This is the week when it really started to feel like winter. Its been damp and dark all week with very little sunshine. It has not been particularly cold, in fact at 14 degrees centigrade it is warm for the time of year. All the herbaceous foliage is dying and continually wet. Cutting it out is one of the least enjoyable jobs in the garden.
However, looking back to June to achieve rose displays like this work is needed now. This is Rosa Alchemist a vigorous climbing rose, perfect for covering a garden wall. It produces old-style rosettes of fully double golden yellow flowers that are flushed with orange and get paler with age. Unfortunately it rarely repeats but the flower scent is heady and intoxicating.
Also, as this photo shows, there is a large Buddleja alternifolia next to the rose. The soft mauve flower are a perfect foil to Rosa alchemist. But it flowers on last years wood so ideally needs one third pruned out each year to keep its to size with plenty of new wood and hence flowers. Unfortunately this is one of the jobs that often seems to get overlooked! Not this year.
The space by the corner of the wall was where the Buddleja was. It needed a chain saw to cut through the trunk! Short term it also gives us other planting opportunities in the foreground. But the Buddleja will be back with many new shoots from the bottom.
The Rose has also grown and needs the old wood removing and the new shoots tying in horizontally to maximise the flowers. Several hours later and we have:
We only do it once a year but it is worth it for the eight weeks of flowers.
With a walled garden there are lots more climbing roses to tame so we are going to be busy. However, this week has been sorting out the dahlias which are being lifted now the frost has taken their tops off.
Gardening Hours | ||
This week | Total since June 19th | Average per week |
20 | 456 | 21 |
Hard work but great satisfaction and a cuppa at the end of it no doubt. Dahlia are my next priority along with some long overdue pruning of some trees now the leaves have dropped. Sue.
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Thanks Sue, mine is white without!
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Looking very newt and organised. I’ve still got all mine to do. I love that rose. Worth all the effort, it’s so glorious. All the best. Karen.
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Hi Karen, it is a great rose as you say
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Buddleja alternifolia is a lovely shrub and not one I see that often. It does need pruning though as it can get very unweildy. You sound very organised. I have yet to start on the winter tidy up.
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Glad you like the buddleja We often get asked about it and I am surprised more people do not know it.
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Oh what a beautifully pruned rose. I wish you could come and do mine.
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Thanks but there are a lot more to do!
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