City horticulturists attribute this year's successful rose bloom at the Edisto Memorial Gardens to regimented maintenance. And thousands of man hours put in. And the care and nurturing of each plant.

The keepers of the roses say those attending this weekend's South Carolina Festival of Roses will not be disappointed with the centerpiece of the festivities.

"The roses are in great shape," Orangeburg Superintendent of Parks Jay Hiers said. "This is probably the best they have looked in three years."

Hiers and Orangeburg County Parks and Recreation Horticulturist Mike Rast agree this year's burst of color is within a week of full bloom. But that doesn't happen by gathering a crew a week or two before the festival and cutting the grass.

The Orangeburg Parks and Recreation Department has a 10-member crew that puts in an estimated 12,000 man hours a year to ensure Edisto Gardens remains among the Southeastern Tourism Society's top 20 tourism events.

"It's definitely hard work," Hiers said. "It's a full five days a week. Of course, we have some down time from November to February."

Hiers explained that year-round maintenance of the roses consists of spraying each bed with insecticides, pruning, fertilizing, planting, replanting and gauging the amount of water the plants receive. But a dedicated Hiers and Rast, along with the rest of the crew, adhere to a maintenance schedule that prevents June bugs, spider mites, Japanese beetles and cold or wet snaps from destroying the vulnerable plants.

"That regimented schedule keeps insects out," Hiers said. "We really don't have that problem any more. Our biggest problem is weather. It looks like we don't even have that problem, but it's because of that regimented schedule."

Despite the gardens appearing as if weather hasn't been a problem, Hiers and Rast say unusually heavy spring rains gave rise to a different concern -- disease.

"Too much rain can be bad because you can't get out and care for the gardens," Hiers said. "With all this water, you have a chance for disease -- black spot and powdered mildew."

"We've just had a big problem being an El Nino year with all the rain," Rast said. "It hasn't rained in 10 days, but you see what it's like. Wet."

Bringing an arsenal of knowledge against insects and plant disease, Hiers, an Ehrhardt native, graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor's degree in landscape architectural science. Hailing from Cameron, Rast obtained his bachelor's degree in horticulture from Clemson.

The two specialists say they are ready to show off their work to the anticipated 30,000 to 40,000 expected to attend the festival this weekend.

That experience and pride in their work has also helped the gardens remain among an elite few that make up the Chicago-based All-America Rose Selections, a non-profit association of rose growers. Only 27 organizations around the nation are members.

Eighty-four varieties of roses found in approximately 4,200 plants await attendees of the 32nd annual event this year. Four AARS award-winning varieties have been added to the menu of roses this year to satisfy even the most discriminating plant-loving palate, including "Hot Cocoa" and "Cherry Parfait."

But you'll have to find them on your own.

"We don't want to point them out," Hiers said. "We want everyone to enjoy the whole gardens rather than focus on one area. But they're scattered about in several beds."

Rast added that if roses aren't your pot of soil, azaleas abound as well as other aesthetically pleasing features found in the gardens.

A duck pond is a favorite of festival attendees who are treated to occasional visits by Canadian geese. Remaining extremely alert may pay off for the avid birdwatcher who may catch a glimpse of what Hiers and Rast call "the resident red-tailed hawk."

"Most think we have one or two things," Rast said. "But the gardens has a wetlands with a boardwalk, a waterfall, a landscaped area, a waterwheel, a sensory garden, a Centennial Park. You just have a lot of different aspects about the gardens. There's just something for everybody."

T&D Staff Writer Richard Walker can be reached by e-mail at rwalker@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5516.

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