The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 19 Summer 2016/17 | Page 21

nurseries in Zimbabwe
routine tasks that involve scouting
for any unwanted nasties which may
have crept in overnight, checking the
newly-installed drip irrigation system to
ensure maximum hydration in the rose
garden, deadheading and selecting and
strategically displaying containers and
pots of every shape and size to display
bountiful blooms.
The roses and their companions
As the season changes, so does the
rose garden. Visitors to the nursery are
reminded of innovative ideas for planting
and caring for roses of every shape and
variety. Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, patio
roses, miniature roses, ground covers,
climbers and ramblers occupy every
spare metre of the nursery.
Scented companions such as lavender,
rosemary, daisies and heliotrope lend
their charm to displays in unexpected
containers at Picabella. Roses displayed
in pots remind gardeners to think out of
the box and acknowledge that even in
drought years, roses can be successfully
managed in tubs and pots.
The owners of Picabella, Gil and Sue Laver, have a passion for roses and hiking.
Sunbirds and bees also register their
delight in the trickling fountain and cool
peaceful habitat that envelops the nursery
garden. Sometimes ‘uninvited guests’
in the form of vervet monkeys swing
on the greenhouse structures, causing
all manner of consternation when they
swoop on new rose buds, oblivious to the
destruction caused.
The importance of the rose
The nursery owners teach their staff that
every visitor to the nursery is unique, that
roses are an investment and that each
person has a special reason for buying
a certain rose. Sometimes, it may be
for a celebration of years together, an
expression of love, remembrance, a new
beginning or a collector’s deep interest in
roses. They have learned that not only are
the colour and the scent important, but
the name is also often very important and
not just anything will do!
Gerry leads the staff at the nursery.
The ‘South Africa’ rose
Educational talks
Mindful of the need to answer many
questions that arise about planting
and maintaining their roses, Picabella
initiated a quarterly rose forum in
2014. The demand for tickets to attend
these functions is high and draws many
enthusiastic rosarians to the rose garden.
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