Today after various issues over the last 2 years getting hold of it I finally have a Mutabilis bloom (bare root from TW Oct 22), I've been really excited about this one. @Marlorena, I have seen yours and realised I may have miscalculated. I am growing it as a shrub, does it need a support? You can see I currently have a paeony cage around it like the one on Odyssey in my last pic but this was mainly to stop the tiny shrub being stood on during border creation. I'm wondering now whether I should leave it if the plant has a sprawling habit even in the first year.
Yes, hope you have a lovely time @Omori how exciting, I've heard about that garden and do believe I've seen photos of it somewhere online.. If you have the time later, we look forward to seeing your roses once again..
@tack There's no need for that cage.. 'Mutabilis' needs no help from us and will soon be busting out of that, it'll grow easily and quickly as a large freestanding shrub, and you should expect in southern England, that after 3 years or so, to be capable of 10' x 10'.. so winter pruning is advised to keep within bounds.. mine is already in the 8' x 6' range and I pruned in winter..
Gulp, thanks for the advice Marlorena. I always intended to increase the width of the border it is in as it grows, can I keep it to 10ft past 3 yrs or will it get beyond that each year before I get to the winter prune however hard I prune back each year?
@Tack Oh you can do whatever you like with it really, it can take hard pruning whenever it gets out of bounds.. I used to get my shears and just shear it back during the summer, even though you lose some flowers along the way it soon produces a whole lot more.. I like to give it its head and allow it to grow into a sizeable shrub, where it can show its magnificence, until it outgrows its space, then you have to get at it and prune hard, especially the width, sometimes chopping off several feet..
It depends what space you have really, but it's not to be feared and as I say, you can do pretty much what you want with it.. except keeping it confined in a cage - that won't do.
@Nollie that sounds like a good plan. Although knowing me I’ll find yet another rose I want! Would a rose cope next to a mature abelia if I do get carried away?!
Thanks Marlorena, it really is, just wish it wasn’t so covered in black spot.
@Tack you’re making me want Olivia again! I really can’t take credit for the the training, I didn’t know what I was doing when I was first growing it. The canes are really stiff so when I came to try actually training it, I was quite limited with what I could do. Your Strawberry Hill is beautiful and I’m sure there is scope to train the canes if it starts getting too wide.
@Omori have an amazing time and I can’t wait to see photos!
I have a feeling things will be in full swing while I’m gone 😆 But here is the closest I have in bloom…Mme. Isaac Pereire which is covered in buds (and aphids). I have it climbing an old tree stump.
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If you have the time later, we look forward to seeing your roses once again..
@tack
There's no need for that cage.. 'Mutabilis' needs no help from us and will soon be busting out of that, it'll grow easily and quickly as a large freestanding shrub, and you should expect in southern England, that after 3 years or so, to be capable of 10' x 10'.. so winter pruning is advised to keep within bounds.. mine is already in the 8' x 6' range and I pruned in winter..
Oh you can do whatever you like with it really, it can take hard pruning whenever it gets out of bounds.. I used to get my shears and just shear it back during the summer, even though you lose some flowers along the way it soon produces a whole lot more..
I like to give it its head and allow it to grow into a sizeable shrub, where it can show its magnificence, until it outgrows its space, then you have to get at it and prune hard, especially the width, sometimes chopping off several feet..
It depends what space you have really, but it's not to be feared and as I say, you can do pretty much what you want with it.. except keeping it confined in a cage - that won't do.
Thanks Marlorena, it really is, just wish it wasn’t so covered in black spot.
@Tack you’re making me want Olivia again! I really can’t take credit for the the training, I didn’t know what I was doing when I was first growing it. The canes are really stiff so when I came to try actually training it, I was quite limited with what I could do. Your Strawberry Hill is beautiful and I’m sure there is scope to train the canes if it starts getting too wide.
@Omori have an amazing time and I can’t wait to see photos!
Beautiful blooms @newbie77.