Month: March 2015

Planting roses from pots into established garden beds in autumn means they go into warm soil and establish quickly.  It means that you can wander through the nursery, smell and see the true colour of the roses you’re planting.  Roses planted now will be very well established bushes in the next spring/summer flowering season – every single $ worth spending if you plant in the autumn!

Here are a few more of the new release roses for 2015 … they can only be ordered as bare-rooted winter plants and are available at rosesalesonline.com.au

SUMMER SUN

Is the colour of this very productive rose as it varies like the moods of summer.  The fully double, high-centred blooms range in colour from soft pink with cream reverse to salmon orange with cream-yellow reverse.  Winner of multiple international awards including the ADR, this lovely rose comes with a soft fragrance, dark green leaves and extremely healthy upright growth to 1m.

THE OPPORTUNITY ROSE

Is a profuse bloomer, the habit is compact and a little over knee high.  The medium sized buds have attractive form, the rich variable copper shades are not prone to premature fading.  It has very high resistance to blackspot when compared to neighbouring varieties.  It has a definite light fragrance.  Proceeds from the sale of the rose will be directed toward research into pancreatic cancer.

WEDDING BELLS

Is a low growing Hybrid Tea Rose to about 60cm wide. The large, clear silver pink blooms have classic form, are high centred with a petal count of over 40. A lovely fragrance, healthy, disease resistant and dark green foliage make this rose a must for Hybrid Tea lovers. Height: 100 cm.

GRA’S GARBLE …

Pretty exciting week this is … I’ve been harvesting corn, tomatoes, kale, potatoes, lots of beans, tomatoes and still got strawberries for when our ‘berry loving’ grandson Cooper visits – he also likes to prune with his Oma …

Q.  What bee is good for your health?  A. Vitamin bee!

Please be kind to your soil – 2015 is the YEAR OF THE SOIL so place a good layer of lucerne mulch over your garden beds as it feeds and insulates the earth so that earthworms aerate and leave their castings which add enormous goodness by enriching the soil to create humus.  Mulch stops soil erosion and adds so much goodness – just mulch with any products available.  Water over the mulch at least monthly with seaweed solution too!

ROSESALESONLINE.COM.AU …

Our website is geared and ready to take your winter orders with every rose having a description and most having photographs – if there is a rose you really have to have and don’t find listed, please call me 03 5787 1123 and I will advise where you might be able to acquire it.

It’s a pretty special week with two unusual orders – two of our roses have been packaged for a flight to RUSSIA … yes, POPE JOHN PAUL II and DOUBLE DELIGHT left Melbourne last night and we’ve been told they’ll be planted at their new home on Friday.

Another one of our GIFT ROSES is heading to Darwin for a 50^th wedding anniversary … we are so lucky to be sharing the joy of roses so far and wide!

Here are some more of the new release roses which have been loaded onto our website ready for you to order for this winter.  There is no rush to place orders as I’ll be showing you more 2015 new release roses over the next few weeks – go and take a look at rosesalesonline.com.au if you cannot wait for them to appear in the Rose Rambler …

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was voted Rose of the Year for 2015 in UK.  This repeat flowering floribunda shrub rose will flower continuously throughout the season.  It’s the result of over 30 years of selective breeding by Chris Warner and the lightly scented flowers are a delicious blend of rich sunset shades including pink, peach and apricot that will mix easily with most shades. The petals have a darker coloured base and form in a single row around a boss of golden stamens, which become noticeable as the flower opens. Very good disease resistance, it grows up to 1m high and 1m wide.

We saw this magnificent rose when we visited South Africa in 2012 – I’m so pleased it is now being released here in Australia for us all to enjoy!

GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP

GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP was named by Inner Wheel Australia, this gorgeous new floribunda rose will delight with its stunning fresh fruity colour. The beautiful cherry red, fully double flowers are produced continuously amongst a background of healthy dark green foliage. Decorated with international awards, this trouble free variety is truly spectacular. With a neat harmonic growth habit, it’s an ideal specimen for classic rose beds or pots. Height: 75cm.

$1.00 from the sale of each rose will be donated to Inner Wheel Australia’s national project which supports Cord Blood Research.

LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE

LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE has bright yellow blooms in an airy, petal filled masterpiece flowering continuously throughout the growing season. Each bloom carries a delightful citrus and rose scent ready to enchant and perfume both garden and home.  The blooms are ideal as cut flowers in a vase; this hardy and healthy rose will grow equally well in both garden and pot alike. Height 1.5m

Part Proceeds supporting the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

MAN OF STEEL

Full-petalled petite blooms repeat flower on a tidy little bush just perfect for pots. Soft pastel lavender flowers, bordering on the colour of “stainless steel”, push more lavender with age. Big bloom bunches bounce from rich green and glossy foliage, making for one snip bouquets filling the air with its intense and unique fragrance.
 Height: 90cm.

GRA’S GARBLE …

WATERING THE GARDEN IN AUTUMN … Even though there is a hint of green in the grass, you can be almost sure that way deep down, the soil is bone-dry – indications of a ‘green drought’.  Don’t let up on watering just yet if you want to see lots of beautiful, large rose blooms throughout this most magnificent season for roses!  This is especially important in newly planted gardens!!!

Q.  What does ‘minimum’ mean?  A.  A very small mother!  (Get smart and ask somebody … “what does ‘maximum’ mean?”)

My Mother-in Law’s roses were planted nearly 20 years ago and because she is a ‘die-hard’ water conservationist (pours her kitchen sink water on pot plants around the porch rather than let it drain down the sink) she lets God take care of watering her roses – they continue to flower and yes, her garden does look lovely even though there are fewer flowers and the blooms are smaller than they would be if the plants were regularly watered.  This past summer has been kind to such a garden with ‘God’s watering’!

You don’t need to be a ‘Wally with Water’ to have prolific masses of large blooms well into winter if you provide the following:

• once weekly good deep soaking of no less than 20 litres per rose bush
• well-mulched garden bed – top up the mulch to keep the soil warm for longer
• fertilize with quality complete organic fertilizer – NOW
• drench with seaweed solution fortnightly to strengthen the cell wall of foliage in preparation for cold nights

and you’re guaranteed to be rewarded with lovely rose blooms right into winter!  We’ve been enjoying planting new rose gardens here – hope you have a great week planting new roses in your rose garden too … Gra

EXCITING NEW GARDEN FESTIVAL FOR MELBOURNE …

Mark the dates in your calendar for 9-11 October, 2015 – yes, a SPRING Horticultural and Gardening Festival incorporating plants and all things garden, including food, pets and family to be held at the Melbourne Showgrounds – we will be there for this inaugural horticultural event so you must come along and visit us!

GRA’S GARBLE …

There’s always room for a new rose in the garden but it’s very important that you care for the roses you already have – now that we are experiencing the cool, damp mornings of autumn, it’s time to implement the organic spray management program to protect your roses from the likelihood of mildew and black spot.

I know from years of experience that if you use preventative measures like fertilizing and spraying your roses before problems occur when these weather conditions prevail, the roses will flower beautifully right through autumn and into winter if you follow these instructions … DO IT NOW …

To 10 litres of water add seaweed solution or powder (follow directions on pack) plus
+ ¼ cup Eco-rose (or Eco-fungicide … same product different name!)
+ ¼ cup Eco-oil

You can add liquid fertilizer like Eco-aminogro to the solution if you prefer to liquid fertilize rather than use pellets.  Spray or pour over plants first thing in the morning and repeat every 10-14 days while the mornings are damp!

If you consider the spray management program tedious, please just pour seaweed solution over the leaves fortnightly to strengthen the cell wall of the foliage and generally prepare your roses for winter.

The roses will store all the nutrients you give them now and apart from lengthening the flowering season well into winter, you’ll reap rewards with lots of large flowers when the roses bloom again in spring – remember, what you give, you will receive in return!

Q.  What do you call a witch’s motorbike?  A. A baaaarroooommstick! 

And for an extra giggle, I found this …

Knock, Knock!  Who’s there?  GRUESOME.  Gruesome who?  I like flowers so I GRUESOME …

Have a beaut week in your garden … Gra

UNUSUAL ROSE …

“That’s not a rose” I hear you say!  Yes, it is!  Such a beauty and very, very old.  R. viridiflora is probably a sport of Parson’s Pink China and known to be in cultivation since as early as 1743 and more commonly called:  GREEN ROSE.

We have ONLY 7 plants available and since it is not listed on our website, if you are interested in acquiring such a delightful heritage rose for your garden, please call me on FRIDAY, SAT, SUN OR MON on 03 5787 1123 and I can organise to post one to you … $32.50 plus $21.50 pack and post … dare to be different!

SEYMOUR GARDEN CLUB –
GARDEN SHOW AND PHOTO EXHIBITION …

Will be held on Saturday, 28^th March from 12 – 4pm and I recommend you pick a few roses from your garden and take them along for exhibition – you just never know, you might win a prize and you’ll have a whole lot of fun doing it!

Contact: sylviagyap@gmail.com for more info.

We are in the process of updating our rosesalesonline.com.au website to enable receipt of your winter orders for bare-rooted roses; meantime, GIFTROSES.COM.AU will continue to receive orders for flowering roses suitable to gift for those special occasions which happen in our lives.

This week, one of the most spectacular roses in the nursery is MANY HAPPY RETURNS – such a delightful rose to gift for the occasion of a birthday to the person who ‘has everything’ but you still wish to recognise and congratulate.  Acknowledge their special day with this wonderful shrub rose which flowers continually throughout the season, is suitable for a large tub or that ‘empty space’ in a garden bed.

This extremely healthy rose produces a sensational proliferation of rose hips in late autumn/early winter to offer the recipient an opportunity to make ‘rose hip wine’ … I made it once, years ago – after months of waiting, we enjoyed a most delicious beverage – sweet, like port but truly nutritious because of the Vitamin C content of rose hips.

Now, here’s an idea, present the rose MANY HAPPY RETURNS along with any of the wonderful recipes to use the rose hips which add a whole different dimension to your rose gift!  Go check with Mr Google for a recipe which suits the recipient … wine, jam, soup?

3CR GARDENING SHOW THIS SUNDAY …

Diana will be on the panel for talk-back radio this Sunday – it’s an ALL GIRL SHOW in recognition of INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY.

Tune in from 7.30am – 9.15am at 855 on the AM DIAL
and enjoy what listeners tell us is the best gardening talk-back radio in Melbourne!

If you would like to speak with me or others on the panel with a gardening question, phone 03 9419 8377 or 03 9419 0155.

GRA’S GARBLE …

I’ll start with a joke because my other garble is serious …

Q.  What’s the difference between broccoli and bogies?  A.  Kids will eat bogies … gawd!

I talk to you about how we use Australian products in our organic rose management program, how fabulous they are and how proud we are to use them to grow sensational roses!  We also use Australian made and researched TRI-NATURE products exclusively in our home for personal body care, cleaning, pets and even our cars!

Please consider what you use around your home – take the most recent news seriously and review why you should read the labels on products and remember that here in Australia we produce some of the most reliably environmentally friendly products available to us, our children and our pets!  The few extra $’s you might spend are so worthwhile!!!

Next week I’ll be presenting you with a list of jobs to do now that its cooler outdoors and you’ll be more inclined to get into the garden … Gra