It was the wish of the benefactor Ms Nita Steyn that a rose garden be established at Mayville for the pleasure of visitors.
rosegardenThe garden was designed by Gwen Fagan in 1978 and a policy to plant heritage roses was adopted. The rose is one of the most ancient flowers and an attempt has been made to reflect something of its development towards the modern hybrid tea rose. Old varieties of shrubs, flowers and herbs are used for interplanting.rosegarden_layout
The garden gate opens onto a broad path (1) defined by a row of bay trees on the left and Alba roses on the right. The first part of the garden consists of a formal rectangular lawn (3) and is revealed when one goes through the arch (2), lushly covered by a white Rosa banksiae banksiae and fragrant star jasmine.
The roses on the lawn are bourbons. The bed on the left (4) is planted with gallica roses, interspersed by hellebores and bordered in the front by lavender. Damask roses can be seen in the beds on the right (5).
The arbour (6) supports a ‘Felicité Perpetué’ and a ‘Paul Transcend’. On the left (7) is a mixed border of old fashioned shrub varieties such as fuchsias, hellebores and Japanese anemones. The arches spanning the path (8) support noisette roses. A right turn leads into the court where there are eight small shaped beds. Moss roses are planted in beds 9 and 10, centifolias in 11 and 12, bourbons in 13 and 14, and hybrid perpetuals in 15 and 16. Down the right of the court is a long border (17) planted with early hybrid teas. On the other side of the court a long border (18) forms a screen between the garden and the property next door. Here a variety of old climbers can be seen, amongst others ‘Seven Sisters’ and ‘The Mermaid’.
As one goes out of the garden there is a bench (19) in the shade of a white pear tree. The pathway leading away from the garden (20) is bordered by a plaited quince hedge on the left and Rosa rugosas on the right. Many more species of roses can be seen along the pathway leading to the Drostdy.
roses