Hello Dear Rose Friends,
After a very busy week of power outages and packing orders.. we are working hard to get these roses out to you! This week has been exponentially challenging as the unexpected power outages have thrown us behind but rest assured, we have been hard at work to get back on track. They say when it rains, it pours... and sometimes it knocks your lights out too! 

This week, we have a special little poem for you to give you some inspiration and hopefully brighten up your day as we head into more rainy days. 

Some roses ...

Some roses are red
And some roses are blue
My favourite rose is purple
But what about you? 

Some roses sparkle
In the fresh morning dew
Some roses smell delightful
I especially love Gra's Blue

Every rose is beautiful
A glorious treasure to be sure
So many roses to choose from
When you shop our online store

We love hearing from our customers and we'd love to hear what your favourite rose is and why you love it. Share your favourite rose-inspired story or poem with us and maybe we'll feature it in an upcoming newsletter.

There's a little story behind Gra's Blue Rose that we love to share. As many of you know, Gra's Blue Rose is one of our very own, bred by myself. Having been awarded the Bronze Medal at the Governor of Gifu Award for the most fragrant rose in the National Rose Trial Garden of Australia, we are so proud of this delicate little beauty. 

This exceptional rose is perfect for those who enjoy an exotic aroma. With its spicy yet fruity fragrance, it will delight your senses for years to come. The perfume this lovely rose emits will turn your garden into a lovely aroma-filled paradise. There's no greater experience than walking out into a beautiful rose garden to be greeted by nature's finest aromas.

Bare-rooted versus Potted

We often get asked what the difference is between bare-rooted roses and potted so for anyone who hasn't found this tutorial on our website, we are including it in this week's newsletter to help you along.

Bare-rooted Roses
Saying “bare-rooted roses” is almost like swearing these days however the terminology has been around forever and quite honestly, it truthfully describes EXACTLY what type of rose you will be purchasing during winter – sticks and roots which within two months will shoot foliage and that same year, during spring/summer/autumn, will be continually flowering!

ROSES ARE AMAZINGLY HEALTHY, FREE-FLOWERING FOR UP TO NINE MONTHS EACH FLOWERING SEASON, EXTREMELY WATER-WISE AND TOLERANT OF ALL CLIMATES AROUND AUSTRALIA.

It’s funny though when customers call us for information and they shyly refer to the “bare thingys … you know what I mean? … roses which I can buy during winter months when the roses are not flowering”, and we confidently put the customer out of their misery and say:

Oh, you mean ‘bare-rooted’ roses. Yes, of course, we stock bare-rooted roses; the customer sighs gratefully and we promptly write up their order!

Potted Roses
From August onwards, the roses are potted in coir fibre potting mix and are posted in a sealed plastic bag ready for immediate planting on receipt. These roses travel exceptionally well with transit usually taking 3-4 days; more outback destinations can take 7-10 days without negatively impacting on the roses.

There is a sample pack of Eco-Seaweed to use at planting as this reduces the transplanting shock. Fortnightly applications of seaweed solution after planting are highly recommended to ensure rapid root development and establishment of the rose in it's new location.

Our GIFT ROSES are always potted and beautifully gift wrapped with a card inscribed with your personal message and rose maintenance brochures.  Seasonally, flowers and buds are left on the plant to enhance the beauty of your gift rose.

Our roses are guaranteed to grow and flourish in gardens around Australia (except WA and TAS)!

Read more about Bare-rooted versus Potted Roses HERE.

For a giggle: 
Q:  Why do fish live in saltwater? 
A: Because pepper makes them sneeze!

Embrace every new day with a smile and stay warm. Cheers from Silkies Rose Farm, Clonbinane! Stay safe, Gra, Diana, Mooi and the chickens!