ROSE RAMBLER 10.11.2016 …
Whoo, whoo, we’re finally flowering in most areas of the gardens and definitely the potted roses are looking stunning! It’s been extremely cold with frosts very late – just last weekend, we were pruning frost-damaged foliage on our roses – they’ll recover but will probably only flower for Christmas this year!
Budburst Festival is on in the Macedon Ranges this weekend – of particular note we recommend you call at PARKSIDE WINERY at 308 Parks Road, Lancefield for the official opening of their Cellar Door for budburst weekend (www.budburst.com).
At Parkside Winery (www.parksideestate.com.au) you’ll be treated to taste magnificent wines of our region served in the historical barn which our son Eric has enjoyed restoring during this past cold, wet winter – every bluestone laid with love as only Eric would … a mammoth task he said and so rewarding to be part of the history! You MUST take a look … mention to Darryl that the timber cobble floor would look much better finished in blackwood and he’ll know exactly who sent you … enjoy!
CORRECTION FROM LAST WEEK …
There was a bit of a glitch in last week’s Rose Rambler – my rose in the trial gardens is this beauty which we propose to call JUST LOVELY…
Pictures in last week’s R/R are the rose which I hope is released in 2017 because it was so delightful and I fell in love with it! Sorry for the confusion and thank you to those who responded with such enthusiasm.
RETAINING A ROSE IN PERPETUITY … SAVING A PIECE OF HISTORY …
We get stories from rose lovers wanting to retain a special rose just like Susan’s and NOW is the time to take action – read on …
FALLING IN LOVE and THE CHILDREN’S ROSE and they’re growing wonderfully in the garden. It’s surprising how much they’ve grown in such a short time and we’ve even had a couple of roses.
I wanted speak to you about the other roses your two have come to live with. They belonged to my grandfather and I transplanted them about 3 years ago from his garden to mine before we had to sell the family home. I know that goes against the gardening rules as the nurseries all told me in Sydney that roses can’t be moved but I moved these successfully. I only lost one rose following the move with 7 of them now living in my garden and doing very well about 3 years on. These roses are quite old and one my mother tells me is over 100 years old and it has now lived in 3 gardens, as my grandfather moved it in the 1970’s from my great grandmother’s place to his.
My question is how do I grow more of these original roses? I’ve tried cutting, growing from seeds, I’ve watched lots of videos online and tried a range of different cutting liquids recommended by the nurseries. Can you please give me any suggestions on how to grow more so as other members of the family can have a little part of history growing at their place. Many thanks for any suggestions …Susan
My response: Hello Susan … it always staggers me that nursery personnel suggest it is impossible to shift / re-locate old roses! Of course, there can and might be fatalities but one should always TRY no matter what the weather or season! As long as the gardener puts their head and heart into the task, it will generally be successful!
Seems you have been successful in the relocation – AWESOME! Now you wish to propagate and share plants of those precious old roses so you need to send me some canes that we can have ‘contract budded’ this budding season from Nov-Jan … please don’t wait but send wood sooner rather than later!!!
Here’s a pic of what you need to send me …
This wood is around pencil-thick and there was a flower or bunch of flowers at the end of the cane which are now finished.
This part you’re going to send me is really the length of cane which you would normally cut back and throw away!
Here is a pic of what the bud eyes look like when they’re cut from the cane and ready to be budded …
Most important that you send the freshest canes wrapped in damp (not sopping wet!!!) newspaper, sealed in plastic and placed in a post pack via EXPRESS POST to
SILKIES ROSE FARM,
C/- WANDONG POST OFFICE,
WANDONG, VIC. 3758
We, in turn, can check the wood prior to forwarding for budding … best wishes … DIANA
It is important for ALL to note that any CONTRACT BUDDING requires no less than 5 plants per variety to be budded so you will have to purchase those 5 plants the following winter. Contract Budded Roses cost $32.50 per plant and will be available no earlier than late July/August; bare-rooted plants will be supplied with a hand-written identification tag.
We will not take responsibility for failure of any variety to bud successfully – you will only be charged for plants supplied in winter.
Please don’t race out into your garden and take budwood from all the ‘old’ roses in your garden as lots of old roses are still in production and we are EXCLUSIVELY offering this service to customers who wish to retain rose varieties in perpetuity – varieties which are almost certainly not in production today and which are as significant as those in Susan’s story above.
GRA’S GARBLE …
ROSES & RECONNECTION WITH OUR SENSES THROUGH THEM …
Our roses, when we experience them with ALL our senses, can make our soul sing!
- SIGHT – be drawn to your favourite colours and love them all together;
- SOUND – be with the sounds of nature, close your eyes and hear frogs, birds, the breeze;
- TASTE – run your tongue around your mouth and swallow right then – so sensitive;
- SMELL – aah, take note of all the fragrances as they can literally take your breath away;
- TOUCH – feel the texture of rose petals, so soft – wiggle your toes, feel the ground or ‘Mother Earth’.
Experiencing all our senses to connect with the beauty of nature, keeps us vibrantly healthy and alive. Q. Why did the lizard cross the road? A. To see his flat mate!
Slugs and snails are very predominant in our gardens due to unprecedented rains so I urge you to protect your plants by using an Australian product called ERADICATE which is safe to use around your pets and birds!
Obviously use any snail bait wisely – do not place pellets in heaps but broadcast approximately 70 pellets per square metre so they break down readily as soil/plant nutrient and are not easily accessible or attractive to your pets or birds.
Q. Why did the orange stop in the middle of the road? A. Because it ran out of juice!
MOST SPECTACULAR ROSES IN THE NURSERY TODAY..
You will not EVER find a more spectacularly robust, healthy, free-flowering, fragrant and simply stunning orange/pink rose which is totally suitable for mass planting or hedging … honour our CFA volunteers and pay the $8.50 royalty to enjoy this beauty in your garden …
MY HERO
One of the first to flower with exquisite fragrance … stunning blooms with a mass of petals on a supremely healthy shrub …
HOMMAGE A BARBARA
Darkest black red, most gorgeous waved petal form, longest-lasting flower on the bush … what more could one ask for? Fragrance perhaps? It missed out there but ticks every other box for a ‘must-have’ rose!
If you are ever looking for back-issues of this Rose Rambler, you could spend days trawling through www.allaboutroses.com.au where you’ll find no less than four years of publications along with an encyclopaedia of roses which I plan to update in coming months.
Be sure to put www.allaboutroses.com.au in your favourites so that when you need a quietly relaxing place to visit with roses this lovely website is right there – ask questions, get information and see lovely rose photos.
Be sure to take time to smell the roses as we head into hectic times leading up to Christmas; jump in the car on a weekend soon and wander amongst the roses in our garden; have a chat with Graham and let him show you the compost heaps, mulching methods, watering systems – bring the kids because they just love being here to have a run with Mooi …
19th & 20th November
STATE ROSE & GARDEN SHOW at WERRIBEE
Diana will be speaking at 3.00pm SATURDAY, 19TH … see you there!
