AT the last minute Rose City gardener Mabel Mott freshly cut a rose which had bloomed in her garden and entered it in the St Mark’s Women’s Guild Rose Festival.

An article in the Daily News about concerns that a lack of roses in bloom, due to the wet spring, would harm the annual festival, motivated Mrs Mott, who walked away with the trophy for champion rose.

“It pays to pray and advertise,” Mrs Mott laughed.

“I was worried they wouldn’t have many so I brought one down to contribute.”

After concerns earlier in the week, it was a relief for St Mark’s Women’s Guild president Winsome Anderson to see the highest amount of entries ever at 147.

“It’s absolutely wonderful, considering our thoughts earlier in the week,” Mrs Anderson said.

“Thank you to everyone for supporting us and bringing along a rose.”

She said it was great to see so many new rose growers enter in the novice section bringing in their entries to support their guild.

“One lady said she thought she would just bring along a rose to support us and then she won a prize,” Mrs Anderson said.

One of those was Betty Neal, who was shocked to see her Mr Lincoln red rose win champion in the novice section.

“It’s exciting to win – I had only one rose in my garden and they were desperate for roses,” she said.

Tannymorel rose judge Val Grayson congratulated the St Mark’s women for attracting so many entries after a trying season.

Winners

Bowl of roses: 1 Joy O’Leary, 2 Judy Hall, 3 Jennifer Marshall. Vase or bowl: 1 Lyndhurst Stud, 2 Suzanne Ferguson. Long neck bottles, any colour: 1 Mabel Mott, 2 Fay Ireland. 3 red roses: 1Merle Bamberry, 2 Joy O’Leary. 3 pink roses: 1 Fay Ireland, 2 Heather Dearden. 3 yellow roses: 1 Laura Johnson, 2 Narelle Goodwin. 3 other, one colour: 1 Mal Hooks, 2 Rita Teis. 4 mixed roses: 1 Fay Ireland, 2 Mal Hooks. Novice: 1 Betty Neal, 2 Mary Johnston. Vase: 1 Merle Bamberry, 2 Joe Van Der Hulst. Champion Rose: Mabel Mott.