The Victoria State Rose Garden shares the Werribee Park Tourism Precinct with Werribee Park and Mansion, the Mansion Hotel and Spa, The Refectory, Werribee Open Range Zoo, Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, Shadowfax Winery and Werribee Park Golf Course. The Victoria State Rose Garden features more than 5000 roses for all to enjoy. Normally open every day, entrance is free. The garden was designed in the form of a Tudor Rose with the later addition of the Australian Federation Leaf and the Rosebud gardens and the Heritage Border.
Roses
The cultivation of roses dates from at least 500 BC in Mediterranean countries, Persia, and China. Grown mainly for their flowers in the garden and sometimes indoors, they have also been used for perfumery and commercial cut flowers. Roses are also used in certain food and drink. Rose hips can be made into jam, jelly, marmalade, and soup or are brewed for tea. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products. Rose water has a very distinctive flavour and is used in sweets such as barfi, baklava, halva, gulab jamun, gumdrops, kanafeh, nougat, and Turkish delight.
The rose has a long cultural history and has often been used as a symbol. In ancient Greece, the rose was closely associated with the goddess Aphrodite. Following the conversion of the Roman Empire to Chrisianity, the rose became identified with the Virgin Mary, and eventually led to the creation of the rosary and other devotional prayers. In the 15th Century, roses symbolised the Houses of York and Lancaster in the Wars of the Roses. Finally, in 1986 President Ronald Reagan formalised the rose as the floral emblem of the United States.
Roses in Literature
The rose has featured in many writings. These will be very familiar:
"Roses are red, violets are blue ..."
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may ..."
" 'Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone ..."
"O my Luve is like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June ..."
and, of course:
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet"
The Victoria State Rose Garden
The Victoria State Rose Garden has become a very popular place for tourists, weddings and photography. The idea for the establishment of the Garden followed the declaration of Victoria as The Garden State in December 1976. The Garden was given 'in principle' approval in March 1980, and work began in 1981. Stage 1 was officially opened on 9th November 1986. Work stalled for several years until volunteers to assist with maintenance were sought in 1992, and the Victoria State Rose Garden Supporters Group was established the following year. The Federation Leaf was officially opened on 11 November 2001.
Stage One Heritage Border came in 1998, followed by Stage Two in 2000. That year also brought a Centenary of Federation Grant for establishment of the Federation Leaf. The Rosebud roses were donated in 2001, and the Official Opening of New Archway Entrance to the Rose Garden took place in November 2012.
The"best" times to visit the Garden are in November (spring), when the first blooms, and the once-flowering spring roses, are at their peak. Then in March, the modern roses have an autumn flush, an excellent time to see masses of flowers. There are always some blooms in the Garden from early October until late July. The Gardens are readily accessible by public transport - take the train from Melbourne to Werribee and then the 439 bus, which takes you right into the grounds of the Werribee Park Tourism Precinct. Opening times for the Gardens from April to September are 9.30- 5 pm, and from October to April are 9.30-6.30 (daylight saving time)
Logging Requirements
To log this cache, please send us answers to the following questions:
1. Who officially opened the Garden on 9th November 1986?
2. How many park benches surround the rotunda at the centre of the Tudor Rose?
3. Beside the entrance to the rotunda is a plaque. What does it commemorate?
4. Include a photo with your log showing your team name beside the diagram of the garden layout incorporated in the Entrance Arch.
Logs without sending us the answers may be deleted.
Virtual Rewards 2.0 - 2019/2020
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between June 4, 2019 and June 4, 2020. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 2.0 on the Geocaching Blog.