Stef and Marlorena - really pleased you both posted about Lady of Shallot because I was thinking about digging mine out - only planted it 3 years ago and for first two years it was like Marlorena's in her 'early' planting photos.
I could weep with awe at how Marlorena's looks now. I bought mine under the label 'shrub rose' - but I'm now suspecting that its instinct is to climb - and that its stature may be more stable if I place some suitable support behind it and see what happens this year.
Marlorena - can I ask about your 'feeding' process? David Austin sent a sachet of feed when I first received the rose as a pot-rose. It said not to feed it the first year. I forked in and watered the subscribed amount of Austin pellets last year and it produced only two pretty ugly small blooms and nothing else. I had wondered if it wasn't ready for the feed until maybe Year 3 - but have to admit I've been scared to fork some in this year in case it was too much for it. All it may have had a touch of might have been some fish, blood and bone which I forked in around the other perennials near it in early spring. But I've been loathe to do anything.
I pruned it in early spring - which maybe wasn't too clever with it being so young but it does look stronger than it did last year. I'm not quite sure what to do with it now as regards to feeding now or maybe supporting it as a climber instead of leaving it a it is to do its own thing.
Advice would be very very welcome. Many thanks. I chose the colour deliberately to clash with the Astrantia Ruber to the right of it here. The plants to the left won't come up for some while yet.
Thank you Marlorena and Nollie - that really has put my mind at rest, so I won't fret! We had a lot of rain a few days ago so maybe that hasn't helped either. But I'm satisfied that it's doing as it should.
Yarrow - I hope you get your problem sorted too! I too am a bit clueless regarding feeding!
Thanks Stef. Roses are pretty new to me the last 3 years and I love them so much - usually I love everybody else's and kind of crease my brows at the mystery of mine! But hey ho - this forum is a great source of calming common sense and advice and the learning something new is always a real boost. Best wishes.
yarrow.... your rose is looking great.... yes grow it as a climber, it's much better with some support behind it... well I think so, that's how I grow mine.. although I've seen it grown freestanding as a shrub and it looks good that way too with suitable pruning.. Mine is currently 6 x 6 foot and would be much taller if I allowed it..
As for feeding, I'm amazed you were told not to feed in the first year. I feed all my roses right from the first season. At least twice, once in early March, and then about mid to late June. With a few I might feed again in early August.. as the season really goes on now until late October...
I must admit, and I don't like advertising, but I find the David Austin rose fertilizer to be the best one for my roses, although I use several different types. Please feed your rose, anytime about now would be fine, two handfuls will do for the rest of the season.. Other types I use are made by Westland and Miracle Gro, or Vitax is another.. there's an organic one by Miracle Gro that I'm going to try soon.. anything is better than nothing.
During winter I would also give most of my roses a mulch of composted manure [Levington brand]…
Please remember this old adage about Austin roses, and many other roses too..
First year - sleep... second year... creep... third year.. LEAP !... they really take off.. best wishes...
Oh I love your astrantias, I grow them too with roses... here is a photo of mine I took today.. these are white 'Desdemona' and pink 'Anne Boleyn' roses with Astrantia 'Roma' and white Linum perenne [white flax] in front..
I also have Astrantia 'Warren Hills' and 'Rosensinfonie' with other roses too.
Actually, just to take back something, I notice you got your rose as a pot rose, so Austin's were right to tell you not to feed in the first year in that case, because they use a slow release fertilizer in the pot which will do for the first year. I thought you got it bare root during the winter, so yes, that would be ok for a potted rose from Austin, first year, but the following Spring feed, generously... which you did I think...
Marlorena - your roses obviously love you! They are wonderful. I love the Desdemona - my Claire Austin slightly resembles it and the Anne Boleyn is beautiful. A wonderful selection together there. Nearest I have to the Anne Boleyn shade is 'A Shropshire Lad' - but this will be it's third year as well - so fingers crossed!
Thanks for the encouragement Marlorena. Your roses are so far ahead - I'm assuming you're not in UK - or perhaps it is because you are so good with them?
Hi Yarrow... yes I'm in England,.. East Anglia region... I have about 70 roses and I'm what you would call a 'rose nut'... there aren't too many of us left these days..lol.. I know some people who have hundreds.. I'm also a member of the Heritage Roses Group, which isn't as fancy as it sounds, just means I take an interest in old fashioned roses...
Oh those roses you have are lovely, I've seen them but don't have them... I have about 25 Austin roses, some I like better than others, but there are none I don't like..
I pruned a David Austin Ena Harkness (climber) this spring, back to one cane as the other three were damaged and very woody. It's five years old. It's not sending up any other canes or shoots and I'm really hoping I haven't reverted it to a shrub rose, by over pruning, which I hear one can do. I have manured it and fed it, but nothings coming. Only two buds, where usually there are loads, by this point. I guess I'm just being impatient.
Posts
I could weep with awe at how Marlorena's looks now. I bought mine under the label 'shrub rose' - but I'm now suspecting that its instinct is to climb - and that its stature may be more stable if I place some suitable support behind it and see what happens this year.
Marlorena - can I ask about your 'feeding' process? David Austin sent a sachet of feed when I first received the rose as a pot-rose. It said not to feed it the first year. I forked in and watered the subscribed amount of Austin pellets last year and it produced only two pretty ugly small blooms and nothing else. I had wondered if it wasn't ready for the feed until maybe Year 3 - but have to admit I've been scared to fork some in this year in case it was too much for it. All it may have had a touch of might have been some fish, blood and bone which I forked in around the other perennials near it in early spring. But I've been loathe to do anything.
I pruned it in early spring - which maybe wasn't too clever with it being so young but it does look stronger than it did last year. I'm not quite sure what to do with it now as regards to feeding now or maybe supporting it as a climber instead of leaving it a it is to do its own thing.
Advice would be very very welcome. Many thanks. I chose the colour deliberately to clash with the Astrantia Ruber to the right of it here. The plants to the left won't come up for some while yet.
Yarrow - I hope you get your problem sorted too! I too am a bit clueless regarding feeding!
Mine is currently 6 x 6 foot and would be much taller if I allowed it..
As for feeding, I'm amazed you were told not to feed in the first year. I feed all my roses right from the first season. At least twice, once in early March, and then about mid to late June. With a few I might feed again in early August.. as the season really goes on now until late October...
I must admit, and I don't like advertising, but I find the David Austin rose fertilizer to be the best one for my roses, although I use several different types. Please feed your rose, anytime about now would be fine, two handfuls will do for the rest of the season..
Other types I use are made by Westland and Miracle Gro, or Vitax is another.. there's an organic one by Miracle Gro that I'm going to try soon.. anything is better than nothing.
During winter I would also give most of my roses a mulch of composted manure [Levington brand]…
Please remember this old adage about Austin roses, and many other roses too..
First year - sleep... second year... creep... third year.. LEAP !... they really take off..
best wishes...
and white Linum perenne [white flax] in front..
I also have Astrantia 'Warren Hills' and 'Rosensinfonie' with other roses too.
Thanks for the encouragement Marlorena. Your roses are so far ahead - I'm assuming you're not in UK - or perhaps it is because you are so good with them?
I know some people who have hundreds.. I'm also a member of the Heritage Roses Group, which isn't as fancy as it sounds, just means I take an interest in old fashioned roses...
Oh those roses you have are lovely, I've seen them but don't have them... I have about 25 Austin roses, some I like better than others, but there are none I don't like..