Rose garden plots promise a sweet place to rest

Recently the 327th rose garden was put in at Auckland Memorial Park and Cemetery, in East Coast Road, Silverdale. All those roses are not only there to look beautiful (and create plenty of pruning work for the gardening team!) – each rose garden contains ash plots.

Plots in the rose-filled gardens can be prepurchased and the ashes are interred in the garden itself, with a plaque placed on the spot.

The Memorial Park is a 17ha natural amphitheatre, with extensively landscaped gardens, which opened in 2000. Cemetery co-manager, Pip Smith, says the original rose gardens surround the Settlers Cottage that is on the site. The cottage is an early 20th Century villa, that was relocated from Onehunga and has been renovated with original features and character kept intact.

It is used for memorial services and seats around 50-60 people.

“We have also used it for our annual Breast Cancer Foundation Pink Ribbon Breakfasts and Blue Do for the Prostate Cancer foundation fundraisers,” Pip says. “Last October we were part of the Global Wave of Light, a memorial for Pregnancy and Infant Loss – we hope this to be a new annual event.”