I'm in for some really mild weather next 2 weeks, maybe you are too... chilly nights though.. but things are really going to get moving along now, even the sun is a touch warmer and it's a lovely day today outside..
If you have any Clematis and are new to them, don't forget it's time to prune them anytime now until end of the month.. sooner the better... if they are of the type that needs pruning that is..
I only have 13 now, might get one more.. don't like odd numbers..
@Marlorena thats good about sceptred isle, been eying that, punted for queen of sweden but if I buy whatever Austins newbies are that might 'fall in' to go in the opposite corner out front.
My order from Trevor white arrived, lovely as usual, all thick root bundles with new growth poking through on green stems. Managed to quickly shove them all in pots for now as no time to plant yet. Very mild here, my roses are covered in shoots, im afraid to prune anymore incase I lose a bunch of flower display- reassure me?! Worryingly dry out.. no rain for weeks.
Pleased to see tell tale red basal pimples on Angel Eyes and others and thats before the big March breakfast! I need to prune those deadbits (it self deadheads spent flowerstalks like most hulthemia) but its a spikey whippy beast so needs time with my rose gauntlets on to get in the middle!)
My new David Austin rose Rushing Stream has lots of healthy buds. It has five long stems that I plan to cut back by a third end of February. I hope that this is correct. There are also shorter inner stems that were there when I purchased last year. I plan to leave these alone. If anyone can confirm that this is right I would be grateful. Thanks Suze
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
@Rojas Mine are looking so so, too... they shouldn't need protection but it's been a weird winter. This tiny one is doing the best, in a pot where the fence protects it from the morning frost and sunshine.
I hadve another more in the open where there were plenty of buds in January, but they seem to have been knocked off, possibly by squirrels, but I think the frosts and snows must have weakened them. It was my favourite... a red similar to Marlorena's there. (The pic won't load but imagine a large camellia with the buds knocked off lol)
I might have to stick to buying camellia-form roses.:)
The Sun and the Heart looks a great rose, as does Wellbeing. Lots of gems in the Harkness catalogue it seems, fab photos from pippip and cooldoc.
@Rojas I only have one red camellia now but all the buds were looking fine despite weeks of -5-8c and heavy frosts. The white one went because it was a feeble grower and the buds always browned horribly despite being in shade. I understand early morning sun hitting camellia buds after a frost is the real killer, but they are otherwise pretty hardy. Where did you have them positioned?
I’m in the UK at the moment but itching to getting back on Wednesday to see how the roses are doing. We had a tonne of much-needed rain just before I left so I’m also looking forward to getting the new rose bed dug - I really need the exercise to get back into shape as much as MIP needs it’s new home!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@GardenerSuze Yes that's what I would do.. but no more than a third I think.. the sort of rose I wouldn't want to prune too much if I can allow for its spread..
@JessicaS You don't have to prune if you don't want to... you will get blooms a little earlier if left unpruned.. sometimes I like to hard prune after the first flush rather than in Spring.. just depends..
@GardenerSuze Rushing Stream is a ground cover rose isn’t it? Depends on how tall or wide you want it to grow but if those long canes are flexible could you arch and peg them down to get more coverage and more flowering side shoots?
I currently only have one, fairly new, ground cover rose and actually haven’t pruned it it all yet since it looks in good health and shape. I’ve left it to it’s own devices to grow and spread as it likes and plan to do no more than a light tidy up as and when.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
@Marlorena and @Nollie Thankyou both I will give it a light trim. Also I will look tomorrow at the possibility of arching and pegging as there is plenty of space for it to grow. It is doing really well, shoots everywhere so hopefully some lovely flowers to come. The hips were disappointing last Autumn but the very subtle scent is beautiful.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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If you have any Clematis and are new to them, don't forget it's time to prune them anytime now until end of the month.. sooner the better... if they are of the type that needs pruning that is..
I only have 13 now, might get one more.. don't like odd numbers..
Very mild here, my roses are covered in shoots, im afraid to prune anymore incase I lose a bunch of flower display- reassure me?!
Worryingly dry out.. no rain for weeks.
Pleased to see tell tale red basal pimples on Angel Eyes and others and thats before the big March breakfast! I need to prune those deadbits (it self deadheads spent flowerstalks like most hulthemia) but its a spikey whippy beast so needs time with my rose gauntlets on to get in the middle!)
@Rojas Mine are looking so so, too... they shouldn't need protection but it's been a weird winter. This tiny one is doing the best, in a pot where the fence protects it from the morning frost and sunshine.
I hadve another more in the open where there were plenty of buds in January, but they seem to have been knocked off, possibly by squirrels, but I think the frosts and snows must have weakened them. It was my favourite... a red similar to Marlorena's there. (The pic won't load but imagine a large camellia with the buds knocked off lol)
I might have to stick to buying camellia-form roses.:)
@Rojas I only have one red camellia now but all the buds were looking fine despite weeks of -5-8c and heavy frosts. The white one went because it was a feeble grower and the buds always browned horribly despite being in shade. I understand early morning sun hitting camellia buds after a frost is the real killer, but they are otherwise pretty hardy. Where did you have them positioned?
I’m in the UK at the moment but itching to getting back on Wednesday to see how the roses are doing. We had a tonne of much-needed rain just before I left so I’m also looking forward to getting the new rose bed dug - I really need the exercise to get back into shape as much as MIP needs it’s new home!
Yes that's what I would do.. but no more than a third I think.. the sort of rose I wouldn't want to prune too much if I can allow for its spread..
@JessicaS
You don't have to prune if you don't want to... you will get blooms a little earlier if left unpruned.. sometimes I like to hard prune after the first flush rather than in Spring.. just depends..
I currently only have one, fairly new, ground cover rose and actually haven’t pruned it it all yet since it looks in good health and shape. I’ve left it to it’s own devices to grow and spread as it likes and plan to do no more than a light tidy up as and when.