But the volunteers keep it up to scratch every week.
“The community, no matter who they are, come in and have a stake in the garden, then people respect the garden because it’s our garden, and it would be nice … people who are very fond of roses so much that they take them; if they’re that passionate about it and want to have some ownership over it, then come and volunteer, put some effort in. Don’t steal the roses.”
Posted throughout the garden are signs saying, “Unauthorised removal of flowers is prohibited: The garden and the flowers are for all to enjoy”.
Around Valentine’s Day, Ms Reid and Mr Eleefsen mentioned that it can be particularly bad.
Over 12 months, volunteers contribute around 3000-3500 hours a year in the garden, with numbers slightly down this year. In previous years, it was around 4000 hours a year.
They also spend more hours on behind-the-scenes administrative work to prepare their semi-annual newsletter and other tasks. One includes keeping each plant from the garden documented with what, where and when about the particular plant.
The group starts work in the garden at 8am on Tuesday mornings, where there were about 50 members (40 active), now down to 20. With the numbers depleting, the committee welcomes people to join them in the garden to help keep the “heat of Morwell” alive and well.
The garden was established to celebrate the centenary of Morwell Shire/City in 1992 from a suggestion by Cr Martin Hill.
Following ten months of hard work by volunteers and Office of Correction staff, along with generous support from local businesses, contractors, service clubs, Morwell Council and The Rose Society of Victoria the garden was opened in November 1992.
There are now two hectares of gardens, imaginatively landscaped with more than 100 beds in which are planted over 3500 roses, drawn from a professional selection of 400 varieties of recent hybrids and traditional favourites. Among these varieties are species, heritage, floribunda, tea roses, hybrid teas, miniatures, rugosas, climbers, pillar and rambling roses.
For more informaiton, go to https://morwellrosegarden.com.au/friends-of-the-garden/
