Bosky Dell Rose Garden is a charming venue in Plettenberg Bay that is very popular, especially in the summer months with international tourists, and a beautiful choice for a romantic wedding. However, after six months of lockdown, the once-pristine garden was suffering enormously from inattention and an invasion of weeds.
Rae Gilbert, proud creator of the world-renowned rose garden, with a proposal from Plett Tourism, put out a request for assistance and, as is so often the case in Plettenberg Bay, that request was answered by enthusiastic and generous volunteers!
GVH Landscapes brought a crew for a day and made a huge dent. Shirley Redman from Adventureland and Coral Tree Cottages arrived with her extended family and friends, a ride-on lawnmower and spirit of determination second to none. They worked extremely hard over two weekend and realised an amazing transformation.
Knysna Rose Society and Formosa Garden Club arrived over a period of two weeks armed with secateurs and snipped the flailing roses back to stimulate growth. Dave’s Garden Services pitched in for a shift. Atlantic Fertilizers donated fertilizer… A procession of warriors determined to win the battle against bindweed and donations to enable Rae to employ three staff members until mid-December and purchase much-needed fertilizer, fungicides etc.
As Plett Tourism, we are proud to have been able to facilitate help for Rae, and for Bosky Dell as a popular attraction while being a boon to the economy and the Garden Route and beyond. Find out more: http://www.rosepavilion.co.za/
A message from Rae:
“I would have loved to write each donor a personal thank you and progress report, and to publish their names. But since I can’t list everyone, so I decided not to list anyone by name. I hope this letter reaches each one of you. Mere words cannot express my gratitude and I’m sure that my garden will soon be ready for a visit or a venue for weddings. Once the overseas tourists are allowed in, I am sure they will, as always, be singing its praises, thank you.”
