Roses are in full bloom at the four-day Pacific Rose Bowl Festival 2025 that started yesterday, 13 November at the picturesque Hamilton Gardens.
Held annually in the stunning Rogers’ Rose Garden, the Pacific Rose Bowl Festival is held under the Pacific Accord of Friendship to promote roses to the public and this year it is celebrating its 23rd anniversary.
The four-day Festival is centered around the New Zealand Rose of the Year Trial. The Hamilton Rose Trial Grounds are linked to Australian, Japanese and Californian trial grounds through a friendship agreement initiated by Dr Sam McGredy.
Stream of rose lovers, experts, and breeders (otherwise referred to as rosarians) from far and near, are already visiting the festival to check out New Zealand’s best new roses on show and the public decides on the “New Zealand Rose of the Year”.
During the festival, you can vote for your favourite rose from New Zealand’s top rose exhibitors on display. Unlike most other rose competitions around the world which are judged by experts, the “New Zealand Rose of the Year” has been judged by the public since 2004.
The “New Zealand Rose of the Year” is one of only two Rose Trials in the Southern Hemisphere that are judged by public votes. There is also a Children’s Choice Award which is voted for by local school children who attend the festival event.
The roses in the trial are clearly marked and all you have to do to be part of this wonderful event, is to take a stroll around the gardens and vote for your favourite five roses. There is no criteria for judging other than your personal preference. A tally of the votes awards the winners.
There is a Teddies Bear picnic organisedat the festival tomorrow, Saturday 15th November(12- 02:30pm) and there will be live music on Sunday(16 Nov). The “New Zealand Rose of the Year” award ceremony will be held at 03:00pm where the winner will be announced.
Entry to the event is free and the Rogers Rose Garden is best accessed via Gate 2 at Hamilton Gardens.
