ROSE RAMBLER 15.12.2016 …
Hello dear rose friends and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to one of the most precious people in our lives, my darling Mother, Miep / Nan / Grandmere, who is 84 years young today!
I (Diana) am one of her four children who produced 11 grandchildren, there are 18 great-grandchildren and more on the way …
All this from a beautiful woman who courageously boarded a ship in Holland back in 1953 to be with my Dad who came some months earlier to find work and sadly died in a car accident way back in 1973 … he missed so much but I missed him more!
GRA’S GARBLE …
Seriously time to get the tap turned on because as soon as we get hot northerly winds you can be sure the soil is drying out and the plants are thirsty!
It’s absolutely essential to have a thick layer of mulch over the soil – mulch is fundamental in Australian gardens to prevent hydrophobic conditions where moisture simply WILL NOT penetrate for lack of humus and microbes.
An irrigation system that’s simple and low-maintenance is dripper hose attached to a battery operated timer at the tap – readily available from your local hardware.
It is imperative that however you decide to water your roses, you DEEP SOAK THEM AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK with say, 20 litres of water per rose. Roses which receive 40 litres at each watering will retain lush, healthy foliage and produce lots more flowers.
Q. What do witches like to read at bedtime? A. Ghoul Deluxe and the three Scares.
LUDWIG TASCHNER has several rose farms in South Africa and I read this in his recent newsletter – “… one statement that always makes me smile is: “But, they all get the same treatment, so why is this rose not doing as well as the others?”
My standard reply is: “We always try to treat all our children the same way and why do they not all develop in the same way?”
For sure – every rose variety has its own personality and one needs to be a rose whisperer to understand this. It can often be something small, that needs to be rectified and the rose recovers in no time.”
You are welcome to send photos of any issues you have with your roses to: info@rosesalesonline.com.au – we also love to receive beautiful pics of the roses you grow or identify an unnamed rose if possible.
POSTING ROSES FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS …
MONDAY, 19TH DECEMBER will be the last posting however, if you are planning on sending a GIFT ROSE for somebody, I would be most grateful to have your rose in the post today or tomorrow – Monday is the absolute deadline! Here are a few suggestions – these plants look sensational in the nursery NOW:
Modern Shrub Rose of extraordinary health and vigour
as a pleasant reminder of the hero in your life!
GRIMALDIFloribunda/Modern Shrub rose with splashes of pale creamy salmon-pink with flecks of darker salmon-pink, constantly in flower.
APRICOT NECTAR
A wonderful floribunda rose which produces clusters of perfectly formed Hybrid Tea shaped blooms. There is a very unique fragrance, a true favourite and highly recommended rose!
HOMMAGE A BARBARA
Delbard Couture Collection Shrub Rose which produces one of the most durable flowers of any rose we have ever stocked – it lasts and lasts on the bush.
GUY SAVOY
One of the MOST stunning roses to place against a post, in a pillar frame or create a hedge-row of continual blooming, fragrant, vase-quality roses
then closing until Friday, 6th January.
