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Killing Gertrude Jekyll

Rosie BeeRosie Bee Posts: 32
in Plants
....unintentionally, of course. I bought a David Austin GK a couple of months ago. It's now planted in a sunny spot against a fence. Our soil is neutral, with solid clay about 12-18" down. I water well every other night in this warm weather. At first she happily flowered and I deadheaded as required....now though there are no more buds on there way and I'm wondering what I did wrong. I have planted another, rambling rose and it's very happy - but other than that I'm new to roses.  I know there are lots of slugs in that bed - they ate the dozen or so dahlia tubers I planted the same week (I've since applied nematodes), but the plant looks ok.

What do I do? Other than hope and pray....

Thank you in advance 

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    What you do is wait.
    Hope is good, praying is , IMHO, futile. 
    Patience will reward. New plants tend to send out new roots when planted. Have no fear.
    Devon.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Completely agree Hosta.
    GJ is a wonderful rose, the best scented rose in my opinion and a great performer.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    @Pete8, I think GJ is regularly voted the best fragrance of any rose. I'd have to concur.
    Devon.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093
    I think Sanders White gives her a run for her money  :)

    Roses are tough and GJ is a strong variety - give her time and maybe a little feed.
    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • JellyfireJellyfire Posts: 1,139
    The rabbits make short work of any rose I plant (anything I plant in fact), but I find they tend to come up much stronger and tougher in the second year, and they get left alone much more. I was discussing this yesterday and it occurred to me that plants from GCs tend to be like a buffet for wildlife of all kinds as they have been mollycoddled into sales condition, with fresh and tasty foliage. Once they have got some roots going in the ground and, new foliage it often seems to toughen up and become less palatable far more quickly.

    Id be pretty sure your GJ will come back as tough as old boots
  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    She probably needs a break after flowering. I usually give roses a handful of rose fertiliser after flowering.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    @raisingirl, Sander's White does indeed have a stunning perfume , but might it rely on the sheer number of flowers?
    For individual blooms GJ is hard to beat IMHO.
    I looked after a garden in Sussex for 15 years and trained a Sander's White up a tree and it was a thing of joy when in flower. My GJ came from a cutting of a plant in the same garden so holds my pleasant memories for me.
    Devon.
  • Rosie BeeRosie Bee Posts: 32
    Thank you all. I will try patience. I just went and had another look and maybe there is a new shoot on its way! Covered in greenfly 🙄.

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