The Manetti roses were originally placed on the river bank in 1852 by the young Royal Engineer Lieutenant Du Cane, who planted them on Barkers Bridge in Guildford.
Du Cane said then: “I have planted roses all along the embankment approaching my bridge – they have all shot and flowered already and are splendid.”
Over time the roses have been used for stabilising embankments and as rose stock in the fledging rose industry that blossomed in Perth in the 1920s and 30s.
In 1997 the roses were severely damaged by contract spraying and would have been lost if the Guildford Association had not got together with other conservation groups and replanted with cuttings from the original roses.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWAbout 20 students from Polytechnic West – Midland Campus, together with the City of Swan mayor and three councillors and representatives of the Guildford Association, Australian Garden History Society, Heritage roses in Australia and SGHS attended a morning tea hosted by St Charles Seminary in Guildford last week.
Guest speaker John Viska, who is chairman of The Australian Garden History Society, spoke about the significance of the Manetti rose and the importance of this project in landscape heritage conservation in WA.
Rose planting started from 11.30am in Meadow Street in Guildford, on the embankment of Barkers Bridge.