Welcome to the Website of Heritage Roses In Australia Inc.

Heritage Roses in Australia Inc. is a fellowship of those whose aim is to advance the preservation, cultivation, distribution, and study of old garden roses, including roses no longer in general cultivation, roses of historical importance, species roses and their hybrids.

The HRIAI 10th National Conference "The Subtropics, Rainforest to Roses" will be held in Brisbane 5,6,7,8 October, 2010.  A four day garden tour visiting public and private gardens in and around Brisbane, Montville, Toowoomba and Mt Tamborine is in the planning stages.  Entertaining speakers have been selected for your enjoyment.  Details will be published with the registration forms in the summer 2009 journal.  We hope that you will come and join us in Brisbane and experience our iconic "beautiful one day, perfect the next".

A wrap up of the 2008 Conference is posted here...

A list of the 2008 Award Recipients is posted here...

Photo Galleries have now been updated. Please click here to view...

The Charm of Heritage Roses

Most gardeners know the modern rose varieties –such as Hybrid Teas, Ground Cover roses and the David Austin roses (yes they are modern – with some old blood!) but their older relatives are less well known. Heritage roses display an amazing variety in size, form, foliage and hips which complement the diversity in blooms. We find sprays of small singles or doubles, clusters, pompoms, large singles and very full double flowers with exquisite perfumes. Most will repeat their flowering and are disease resistant. They mix happily with other shrubs, perennials, bulbs and annuals in the garden and many prefer just a light grooming. They are also drought tolerant and have survived in old gardens and cemeteries without special care.

Roses were grown before 2000 BC and occur naturally only in the northern hemisphere. Those of European origin do well in our temperate regions and those with Chinese origins thrive across both our cooler areas and the hot dry parts of Australia. Our historic Australian roses (eg the Alister Clark collection) are being rediscovered and welcomed back into our private and public gardens.

Read the article in The Australian by Holly Kerr Forsyth titled Snip in the Winter Care, published on July 19, 2008

   Membership Application/Renewal Form
   Membership Application/Renewal Form

We use & recommend Neutrog’s Sudden Impact for Roses.