ROSE RAMBLER 20.6.2013
Hello dear rose friends … Whoever would have thought two silly (‘poppy’) jokes could provoke such fun responses from you lovely gardeners? Alex from Macedon was the first email opened and so, is ‘stoked’ to receive the two free roses. Surely google doesn’t know the answer to EVERY joke?
Here’s an original from Lisa – a 4.00am email: Q. How was the banana skin returned to Mother Nature?
Only Lisa and I know the answer so the first correct answer will receive a free Winter STANDARD rose … bring on the answer!
IN THE ROSE GARDEN THIS WEEK … The Winter rose season is now in full swing – I am down at Kalangadoo with my grower, Brian, sorting and packing all the orders we received at Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show – handling exemplary quality bare-rooted rose plants. Thankfully, I have my sharp Lowe secateurs along with my Pellenc battery powered pruners because my Lixion secateurs make pruning the strong canes and roots of the beautiful two-year old rose plants so much more ergonomically efficient … forever glad I chose this equipment instead of the diamond ring when we celebrated 25 years of marriage some years ago!!!
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR ROSES THIS WINTER … Because it was such a wonderful growing season, your new roses from Silkies Rose Farm, Clonbinane, will be HUGE plants which were trimmed in the field and I have trimmed again to make it possible to post them to you! You MUST
– Unpack and soak the roses in a liquid seaweed solution prior to planting – not more than 24 hours!
– Plant the roses as soon as you receive them – or heel them in big pots or friable soil ready for later planting
– Trim the roses again by at least a third before you plant in a sunny location with no less than 5 hours sun per day
– Soak the new roses immediately after planting – water over with liquid seaweed fortnightly
– Apply a light mulch around the roses – lucerne or pea straw highly recommended
There are lots of useful tips on the allaboutroses.com.au website – you can always email me if you need further advice.
COMMUNITY RADIO – MELBOURNE 3CR – 855 ON AM BAND … This Sunday, 23rd June, I will be doing my annual stint on the 3CR Radiothon and it’s a brilliant opportunity for you to tune in, offer a donation in return for the most amazing plethora of gardening products, books, tools, garden consultancies, magazine subscriptions, rose vouchers, etc. etc.
You are able to select goods to the value of every dollar you donate so please tune into 855 on the AM Band this Sunday morning from 7.30am – 9.30am and listen to me go hoarse while I reel off the amazing products available.
If you would like me to bring your products back to Silkies Rose Farm, Clonbinane so that you can collect them from here, please ask the telephonist you speak to at 3CR – take advantage of this brilliant offer .. PHONE: 03 9419 8377 or 03 9419 0155 THIS SUNDAY!
ROSE PRUNING DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS …
SUNDAY, 30th JUNE – 11.00 am
SATURDAY, 6th JULY – 11.00 am
SUNDAY, 14th JULY – 1.00 pm (note time change from 11.00am … sleep in morning!)
WHITTLESEA COURT HOUSE – SATURDAY, 20th JULY – 1.00 pm
IN CLOSING … Stay warm and cuddly while you listen to some beautiful music ….
“When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long;
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun’s love, in the spring becomes the rose….”
BETTE MIDLER’S song reminds us to plant roses to give us pleasure … plant a few new roses in your garden this Winter so that when the roses flower again this coming Spring, you can enjoy the romance of your own roses!
Cheers from Diana, Graham and Dingo, Bonnie – celebrating her 14th birthday!