Rose Show smells out the fake one

PUNE, Jan 3: Even though it was a pair of bright blue gladioli that stole the Winter Rose Show amidst 2,000 of the best roses in the city...

PUNE, Jan 3: Even though it was a pair of bright blue gladioli that stole the Winter Rose Show amidst 2,000 of the best roses in the city, the excitement lasted only till the confession came that it was artificially coloured by an enterprising garden tool seller to make “some quick bucks”.

The actual pride of the show organised by the Rose Society of Pune at the Tilak Smarak Mandir was Chandrasekhar, a new variety of rose cultivated this year by Chandrakant More, a rose grower from Wangni village in Thane district a miniature red rose double in size of the other flowers, that was a definite show stopper.

The King of the Show was Headliner, a regal pink and white blossom that walked away with the best rose trophy for sheer perfection — be it of leaves, shape of the flower, length of the stem or perfection of colour.Put up by R P Bhide, who also happens to be a member of the Rose Society, the flower had by its side the Queen of the Show, a deep red Gladiator, the winner being rose grower Mancher Irani.

Separate sections for novices, those who had grown less than 100 plants, those who had grown more than 100 plants, nurseries and company exhibits ensured fair competition. As usual there were the usual avid competitors including exotic sounding names like General Vaidya, Black Lady, Eiffel Tower, John F Kennedy, the Grand Mughal and the modest Just Joey.

Show regular Vinayak Sonawane was there having bagged the first prize for flower dominated displays with his exhibit titled Concert ’99 heralding the New Year. With roses playing miniature designed instruments like the piano, the violin, the guitar on a glass stage, the 115 flower display had white roses representing VIP audiences, red the pass holders and pink the complimentary ticket holders.

The show was inaugurated by Arun Nigavekar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Pune, who called for relaxation of import norms so that better variety roses could be imported and then bred in the country. Dr Nigavekar also presented Madhukar Kavade, a young worker of the Rose Society, with the silver medal sponsored by Naik Krishi Udyog in memory of the late Laxmibai Anant Naik for a worker who has contributed to the prosperity of the society. The Rose Society of Pune has become the first such society in the country to have its own website on the Internet. Web surfers can get the latest information on the field from indiainternational.com/punerose and also get details of a new Indian bred rose every month.