As the fate of the Mineral County Rose Garden continues to linger, members of the Victory Rose Garden have been hard at work weeding and tending to areas within the garden.
To determine what will be done with the once attraction, a meeting has been scheduled with Larry Grant, supervisor of Hawthorne Utilities on Aug. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Cooperative Extension Office on South A Street.
The meeting will be informational from Grant regarding water issues. Members of the Victory Rose Garden group will be on hand to answer questions.
The Rose Garden began in 1963 and at one time hosted over 900 different varieties of roses. The roses have been bought by family and friends of loved ones who have passed on. Underneath each rose, a silver plaque with the name of the beloved is shown.
In its current state, the garden is the largest rose garden in Nevada.
During a staff update with the Mineral County Commissioners, ideas were brought forth regarding the future of the garden. One idea was to allow family members to remove the roses and to place a kiosk with the names of those memorialized in a more xeriscape friendly atmosphere.
The Independent-News has asked those on our Facebook page “The Mineral County Rose Garden has been a long-time attraction in Hawthorne. Due to the age of the roses, cost of watering and lack of volunteers the rose garden’s future is now unknown. Current suggestions include leaving the garden as it is or doing a xeriscape type of landscaping. What is your idea for the rose garden?”
The opinions are divided on outlook of the garden.
Maria Smith of Hawthorne said, “Zero-scaping would be ideal with perhaps a children’s labyrinth or medication path.
Longtime resident, Clydene Clinger of Hawthorne, argued, “We are not running short on water. Someone step up. Prisoners could do community service. Don’t kill one more value in Mineral County.”
Gina Rackley of Winnemucca offered this advice, “Maybe people who are ordered to do community service hours work some of their time in the rose garden.”
Until either a volunteer group steps forward to maintain the garden or it is turned to a water-friendly garden, the future of the rose garden is uncertain.
This is BS. Those memorials were paid for. What ever happened to respect for memorials? Hawthorne is a small tight community who thrives on it’s passions, well we are passionate about the rose garden. I have been going there since I was little, and when we go back for a visit we take our girls there. Who the hell is one person to determine it’s out come? You have more than enough inmates and JPO kids that need a lesson in respect, and have tons of time on their hands, send them out there. Not to mention the money the El Cap and local bars bring in to help fund the watering. Sounds to me like someone just wants to do away with something special out of pure laziness. Don’t let this happen people, stand up and be a voice.