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Forgotten Corners - Rose Ag
Forgotten Corners
Making an entrance statement
CATHIE BELL
KEGWORTH ESTATE has been in the Rose Family since 1903, and these days is the base for Rose Ag, run by the fifth generation on the land. Last October, after much planning, the Roses decided to develop a native garden at the entrance to the St Leonards Rd property, wanting to create an appealing welcome, while also doing something environmentally friendly, to be enjoyed by future generations.
A total of 0.3 hectares of the area have been planted with roughly 900 young native plants, in a project that Tim says has “evolved” well beyond the original plan, as issues such as phone and power cables were worked around. “The ground was very compacted, but thankfully we had the use of machinery available such as a hole borer that saved us a lot of time and effort.”
Three generations of the family were involved in the planting with Val Rose – Tim’s mother – and her grandkids helping as well. Species range from small grasses and daisies, horoeka/lancewoods and dwarf kōwhai, to tōtara, tī kōuka/cabbage trees and mataī. The plants are protected by guards from FuturEcology in Nelson, which naturally break down over time. “Being quite exposed here, we wanted to give the plants the best opportunity to get ahead and be protected from Marlborough’s wellknown norwester winds,” says Tim. Thick mulch surrounding the plants keeps in a good amount of moisture, helping them to establish. “We had approximately 30 tonnes of mulch
Vaughan Rose, Tim Rose and Tracy Rose-Russell. Photo Cathie Bell
delivered and it just disappeared across the site.”
Tim says Rose Ag is trying to move away from the monoculture of winegrowing, to focus more on the environment and biodiversity. They have 100ha of their own vineyards, with a quarter in inter-row planting this year. “Some is sunflowers, some is with wildflowers. Marlborough is
Tim Rose
pretty well-known for growing grass between the vines, we’re trying to help change that.” They’re essentially farmers, he adds. “That’s our heritage. We’re trying to bring this back to our practices.”
The company also has 20ha of organic vineyard, adding diversity to the portfolio. “It enables us to learn and prepare for those days when some herbicides are not going to be around,” Tim says. A key part of the diversity planting is to attract native birds to come through their land as well, and Tim’s brother Vaughan says he has really noticed a boost with the inter-row planting.
As well as the Rose Ag staff, the family relied on outside expertise, including Mike Aviss from the Marlborough District Council and Kate Vavasour from Vavasour Landscapes, says Tim. Greening Marlborough, a funding programme initiated by the Marlborough Landscape Group (see facing page) helped with the project as well.
Tim encourages others to try out native plantings, regardless of expertise. “There are a lot of people in Marlborough willing to share their knowledge and experience, and the best way to build up experience is to try it… We are keen to do the same on other parts of our vineyards around the district. We believe it adds value to properties and makes them a lot better environments to work in.”
Undervine plantings
Marlborough Landscape Group
SOPHIE PREECE
The group tasked with tackling biodiversity in Marlborough’s vine country no longer has wine industry representation.
Former grape grower Willie Crosse has stood down from the Marlborough Landscape Group after several years on the committee, having sold his vineyard last year. But he says it is imperative that industry members put up their hand to be involved in the group, which was established in 2003 in reaction to vineyard development and reduced biodiversity.
Over the years it has assisted wine companies with advice and funding, to ensure a more diverse landscape for the community and environment, says Willie. “The wine industry needs a bit of a champion to make sure some of that money is allocated to vineyard plantings.”
Viticulture needs social licence to operate, and helping care for the environment is part of maintaining that, says Willie. Increasing biodiversity is also about meeting the demands of consumers, he adds. “From a marketing point of view, it’s good that we are establishing more native plantings around Marlborough.”
The Marlborough District Council (MDC) facilitates the landscape group, which has representation from several industries. In 2019 the group launched Greening Marlborough, to assist landowners with the establishment of native plantings on forgotten corners, riparian areas and along vineyard boundaries. Last year the MDC launched Working for Nature/Mahi mō te Taiao, which combines the former Tui to Town and Greening Marlborough initiatives to increase plantings across the province. Willie says Greening Marlborough received great buy in from the wine community, and he hopes its new iteration – which the Landscape Group feeds into – will receive the same support.
As well as planting schemes, the landscape group is involved in plans for a new regional park along the banks of the lower Wairau River, says Willie. He says there has been a boost in wine industry biodiversity plans and plantings over recent years, as members gain more understanding of the benefits to the environment and community, as well as in the marketplace. “Like all these projects, it is much easier when the sentiment is right and ready for it to happen.” For more information, contact Bev Doole at bev.doole@icloud.com
Willie Crosse - Photo by Jim Tannock
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