Pilot Mound's Memorial Rose Garden

The Memorial Rose Garden recently had the great honor and financial award ($1,000 plus an inscribed plaque) of being awarded the Prairie Garden Award of Excellence for 2004. This publication, The Prairie Garden is Western Canada's only gardening annual. The Memorial Rose Garden will be featured in a story in the 2005 edition. To win this award the group must make a significant contribution to the advancement and/or promotion of horticulture on the Northern Great Plains.

The Rose Garden began as a Millennium project, prompted by a suggestion from the Communities in Bloom judges who had been here a year earlier.

Workers from the town and the Horticultural Society have been, and still are, working in close co-operation to establish this place of beauty, peace and serenity where one may visit and feel welcome at any time.

In 2000 the site was chosen and approved. It was highly visible as you enter the town from Highway #3, at the town sign. The site is large, provided with some shade from mature trees and water was easily accessed. Size and shape of the plot were staked out and vegetation killed in late fall. It was interesting to note that when orders for roses were encouraged through the paper, they came in in such numbers that the size of the plot had to be enlarged twice before any planting was done.

The year 2001 was busy for everyone involved. Early in spring the sod was broken by a local farmer with a large roto-tiller while town workers loaded and hauled top soil from the Millennium Complex site for fill. Once leveled, composted manure (65 yards) was added by a local trucker. More leveling and roto-tilling gave us a nice friable soil, high in all essential elements. Before year's end, a post and chain fence was in place, five water outlets were dug in and the beautiful Memorial Garden sign, designed by a local artist, was added.

Spring was late in arriving in 2002 so it was in late June/July when we gathered to make a serious start at planting. Number one on the list of jobs was to do one more roto-tilling, leaving a nice flat surface that could be measured and marked for pathways and roses. The paths were dug out by hand, gravel was wheeled in and packed by hand. The crushed glass and edging was added later, also by hand.

One nice day in July, volunteers planted 218 roses. More roses and 14 shrubs were added later making a total of 237 roses. Each rose has a space 5'x 5' in which to grow and bloom. The roses are planted, staggered, in rows so that any two rows may be viewed from a path. Almost 100% of the roses are Hardy Shrub varieties of either the Parkland or Explorer series. Each rose has a 3 x 5 marker made of charcoal colored acrylic material with vinyl lettering. These signs are mounted on an aluminum stake and as well as the name of those being memorialized, the sign contains the name of the rose.

An Official Opening / Ribbon Cutting Ceremony was held September 15 of that year. The Communities in Bloom judge from Brandon was in attendance as a special guest speaker.

The winter of 2002/2003 was a hard one with little snow cover. We lost a number of roses and learned a valuable lesson!

Spring of 2003 found volunteers pruning, weeding and watering at the garden. Added to the garden were 90 new roses plus replacements, and a seated arbor. Two park benches and a stand to hold the visitors book were donated. Manitoba Hydro placed a pole and power was dug in to the central area. Some older elm trees were removed to make room for a few more roses and to accommodate a drain to take water away from the garden area.

In late fall each rose was well watered and hilled up with soil. Snow fencing was placed around and within the garden.

The Memorial Rose Garden has been generously supported by the Town of Pilot Mound, the Horticultural Society, a local foundation and individual residents.

It is slightly amusing trying to fill out an application for a grant when they ask "When will the project begin and when it will be completed?". This project is one that surely will be on-going; there will always be a need to prune, hoe, water, dead-head and replace!

Plans for 2004, the 100th of the incorporation of our home town are to add a water feature and do landscaping in the center bed of the garden. Trees for shade and shrubs for a shelter belt will need to be planted and cared for. A lot of work, yes, but the rewards are many so come visit, you are Welcome - welcome to the point that if you are moved to pull a weed, dead-head some old bloom, just do it! You have our blessing and our thanks!