If you’ve ever wandered through the Durbanville Rose Garden and wondered how those picture-perfect blooms stay looking so good, here’s your chance to find out.

The City of Cape Town is inviting residents to join its horticultural team for a week of volunteer winter rose pruning, giving home gardeners the opportunity to sharpen their skills while helping care for one of South Africa’s largest public rose gardens.

The volunteer programme runs from 13 to 17 July, with sessions taking place daily between 9am and 3pm. There’s no need to book in advance – simply arrive at the garden and register before joining the day’s pruning activities.

Why winter pruning matters

While a winter rose garden may look a little bare, this is one of the busiest times of year for rose growers.

Because roses are dormant during winter, pruning now encourages healthy new growth, stronger stems and plenty of flowers once spring arrives. A good prune also improves airflow through the plant, removes damaged growth and helps shape the bush for the coming season.

Whether you’re growing hybrid teas, floribundas or climbing roses at home, the practical skills you’ll pick up can be applied in your own garden.

A garden worth preserving

Established in 1979, the Durbanville Rose Garden stretches across approximately 3.5 hectares and is home to around 4,500 rose bushes, making it one of the country’s largest public rose collections. The spectacular flowering season typically runs from October through May, when thousands of blooms transform the garden into a sea of colour.

Learn from the experts

The volunteer initiative follows the City’s annual Winter Rose Pruning Workshop, where gardeners learnt everything from choosing suitable rose varieties to soil preparation, fertilising, pest management and correct pruning techniques.

Now, those lessons move outdoors, giving volunteers the chance to work alongside experienced horticultural staff while helping maintain a much-loved public space.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to give your secateurs a workout, this might just be the perfect winter morning out.

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Feature image: Unsplash