ROSE RAMBLER 8TH OCTOBER, 2020 … Hello Dear Rose Friends, as we learn to adapt to daylight savings here in Victoria – just another hurdle! We’re early risers and love to get up and about as soon as its daylight so the next few weeks are a bit of a challenge, getting used to the change …
A huge THANK YOU for your emails and calls checking up on us due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Kilmore. We are safe here at Clonbinane and our gates will definitely remain closed until the entire greater Melbourne area is released from lockdown.
It was so interesting to hear my friend Milly Ross, on ABC Garden Show recently, share how there are many, many new gardeners since Covid-19 lockdown. As enthusiastic as they might be, they need to understand that during their learning-curve, they will have enormous pleasure and distraction from ‘the norm’ along with increased vitality and sense of fulfillment … they will also, however, have failures!
‘Failures' or ‘mistakes’ can be used as ‘learning experiences’ … don’t be disheartened when things don’t quite go as planned on your early adventure into gardening!
Please don’t necessarily adhere to everything you read on Google. I recommend you assess each situation. Calmly consider what’s going on in the garden, what’s the problem and can you resolve things by listening to your inner self? I believe that if you allow yourself a quiet moment, you’ll arrive at a solution. Very importantly, you will have a great ‘learning experience’ without any ‘failure’.
If, however, you are really stuck like Cathy was a couple of weeks ago, you can email or call us. She called us in tears after her hubby accidentally sprayed her roses with weedicide. Her instinct was to grab the hose and wash down the roses. Then, I recommended she go around and remove at least one-third/half of the growth from each bush.
This, of course, was a gut-wrenching task because her roses were about to flower!
Cathy called today to report that 94 of the roses have survived. One section, which she couldn’t reach with the hose quickly enough, has died. She’s delighted to thank us for sharing our knowledge.
The important lesson here is that Cathy acted intuitively in the first instance by washing the weedicide off the plants as best she could. This most definitely was very practical in saving the roses but cutting them back and removing all the growth which was absorbing the weedicide was vital to saving her rose garden.
Here's a quick giggle:
Q. What do you call a bee that comes from America? A. A USB ...
CLIMBING ROSES
There’s been unprecedented demand this year for climbing roses – here are three of our best red climbers which are very, very suitable as screening plants because they all have lush healthy foliage …
Red Pierre Climbing Rose: A very free flowering climbing rose and displays blooms of dark crimson with a swirling mass of petals. There is little fragrance but the flowers are such a beautiful sight and the climber is so easy to train that if you want a 'red climbing rose' without any complications, this would be ideal! BUY NOW
Dublin Bay Climbing Rose: 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 and every year I prune it. I will prune flowers off, no matter how late it is pruned! BUY NOW
Sympathie Climbing Rose: A romantic rose, not only for its looks but it delivers so much love! Clusters of medium sized blood red roses adorn this superb climbing rose. A strong healthy rose with an abundance of flowers throughout the season and a slight sweet fragrance to match. BUY NOW
Our potted roses are all beautifully leafed-up now and with Australia Post delivering our rose parcels in record time – this email came last Saturday …
“Hi Diana … Amazing service. My beautiful rose arrived in perfect condition yesterday, & u only posted Wednesday. You must have a special relationship with Aust post. Look fwd to visiting farm post COVID.
Cheerio … Sue”
It’s never too late to purchase a rose to plant in your garden and we are gradually adding more varieties to the website www.rosesalesonline.com.au
Meantime, enjoy the early flowers in your rose garden …
If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, It’s your world for a moment … Georgia O’Keefe
Best wishes from Graham, Diana and Mooi at Clonbinane