Hello Dear Rose Friends,
Today is special because in a leap year (which occurs nearly every four years) this additional 366 th day will keep the calendar year synchronised with the astronomical or seasonal year. In a normal year, today would be the first day of autumn – I’m happy to wait another 24 hours for my favourite season to arrive!
Autumn is a truly spectacular season in a rose garden as you can slow down and take time to truly enjoy the flowers … weeds won’t grow as rampantly now and there’s less urgency with all the tasks which are necessary during spring and summer to enjoy healthy rose bushes.
Rose varieties which produce beautiful hips (seed pods) can be left to do their thing now … typically, R. rugosa varieties will look like this for months …
Old fashioned varieties like R. moyseii ‘Geranium’ only flower in spring/summer so should be left now to give magnificent autumn show of hips.
On the other hand, see how one branch of a modern rose was missed at summer pruning
Right beside the branch with hips, there are wonderful stems of magnificent flowers on Soeur Emmanuelle.
If you have stems on any modern roses which are displaying hips now, it’s not too late to cut them back because if it’s a mild autumn/winter in your area, you’re sure to get branches of beautiful blooms right into winter.
HAVE A GIGGLE
Q: What do you call a sick Eagle?
A: Illegal
A THORNY ISSUE ...
Hello, I bought a beautiful Nahema from you and planted in November. It is very happy, has given me some flowers and healthy growth. I wonder if you can help me identify whether this large cane is from the root stock - or it just has a lot of thorns on it?
MY RESPONSE:
Hey Michelle … it’s a watershoot so DON’T CHOP IT! Yes, when I describe Nahema I say the FLOWERING STEMS are thornless. This watershoot will carry lots of flowering stems which won’t bother you with thorns … cheers
SPECIAL OFFER IN CELEBRATION OF AUTUMN ...
Upgrade your Rose Management Pack with an EXTRA 500g of Eco Seaweed.
Eco-Oil 500ml, Eco Fungicide 500g and
upgrade your Eco Seaweed to 600g!
Organic Rose Management Eco Seaweed Upgrade
Our Organic Rose Management Program which includes 500g of Eco-Fungicide, 500ml of Eco-Oil and now with an upgrade to 600g Eco-Seaweed (RRP $32.50) instead of the 100g Eco-Seaweed (RRP $21.50) is a HUGE SAVING!
This handy pack of products will ensure your roses retain healthy foliage throughout autumn – if it starts to get cold and foliage stays wet overnight, use the organic rose management spray at least fortnightly.
When you have the bonus 600g pack of Eco Seaweed, go ballistic and improve healthy vigorous foliage of all your garden by pouring Eco Seaweed solution over and around the base of all plants in your garden – you’ll be staggered by the difference and your plants will be singing ‘thank you’!
Remember that seaweed solution is NOT fertiliser so go to your local garden centre and purchase high-quality organic fertiliser which has a complete balance of NPK plus added trace elements. Apply fertiliser now and follow pack directions but usually, roses love a good feed, so every 6-8 weeks of light but regular applications is great for continual flowering.
Meantime, perhaps we’ll see you at the Whittlesea Garden Expo this weekend and remember …
Roses offer a sense of peace to console you if you’re sad or hurting.
They energise you when you’re feeling down.
A garden with even a few roses will force you out of the house to tend them where you’ll have the sun on your face, the wind in your hair and the amazing satisfaction of a beautiful space to live in.
Quote from ALL ABOUT ROSES, Diana Sargeant, 2014
Treat yourself and plant a few new roses to your garden during this autumn. Enjoy your garden this week …