Sunday 18 January 2015

"Ring a Ring a Roses"


“But he who dares not grasp the thorn 
Should never crave the rose.” 
― Anne Brontë

I have to admit to a love hate relationship with Roses, I love them when they are in flower with their wonderful scent, when I am pruning them and the thorns penetrate even leather gauntlets to draw blood, I am not so sure!

We have mainly climbing or rambling roses, January is usually pruning month.




That looks better...


...hopefully they will look like this again next year...



...the pink one on the right is Irene's favourite R.'Albertine' with its coppery coloured young foliage and wonderful scent.


The one on the left and above came from my Grandmother's garden via my Mother, so it is a special rose for that reason. I have tried to identify it, the nearest I could match is R.'American Pillar', any help would be appreciated.



R. 'Iceberg' is trained on the dividing trellis in the White and Green garden...


...it was still flowering in January when I pruned it...


...flowering in the White and Green Garden with Digitalis alba last year.



We have grown R.Iceberg in all of our gardens, it is very reliable and will flower continually until the frost or pruning stop it.


We have two standard roses in the garden, this is R. 'Worcestershire Weeping'


I tie its branches to a metal hoop when it is pruned to give the weeping branches extra support for when it is in full bloom...


...I don't seem to have a decent photo of it in flower, this picture shows it with Campanula lactiflora 'Prichard's Variety' in the background.


R. 'Goldfinch' covers the archway dividing the garden along with Vitis 'Spetchley Red' for autumn colour...


...this is one of my favourite roses, I love to see Goldfinches feeding in the garden, so it reminds me of them, it is a very attractive rose in flower and in bud, also because it is virtually thornless.


The other standard rose is R. 'Bonica' given to Irene when she retired.


This wonderful rose is R.glauca.syn.R.rubrifolia, with slaty blue leaves and beautifully simple flowers, it really needs no pruning, and should find a home in most gardens. 

R.Francis E. Lester.
I first came across R.'Francis E. Lester'  when visiting a garden, the first thing I noticed was the scent and when I saw the beautiful yet simple flowers, white blushed with pink, like apple blossom,
  I immediately ordered one from the local nursery.


This is a bare area of wall on the new extension, and our daughter Mary had given me a garden voucher for my birthday, a climbing plant had been on my mind for here...





... so what could be more fitting than the climbing rose R. The Generous Gardener, named to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NGS.




Planted with lots of TLC.

Alan Titchmarsh often recalls the instruction he was given by his old Park's Superintendent when he had finished planting, it was to stand back and say:
"Now grow you B..... grow"!

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10 comments:

  1. Francis E. Lester is exquisite. I think one may have to find its way into chez rusty duck as well..

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  2. I have two Generous Gardener rose plants (like you bought with birthday money) and they're my two favourites in the garden. Fabulous scent and thriving even though one is planted in little more than hoggin.

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    1. That is very encouraging to know Anne. I was advised it would also do well on a north facing wall. I look forward to seeing it in flower.

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  3. The Generous Gardener is a great choice; very healthy and reliable and so pretty. I love Goldfinch too. It was one of Vita Sackville West' s favourites.
    I wonder if your mystery rose is William Booth?

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    1. I am not familiar with that one Chloris, I will have to look it up.

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  4. Rosa glauca gets my vote too Brian. One of my Dad's favourites was 'Iceberg' which he planted in view of the living room. My Mum told me earlier this week that it is still sporting some flowers down in East Anglia. I hope that you enjoy your birthday rose.

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  5. Lovely roses Brian, your summer garden is a delight. I have deliberately not planted any climbers on the trellising in my front garden as nothing took my fancy when I was out and about looking. R. Goldfinch might be a contender, I will have a look and see if it will do.
    It's always nice to get garden gifts or vouchers and treat ourselves isn't it. I'm sure your new rose will be perfectly happy. I had not been aware of Alan T. comments re after planting advice but have to admit, I do say something similar to my plants.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Angie, Goldfinch is a lovely rose, I think it is an advantage being thornless especially growing on an arch, where people are always walking through.

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