Ruby’s roses are winners

WHEN Ruby Cousin and her husband Roy began to set up a rose garden in Mitcham more than 60 years ago, a passer-by said: “You’ll never grow a garden there.”
They soon proved that theory wrong and became familiar faces at rose shows across the state.
Roy was a judge, and Ruby was always there with him to exhibit their flowers. They won many prizes, including best rose in the Melbourne Rose show.
Ruby, 95, now lives at Millhaven Hostel in Pakenham, where she looks back on a lifetime of flower growing and floral art.
To the best knowledge of the Victorian Rose Society, she could hold the record for being the longest life member.
Ruby grew up in Doncaster, the third youngest of 12 children. Her parents were farmers, and her father was a flower enthusiast.
Ruby and Roy joined the rose society in the early years of their lives together. Daughter Jeanette Walker recalls tagging along to the shows at Box Hill and Healesville.
Green fingers explain the success they achieved in the hobby they loved, Ruby says.
“We just enjoyed flowers, and we came to know the signs of a good rose.
The family moved to Pakenham in the 1950s to an orchard in Ahern Road, where they grew apples and peaches, the second being unusual for the Pakenham region.
With more than a decade of experience in exhibiting with their friends from Heidelberg, Phil and Alice Allender, who had introduced them to the rose society, the Cousins set about planting their new rose garden at Pakenham, continuing their interest in exhibiting.
“Any flower is beautiful,” Ruby says. “We loved all of our garden.”
As well as her flowers, Ruby also exhibited her knitting and crocheting.
But flowers were her heritage and working for the rose society has been her legacy to the rose growers of Victoria.
Ruby is a life member of the society.