Everything's coming up roses in Belfast as the city celebrates its 38th annual Rose Week – a city-wide festival for everyone who loves roses.
It's a chance to stroll around one of Ireland's most beautiful rose gardens, the stunning International Rose Garden at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park. With more than 45,000 blooms and a huge variety of roses from cluster and large-flowered to miniatures, it's an unrivalled chance to find that perfect rose for your own garden.
During Rose Week there's a full programme of family activities including safari trains, sand sculpting, watercolour painting demonstrations and circus skills. But at the heart of it all is the Summer Rose and Flower Show, including final judging of the City of Belfast International Rose Trials.
The garden has been running rose trials since 1964, putting new introductions through their paces so the public can be sure they're buying something that really performs in the garden. Rose breeders from around the world compete for the awards on offer, and previous winners have included the lovely butter-yellow 'Peer Gynt' and the rich vermilion-red hybrid tea rose 'With All My Love'.
Rose Week is free, and runs from Monday 15 to Sunday 21 July 2013. For more details visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/parksandopenspaces/roseweek.asp
