South Australian Rosarian to be Honoured

14-01-2009

Internationally acclaimed rosarian David Ruston of Renmark, is to be recognised for his contribution to the rose world with the creation of a public art work in Renmark.

David Ruston has achieved worldwide recognition with rose awards including the T.A. Stewart Memorial award 1966, the Australian Rose award 1982, the World Federation of Rose Society's Silver Pin 1988 and Gold Medal 2004, the Dean Ross Memorial award 1997 and the most prestigious rose award of all, the Dean Hole Medal in 1994 from the Royal National Rose Society. In 1984 David received an Order of Australia for Services to Horticulture.

David still plays an active role in the annual Renmark Rose Festival and was the founder of Ruston’s Roses at Renmark which is now the home of the National Rose Collection of Australia which includes the new Tea-Noisette-China collection – see www.rustonsroses.com .

WHY DAVID RUSTON, WHY RENMARK?


Renmark is situated on the River Murray in the Riverland of South Australia with a
population of 9,000 people. It is acclaimed for its horticultural and viticultural quality and diversity.

Renmark was the first irrigation settlement in South Australia established by the Chaffey Brothers in 1887. Over the last 50 years Renmark has attracted immigrants from Greece, Italy, Turkey, India, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan who continue to celebrate their cultural heritage with festivals throughout the year.

The annual community run Rose Festival includes the viewing of public and private gardens, food and wine events, performances and visual arts presentations. Ruston’s Rose garden has been a major sponsor of this festival since its beginning with David Ruston O.A.M. providing to the event passion, motivation, insight and leadership. Renmark’s recognition as the rose centre of Australia, has been enhanced by the ongoing annual rose festival, but the primary driver for this recognition has been the decades of commitment to roses by David Ruston.

Born in 1930 David has always lived in the family home adjacent to Ruston’s Rose Garden. The domestic rose garden was originally planted by David’s father in 1924. He grew 500 bushes. David inherited his father’s keen interest in the garden exhibiting in many rose shows. He increased the rose plantings to 3,000 bushes by 1968. David fulfilled a demand from florists by evolving a business from his hobby. Now the garden covers 11acres and boasts 50,000 roses of 4,000, varieties

The garden has always been David’s great passion and his participation and experience in all facets of the industry has seen him achieve world recognition. He is a talented artist when arranging flowers specializing in flower arrangements in the style of the old Flemish, Dutch and French painters. His knowledge of the history of art is portrayed in his book “The Joy of Roses” which he wrote in conjunction with James Young in 2004
.
David has lectured and demonstrated flower arranging at Rose conferences for many years in America, United Kingdom, Canada, Bermuda, South Africa, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Belgium and Australia.
He has also demonstrated flower arranging in many Australian cities and towns donating his time and flowers to raise money for a variety of charities.

David has been a member of many rose societies and garden clubs world wide and is highly respected by his peers. He became the inaugural president of Heritage Roses in Australia in 1986 and the president of the World Federation of Rose Societies 1991-1994.
David has been granted Life membership to,

• National Rose Society of Australia
• Royal National Rose Society
• American Rose Society
• India Rose Society
• Heritage Roses of Australia
• Garden Clubs of Australia
• Renmark Garden Club
• Renmark Agricultural and Horticultural Society


David has achieved recognition worldwide. His awards include,

• T.A. Stewart Memorial award 1966
• Australian Rose award 1982
• Medal of the order of Australia for services to Horticulture 1982
• World Federation of Rose Societies Silver Pin 1988
• Dean Hole Medal of Royal National Rose society 1994
• World Federation of Rose Societies gold medal

David has created many arrangements for a variety of celebrations and occasions throughout the world. He arranged flowers for,

• the opening of Carrick Hill in Adelaide
• the Chateau Barrosa in the Barossa Valley by H.M. Queen Elizabeth,
• the Sandringham Flower Show attended by the late Queen Mother,
• the Great Hall at Sydney University for the Rose Convention in 1988,
• festivals in St. Peter’s Cathedral Adelaide,
• demonstrations at Ayers House,
• David Jones Melbourne,
• the Regional Outdoor Sculpture at Ruston’s Rose Garden

David is uniquely brilliant in his field, using his knowledge, skills, creativity and generosity to support local, national and international communities and organisations. His enthusiasm to impart his specialist knowledge without obligation has been a hallmark of his life.

David has been instrumental in establishing what has officially been recognised as “The National Collection of Roses” at Ruston’s Rose Garden Renmark. Its custodianship is now in the hands of Anne Ruston, David’s niece and Richard Fewster her husband.

Barbara Lee Taylor of The New Zealand Gardener in 1995 described David as “Flamboyant, immensely energetic and irreverently Australian, he arranges flowers more magnificently than anyone else you are likely to meet and faster than the speed of light”

Peter Beales English Rose Specialist and President of the Royal National Rose Society, U.K. said when endorsing The Joy of Roses in 2004 “As well as one of Australia’s leading rosarians David is known and respected as one of the foremost authorities on his subject throughout the world”

David’s contribution to his local community and the global rose community is to be celebrated through the commissioning of an artwork for a public place in Renmark.

Five Artists Shortlisted for Sculpture

Five artists have been shortlisted to submit proposals for the final design and construction of a sculpture to recognise and acknowledge the life and work of internationally acclaimed rosarian David Ruston of Renmark.
They are former resident Deb Sleeman of American River, Kangaroo Island, Lis Johnson of, Yarraville, Victoria, Janette Moore, of Cumberland Park, South Australia, Gerry McMahon, of Prospect, South Australia and Nicholas Uhlmann of Scott Creek, South Australia.

The names of the shortlisted artists were announced recently by project coordinator, Ms Margaret Worth, on behalf of the seven person selection panel.

A steering committee for the David Ruston Sculpture Appeal has been formed. Our aim is to commission the creation of a sculpture of David Ruston to recognise the magnificent contribution he has made to the
region, his craft and the world of roses.  To ensure a sculpture befitting of this icon we need to raise $100 000. 
If you are interested in donating to this cause please contact us and we will forward more information :
Email : davidsculpture@riverland.net.au
or
David Sculpture
c/- P.O.Box 12
Renmark SA 5341

Click here to go to the Tea-Noisette-China collection

Click here to go to the A Tribute to David Ruston article