ROSE RAMBLER – 13.6.2013
Hello dear rose friends … I was re-inducted to the Rotary Club of Southern Mitchell earlier this week! The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is very special to me and I’m thrilled to once again be able to commit time to this very worthwhile organisation which does such an immensely fabulous job of working in humanitarian projects around the World.
NEW SEASON’S ROSES … I have the greatest admiration for our rose-grower, Brian and you will too when you see the magnificent roses he has produced again this year. The first boxes of roses have arrived so the orders will be processed in the coming weeks – as soon as your rose order is ready to be collected/posted, I will notify you. NOT ALL THE ROSES ARE IN YET so if you don’t hear from me immediately, do not panic – it is a very late season because of the warm Autumn weather and it is important for the roses to ‘harden’ and naturally defoliate. Remember, we work WITH Nature – the result is a far superior rose for your garden!!!
ROSE PRUNING DEMONSTRATIONS … There are still a few places left in the following demonstrations – NOTE the NEW dates which are now available up to mid-July …
SUNDAY, 16th JUNE – 11.00 am – FULLY BOOKED
SATURDAY, 22nd JUNE – 1.00pm
SUNDAY, 30th JUNE – 11.00am
SATURDAY, 6th JULY – 11.00 am
SUNDAY, 14th JULY – 11.00am
Graham will be taking the “Show on the Road” by doing demonstrations in the Wellington Square Shopping Centre in Wallan on Thursday, 11th, Friday, 12th and Saturday, 13th July between 11.00am and 3.00pm. These demos were very successful last year so do drop in if you live in the area and give him something to talk about! There will also be demonstrations at the Whittlesea Court House on a Saturday in July … date to be advised next week.
ROSE OF THE WEEK … There are almost no roses flowering now, however, this little ripper still is and needs considering when you are purchasing your Winter roses because it’s a delight every single week of the flowering season and is only just finishing flowering … ‘Tintern’ is a fragrant ground-covering rose – we have it planted as a border along the entrance drive-way to the Silkies Rose Farm where, despite being planted within two metres of the huge Eucalyptus tree, it flowers and flowers in a stunning array of golden-yellow, orange and bright red – one of the ‘easy-peasy’ beauties which is so useful anywhere in the rose garden …
HAVE A LAUGH … Here are two of Graham’s jokes … the first person to email the correct answers to both jokes will receive two bare-rooted Winter bush roses of your choice, posted to your door – I will publish all the answers and announce the winner with your first name ONLY … do, please have a go at this! I’ve been living with these jokes for years and still get stumped but I know there are lots of very clever gardeners out there!!!
JOKE NO. 1 Why was the sand wet?
JOKE NO. 2 Why did the tomato blush?
Think like a child, think funny and think gardening and you’re sure to come up with the correct answer – share the fun with family over dinner or with colleagues at work … send the answers in an email! Don’t be shy …
QUOTATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION … EHRENFRIED PFEIFFER, 1981 … One of the most important scientists of the 20th Century … “The whole problem is primarily a moral one. Our future depends upon our choice between death forces and life forces; upon whether or not we will return in humility to the soil. The great questions are: Will we return to a philosophy of life which lays stress upon growth? Will our youth be educated in the spirit of growing things, and of service to life? Will they learn that it means more than money to plant our seeds and harvest crops? If the right inner attitude towards the soil penetrates the human race again, a renaissance of rural life will begin, and not only will new resources be created for our population, but spiritually we will be ‘safe’ …” Re-read the quotation and it makes so much sense!
IN CLOSING … Please take time within the space of your family and your back-yard to get down and dirty this weekend, plant some seedling colour, maybe some Winter veggies … definitely leave space for a beautiful, fragrant rose which is now available at the Rose Farm, CLONBINANE … see you soon ..