Ben's Birthday Rose Bundle
Hello Dear Rose Friends,
Sometimes the Rose Rambler is released on a very special day of celebration in our family and today is one of those. Happy 40th Birthday to our son Benjamin!
Ben has been a very significant part of our business for most of his life – as a little chap he crawled through dirt piles, he amazed us with his creativity putting flower-filled Easter bonnets together for school parades; he told us when he was almost 15 that he wanted to be a Chef so he joined us in the newly established Rose Café in 1998.
Soon after, he wanted to be a ‘real Chef’ so was apprentice at restaurants in Brunswick, South Bank, Kangaroo Ground, South Yarra. After all he learned at some very popular restaurants, he came back to work with his family at Rose Café, Kilmore where he became renowned for his amazing gnocchi, smoked duck risotto and other wonderful menu selections.
We all enjoyed ten incredible years of awesome food – working alongside his sister-in-law Justine, he brought ‘breakfast dining’ to Kilmore and our customers still ask for his recipes!
In his footprint, the Rose Café at Kilmore remains a very successful business!
We’re pleased that Ben is now content to be pottering around the rose gardens with us here at Silkies Rose Farm where he helped me prune this amazing old rose,
Mrs. B.R. Cant, just last week – we revealed, in the wake of a massive prune, the swing-set he whiled away hours on when he was little – today he’s 40 and how beautiful to know that his swing is still here in our gardens supporting a rose we pruned together!
There’s always lots going on, but now the kids are all settled back at school it’s time to get on with other things…
A giggle for you ...
Q: What occurs, once a minute, twice in a moment but never in an hour?
A: The letter 'M'!
Keeping Possums from Eating Climbing Roses on the Fence
As promised last week, here’s what David has done to stop possums eating his roses and I truly appreciate that the consideration of his neighbour has been a priority in deciding how to do this…
I think I have the design right.
We have about 30 metres of 2m high fence. The ambition is to have say 8 to 10 climbing roses along the fence.
Sometime ago I installed a solar outdoor light on my pergola near our BBQ, it helps when cooking at night. In consideration of my neighbour I set the height of the solar light about 20 cm below the height of the fence. That solar light is probably going to be the main solution to stopping the possums hedging the tops of the climbing roses, yes that's where most of the flowers grow.
Following along with the CD deterrent on our standard roses, I am going to place about three CDs to each climbing rose. I will use a thick wire that I can fit into the top fence railing, making sure the CD is not visible by our neighbour, the Wire will be bent on a circle and will be about 10 cm from the fence. The CD has to be loose on the wire so it moves in the wind. The reason for this is the solar light will be picked up and reflected by the silver CDs, and whilst the flashing of the solar light by each CD is what I think will deter the possums, I don't want the neighbour to be subject to the flashing.
The wind is what makes the CDs on the standards move around and reflect daylight, and that seems to have deterred the parrots. So here's hoping.
Cheers - David
P.S if anyone doesn't want to use their favourite CDs, then they should go to an op shop. They are a dime a dozen.
Watering Your Garden
Of course, we have lots of garden beds which have semi-automatic watering systems but there’s nothing nicer on a still day than to SEE the water as it refreshes our summer garden!
Despite having reticulated raw water access, a licence to pump from the Sunday Creek and plenty of tanks filled with rainwater, we’re going the next step and installing a bore. We’ve had our property ‘divined’ by my best mate, Barry and decided on a location at the front boundary.
I’ll keep you posted as this process happens and take pics to tell the story!
Here’s the front garden – Diana’s magnificent Gladioli in summer which you’ll receive a bulb of when you purchase the special offer this week…
For more information on how to care for your garden in the last month of summer read this article by Sustainable Gardening Australia!
Another giggle ...
Q: What do you call a retired vegetable?
A: A has bean!
Ben's Birthday Rose Bundle
Because it’s a very special day in our family today, we’re offering you this to celebrate this occasion with us…
ANY TWO BUSH/CLIMBING ROSES DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR - $72.50
PLUS A GLADIOLI BULB *
RRP of two roses plus pack post would be more than $112.50 – SAVE more than $40 on Ben’s 40th Birthday!
*ONE PURCHASE PER CUSTOMER – NO STANDARDS OR WEEPERS
Simply add this promotion to your cart and indicate which Bush/Climbing Rose you'd like to purchase in the comments section of your oder.
Hope you’re enjoying being back at work, kids back at school and getting on with life. Take quiet moments in your garden as reward!
Cheers from the team at Silkies Rose Farm, Clonbinane