A large number of people which included residents, family, special guests, friends and staff members were gathered for this auspicious occasion. As Mini Hanslo was also present it was an opportune moment to congratulate and sing happy birthday to our centenarian who turned 104 on this day, 31 October 2016. We extend our very best wishes to Mini for her continued health and happiness. Mini is truly a grand lady whom we love, respect and admire.

We then proceeded with the opening of the rose gardens.  

As most of you know we lost more than 70 roses more than a year ago due to a fungus which attacked the roses from the roots up. This was only discovered when it was already too late to save them.

During the past year we let the soil rest while we treated and nourished it to be ready for planting new roses.

Mrs Simone Bastiaanse thanked our Garden and Grounds Manager, Mr Abri Jacobson and his team of gardeners for their dedication and good work. The garden in front of the office is of a more informal design with mixed colours, whereas the circular garden, we call the pizza slices is more formal, planted with white iceberg roses in a cross and mini white roses around the border.

We have dedicated one particular colour to each of the 4 slices. The colours are shades of peach in the one slice, shades of red in the next, then shades of yellow and the fourth shades of pink. The gardens are already displaying beautiful rose buds. The roses planted form part of our “Sponsor a Rose” project which was launched as a fund raiser to cover the immense cost of replacing the roses lost due to the fungus.

We have also reinstated our fish ponds and have placed 10 Koi and 3 Gold fish in each pond. They are small but we can watch and enjoy them develop.

Mrs Hennie Fourie who is part of our Management Committee and garden advisor did the honour of cutting the ribbon. Mrs Simone Bastiaanse then declared the rose gardens officially opened!

Simone thanked all our sponsors, they are as follows:

Plaques with donors’ names are being produced and will be planted within the next month.