Throughout the world, wherever you find vineyards you find roses. It is a partnership that has endured for centuries, becoming one of the most recognisable and romantic images of wine-growing landscapes.

Grapevines and roses enjoy growing in the same climates. However, there are other historical reasons why vignerons planted roses, often at the ends of the rows of vines.

The first is that roses are susceptible to similar diseases that vines suffer, particularly mildew. Roses display mildews, especially powdery mildew, earlier than it appears on vines. Therefore, when the mildew was evident on roses, vignerons would use this as a signal to spray their vines with fungicides. These days, the Bureau of Meteorology issues warnings to grape growers based on weather forecasts.

The second reason often cited for roses at the end of vine rows is that their thorns would discourage horses pulling implements from cutting the corners when turning out of rows.

In the 21st century, roses are planted around vineyards and wineries because they provide beauty, colour and perfume for nine months of the year from spring through to mid-winter. They also reinforce the romantic notion of the days of wine and roses from a bygone era.

Two of the fastest-growing tourism markets in the world are garden tourism and food and wine tourism - more and more people are looking for travel experiences that combine beautiful gardens with local food and wine. Resultedly, many wine regions offer visitors the chance to taste excellent wines while also enjoying well-maintained rose gardens, making these destinations attractive to a wide range of travellers.

Which brings us here, to All Saints Estate…

The gardens were planted in the 1990s, designed by the renowned landscape designer Robert Boyle. At a time, he recalls, “roses and perennials were immensely popular” and were conceived to complement the age and style of the estate's castle. Nowhere is that more evident than in the rose garden itself, where around 500 roses of sixteen different varieties grow in front of the Riesling vineyard, with the Chardonnay vines stretching out behind. Each is an example of classic and timeless 20th century varieties, chosen to sit in harmony with the castle's grandeur - these include: Escapade, Gold Bunny, Edelweiss, French Lace, Bonica, Friesia and Apricot Nectar, all gathered beneath a Banksia rose arbour.

The rose garden is more than a pretty outlook. It has become a gathering place - a setting for weddings and events. At its heart sits a pond framed by a weeping apricot, two stunning magnolias, water lilies and port wine magnolias creating a tranquil romantic garden.

The estate's connection to roses extends well beyond this garden. Roses have long been planted along the front of several vineyards as a homage to the growers of years past. 

The formal gardens at the front of the castle were designed to give the venue a grand entrance, with Mr Boyle drawing inspiration from the great royal European gardens like Versailles. The beds were planted with Iceberg roses, white carpet roses and a mix of lavender, with climbing Madame Alfred Carrire heritage roses trained along the building itself. It is hard to imagine now, but before the garden was planted, the entire area was a carpark! 

The castle approach runs along an elm-lined driveway of 87 trees planted in 1880, with plane trees on the exit drive as insurance against the elm beetle, plus a 1990s parterre garden of clipped hedging. The gardens are productive too, with a herb garden and a native edible garden supplying fresh local ingredients to the kitchen.

At All Saints Estate, the gardens are more than ornamental; they are living expressions of history, hospitality and place. From the blooms in front of the Riesling to the climbers scaling the castle walls, from fragrant herbs to native edibles, the days of wine and roses are not simply remembered here - they are alive, abundant and ready to be enjoyed.

Special thank you to Melanie Trimper and Robert Boyle for their contribution.