My OH is of the ‘never throw anything out’ school and thinks I am committing shocking plant genocide when I reassign anything to the compost bin. I have been too quick to hoik stuff out sometimes. We are slowly, slowly getting slightly more aligned. She now appreciates that if a rose or other plant is performing poorly because it doesn’t enjoy the conditions here that in itself is cruelty to plants. I am getting less quick to judge, having not given some plants enough time in the past. It has been 5 years of experimentation and I would not like to count the cost. I try not to buy plants just because I can, but mostly I can’t always get what I do want! My online shopping sprees tend to be more considered and planned, the exception being roses, where I went on an unaccountable splurge with TCL this year. My weakness is picking up things from the GC if I see anything vaguely interesting, which more often than not turns into a bad buy.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I have realised that I’m a natural hoarder and I find it so terribly hard to ever throw anything away. I’ve almost lost a night’s sleep when I had to chuck out my potted lupins last year due to the severe aphid infestation that would not respond to any treatment.. and the aphids were starting to spread to my roses.
There are a couple of patio roses that I have decided I simply do not like.. but every time I went near them with a shovel I inevitably change my mind at the very last minute. I think my personality combination of a procrastinator and hoarder have a lot to do with my gardening ‘style’ - once I’ve bought something they will stay forever or unless they die naturally..
On a different note, I don’t know if this video has been shared before but I’ve just rewatched it this evening and have once again find it so inspiring.. it’s a beautiful cottage style rose garden in Japan
@Marlorena yes I am going to have to keep the protea in the house at time when its really cold , they can take a frost but a prolonged one would probably damage them , they are new to me so it also a learning curve as well. Ideally I want them in the greenhouse but they don't like humidity , also dislike various other things like phosphorus which can kill them.
I've been growing meconopsis for a few years now and they are back this year , I bought one from Harlow Carr I think which turned out to be purple wasn't happy so I got some others the yea after. I don't have many pictures of them flowering from a distance more close ups they seem to evaded the camera , I'll make sure I get some this year , the clumps have bulked out now so should be easier to capture their beauty . I've been hoping in the past to get them flowering with the ligularia little rocket they miss each other by days, I am not to bothered the ligularia will compete with them for the limelight .
That's the best I can do unfortunately , think this was their first year you not suppose to let them flower first year but what can I say I am a rebel
On a different note, I don’t know if this video has been shared before but I’ve just rewatched it this evening and have once again find it so inspiring.. it’s a beautiful cottage style rose garden in Japan
This is an amazing vision - and yes, the kind of garden of my dreams. - - I wonder how much it is designed to explode for May/June, primarily. I love the height of everything - the eye travelling up all the time. What on earth is she feeding her roses? There is a tall blue flower that looks like an upright geranium, featured through the garden, about four ft high - does anyone have an idea what that might be?
It's like a miyazaki film - Arrietty and such. I thought he was exaggerating, but it seems not. No doubt M knows Ms Mariko Gonda.
@Fire Ah yes I think I’ve come across that rooftop rose garden before too. I was very jealous of her arches and climbing roses particularly. I have considered adding height and structures to my terrace but with the frequent 30mph wind and my 8th floor altitude I would be worried about things blown off my balcony.. or worse still, hitting something or someone on the street..
Very inspiring nonetheless. My only attempt at creating height has been (not very successfully) growing climbing roses up trellises on the wall.. but that hasn’t gone well so far... the growing tips of the main canes frequently dessicate in the strong wind before they have a chance to properly climb up the structure.. in fact I’ve literally just made up my mind to replace my Claire Austin (which is behaving like a shrub in addition to crumbling to dust each time there is a storm) with Roseraie de l’Hay which I hope would live up to its rugosa’s tough reputation.
P/S: I’m still keeping Claire Austin but it’s going to live elsewhere more sheltered as a shrub..
Posts
Top marks for service David Austin.
Roald Dahl looks a sturdy brute...
On a different note, I don’t know if this video has been shared before but I’ve just rewatched it this evening and have once again find it so inspiring.. it’s a beautiful cottage style rose garden in Japan
https://youtu.be/zAMM1bNv9sU
That's the best I can do unfortunately , think this was their first year you not suppose to let them flower first year but what can I say I am a rebel
Very inspiring nonetheless. My only attempt at creating height has been (not very successfully) growing climbing roses up trellises on the wall.. but that hasn’t gone well so far... the growing tips of the main canes frequently dessicate in the strong wind before they have a chance to properly climb up the structure.. in fact I’ve literally just made up my mind to replace my Claire Austin (which is behaving like a shrub in addition to crumbling to dust each time there is a storm) with Roseraie de l’Hay which I hope would live up to its rugosa’s tough reputation.