Roses for world peace

A new memorial rose garden was established by Greensborough RSL outside Liscombe House in 1999. The garden was dedicated to those who have served Australia in war and peace.

Patrick Byrnes, director of the RSL welfare services, chose the ‘peace rose’ to be the centre piece of the new garden.

The rose was being developed in France before World War II. When the Nazis invaded and came across the property, they destroyed of its stock. However, cuttings of the rose were smuggled from France to the United States, where they were propagated in commercial numbers.

The new garden was planted in a previously bare area outside Liscombe House by the then garden coordinator Steve Fletcher, using plants and materials donated by Greensborough RSL.