ROWLAND Gwynne may have named his business after his wife Mary but he is far too busy for romance on Valentine’s Day.
The Gwynne family own and run Mary’s Produce in Roleystone, where they are producing 7000 roses and 3000 gerberas a day in the lead-up to February 14.
Mr Gwynne is a third generation grower. His father subdivided, sold the family’s land and told Mr Gwynne not to work on the land.
But after years of working for the Agriculture Department, Mr Gwynne and his wife bought back a parcel of the land that once belonged to his family and began Mary’s Produce in 1980.
Mr Gwynne said red roses made up half of the flowers grown on the property.
He sells to wholesalers, at markets and to the public when locals drop in.
He said his staff were busiest two days before Valentines Day, getting flowers ready for wholesalers.
Mr Gwynne and his wife usually celebrated Valentine’s Day after the event.