Roses with children at heart

Some 20 years ago the White Ribbon Rose Collection was born as a way to raise funds for organisations reaching out to women and children. Over the years, the collection has grown, with specific roses linked to other causes, like Parkinson’s research, Hospice care, and Breast Cancer Support. The funding concept is simple.

From each White Ribbon Rose sold, a portion is set aside for the organisation and is paid over at the end of each year. Children and their needs, however, remain at the heart of the collection. The following six roses support sanctuaries for vulnerable children as well for institutions providing critical medical care.

The SOS Children’s Villages Association of South Africa is dedicated to helping generations of children who have been orphaned or abandoned to have a better, happier life. They find sanctuary within SOS Children’s Villages, living together as brothers and sisters in a family home with their SOS Mother and as part of a supportive village environment. The rose: This floribunda grows easily to above medium height and it is a good multipurpose rose.

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It can be mixed in with other roses, grown as a shoulder high flowering hedge or simply planted in groups to create a focal point in gardens. When Archbishop Desmond Tutu turned 75 in October one of the many gifts he received was a red rose in recognition of his lifelong work for peace. Being patrons of the Tygerberg Children’s Hospital, Archbishop and Mrs Leah Tutu decided that the rose would raise funds for the hospital and it continues to do so today.

The rose: The full nostalgic cup shaped blooms have firm petals and are long lasting. They appear all over the glossy green, leafy background. The rose bush grows into a loosely branched shrub of neat proportions that has the ability to sprout flowering stems from base to tip from spring into winter.

This warm and welcoming home for the mentally challenged is no institution. Based in Germiston at Fishers Hill, it ensures that each resident is lovingly nurtured to expose his or her full potential. The rose: This shrub rose produces an abundance of large, old-fashioned blooms in an intense peach-apricot shade and with a delicate fruity fragrance.

It grows into a medium high, well-rounded bush with healthy disease resistant leaves. it is particularly suitable for large containers. The Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa (“WSPCCA”) was established to give hope to many neonates, infants and children who would otherwise not have survived.

The paediatric cardiac team has performed over 5 000 corrective surgical procedures on babies and children. It is regarded as one of the finest centres of its kind. The rose: This rose is a free flowering vigorous shrub rose that grows up to 3m high with perfect specimen blooms that continuously appear all over the bush.

It is virtually maintenance free and is resistant to black spot and other fungus diseases. The enormous blood red blooms that do not fade in the sun.

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