Volunteers in the Old Parliament House Rose Gardens. Photo: NCA.
For nearly two decades, Gwen Souter has spent her Tuesday mornings quietly tending roses in one of Canberra’s most historic gardens.
She started volunteering in November 2005, back when there were just three volunteers working in the MacArthur Garden at Old Parliament House.
“I remember the exact month only because we’ve just received recognition for our years of service,” she said.
Now 80, Ms Souter is one of a small group of long-serving volunteers who have helped keep the Old Parliament House Gardens looking their best.
But for the first time in 20 years, the group needs reinforcements – not just to maintain the existing gardens, but to help care for the newly upgraded National Rose Gardens across the road when they reopen in early 2026.
The National Rose Gardens are opposite Old Parliament House. Photo: Martin Ollman, National Capital Authority.
Since May, the National Capital Authority (NCA) has been upgrading the stormwater infrastructure at the gardens and while workers are at it, re-laying the beds and replacing flowers.
At the time Ms Souter joined she was retired but doing relief work in school offices. A major drawcard was “getting to know more about the roses”.
“But I also enjoy being outside and doing things out in the garden,” she said.
“Yeah, it’s a lovely place to be.”
Her weekly shift is simple and structured: two hours every Tuesday morning.
“We weed, we spread some mulch and we dead head, which means you take off all the dead roses because that encourages more, and in the winter we do the pruning.
“We just do what needs to be done and we do a couple of hours and then get together for coffee at Old Parliament House when we’re done.”
The National Rose Gardens, first planted in 1933, sit either side of the central lawn in front of Old Parliament House and are Commonwealth Heritage listed.
Even though drones were yet to be invented, the layout was designed to resemble two roses when viewed from above.
Perfectly manicured roses in the Old Parliament House Gardens. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
Over the years, the gardens have been updated several times with new soil, plantings and roses selected for resilience.
Bloom season runs from October to April, with peak colour in November and December.
Even though the flowers are “looking really healthy this year” – largely due to new and improved fertilisers – Ms Souter said fewer people seem to wander through the gardens nowadays.
“I don’t think a lot of people know that they’re there. They’re a bit hidden behind a big hedge,” she said.
When the National Rose Gardens reopen, the NCA will be relying on volunteers to help care for more than 7500 new roses.
The authority estimates the expanded program will need an additional 40 volunteers, on top of the roughly 80 who already work across the Old Parliament House gardens.
Ms Souter said the group members were mostly retired, with ages ranging from mid-60s to 80s.
“I think last week there were nine of us,” she said of the longest-serving volunteers. “We’ve got three other 80-year-olds this year.”
As for her own future?
“I don’t think I’ll do another 20, not at my age,” she laughed. “I’ll probably try another five years, just depending on health and mobility.”
Her advice to anyone considering signing up is straightforward.
“If you want to spend a couple of hours in a very nice peaceful area … there’s no pressure and it’s very fulfilling,” she said.
“And meeting new friends, meeting new people. You look back and you think, ‘Hm yeah, we’ve tidied it up really well today’.”
Applications to volunteer with the NCA are open online.
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