Grower earns national award for his roses

• Published date: 24 April 2024
• Author: Eva de Jong
• Publication title: Whanganui Midweek

It can take six to 10 years to make a new type of rose for release, but the labour of love is worth it. A selection of Matthews’ roses has earned him the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture Plant Raisers Award for 2024

Matthews said he was “very chuffed” to be recognised with the award.

There are eight full-time staff at Matthews Nurseries and up to 20 during the busy winter harvesting season.

About 50,000 roses a year are grown at the nursery and are then sold on to garden centres.

“Sales are steady, but we’re going forward well.”

The business is led by the family and has now reached the third generation with Matthews’ children also working in rose breeding.

Matthews said he was brought up in the rose field, with a love of plants being instilled in him by his father.

“I can remember travelling to Christchurch to pick seeds off a tree that my father knew about, that were for a seed merchant in the Hawke’s Bay.”

Now, he is constantly thinking ahead about what his next set of breeding crosses will be in the nursery.

What makes a good rose?

The roses Matthews...