Thorny Roses & Worms
Hello Dear Rose Friends! After another lovely deep soaking rain event this past weekend, there’s just nothing quite like ‘God’s wee’ on a garden!
WHERE ARE THE WORMS NOW?? Usually, when I plant anything in the garden, there are worms. This past weekend I was planting a border of seedlings and surprisingly, I didn’t see a worm.
In reflection, that makes sense because even though our garden beds are well mulched, those worms are not silly!
The worms are way, way down in the soil, probably starting to sort out which mate they’ll entertain in their upcoming mating season from May – October.
You'll know they’re there if your soil is moist way down and the nutrients and mulch are adequate in the upper layers. Worms are such a vital ingredient of humus-rich soil and they will dig and aerate your garden for you. Autumn is a great time to create the perfect environment so they stay right there and breed in your soil!
THORNY ROSES ... There’s no doubt some roses are seriously lethal with thorns and we are frequently asked to provide a de-thorner. Despite having tried many different styles, both Diana and I would always end up tearing the rosebud from a thorny stem so we have given up and resorted to this.
Put sturdy gloves on and take firm hold of the thorny stem around the neck up near the bud; gently, from the bottom of the stem moving clockwise and upwards around the stem, push the thorns away. It works easily and way better than any metal de-thorner we’ve tried to use!
A little giggle for you this week:
Q. Why do dogs run in circles?
A. Because it’s hard to run in squares!
Red, Red Roses
We recommend planting these beautiful, fragrant red climbing roses this winter!
DUBLIN BAY: A worthy climbing rose to plant because it is such a spectacular performer with flowers from the earliest Spring until well into the Winter. In very warm areas, this rose will flower all year & every year I prune it, I will prune flowers off, no matter how late it is pruned! SHOP NOW!
GUINEA: This rose is a spectacle to behold, it is one of the very first roses to herald the arrival of Spring. Being a climbing rose makes it’s arrival so much more spectacular because it is often hard to see any foliage because the flowering is so intense. SHOP NOW!
PAPA MEILLAND: One of the darkest red, most beautifully formed and highly fragrant red climbing roses available! The growth is robust but can be controlled with consistent pruning. Cover a structure, espalier on a fence or over a large archway. SHOP NOW!
TATJANA (free rose): One of the most magnificent dark red roses which is very easily identified by a slash of white on one of the petals deep inside the bloom. Awesomely fragrant, extremely robust and healthy, flowering from season start to end continually. SHOP NOW!
On a wall or fence, position the two ‘black-red’ roses, Guinea and Papa Meilland on each end with Dublin Bay in the centre spaced anywhere from 1.5-3.5 metres apart.
You will enjoy the magnificence of continual blooming with extreme fragrance and flowers suitable for vases in your home throughout the flowering season from October to June.
One last giggle before you go!
Q. What did the waterfall say to the fountain?
A. You’re nothing but a little squirt!
Hope you’re enjoying autumn colour in your garden – our deciduous trees are starting to turn so do come for a visit to Silkies Rose Farm, Clonbinane sometime during autumn ... Graham, Diana & Mooi