Thanks to Kiama resident and Peace Park coordinator Colin Hollis, Kiama’s Peace Park is the only public place in Australia that the new Lady of Australia rose can be seen before its official launch on November 11 by Mrs Linda Hurley, the wife of the Governor General.

Colin is responsible for the production of the Lady of Australia, an Australian bred rose that honours the wives of our Governor Generals.

Colin had previously worked closely with Mrs Hurley at Government House in Sydney in obtaining a rose to honour the wives of the Governors of NSW.

“The Governor’s Wife rose is now growing in the grounds of Government House in Sydney and is commercially available,” he says.

“Shortly after the Hurley’s took up residence at Government House in Canberra, Mrs Hurley asked if it would be possible to obtain a rose honouring the wives of the Governor Generals of Australia.”

She stipulated the rose had to be yellow and Australian bred so Colin contacted most rose breeders in the country seeking a suitable one.

Victorian rose breeder, Bruce Brundrett, agreed to let Colin have the rose and he then took it to Wagner’s Rose Nursery to have it produced and introduced into the Australian market.

Colin obtained a supply of the bare rooted rose in May this year and planted a bed of them in Peace Park.

He also travelled to Canberra to plant the roses in the garden at Government House in hope of them blooming in time for the launch.

“The Lady of Australia is a beautiful floribunda that produces clusters of classically shaped bright yellow flowers, showing ruffled petals when fully opened and fading to lighter yellow on the reverse,” says Colin.

“Although the rose will not be commercially available until next year, it is currently growing and in bloom in Peace Park Kiama.”

As a Charity Rose, $2 from each sale will be donated to Australian War Widows, providing support and advocacy for war widows from all conflicts.

Anyone wishing to volunteer to tend the gardens at Peace Park should contact Colin on 0408 295 223.